The Revolution of Marina M.

By: Janet Fitch

Narrated by: Yelena Shmulenson

Length: 30 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's Summary

From the mega-bestselling author of White Oleander and Paint It Black, a sweeping historical saga of the Russian Revolution, as seen through the eyes of one young woman. St. Petersburg, New Year's Eve, 1916.

Marina Makarova is a young woman of privilege who aches to break free of the constraints of her genteel life, a life about to be violently upended by the vast forces of history. Swept up on these tides, Marina will join the marches for workers' rights, fall in love with a radical young poet, and betray everything she holds dear, before being betrayed in turn.  

As her country goes through almost unimaginable upheaval, Marina's own coming-of-age unfolds, marked by deep passion and devastating loss, and the private heroism of an ordinary woman living through extraordinary times. This is the epic, mesmerizing story of one indomitable woman's journey through some of the most dramatic events of the last century. 

©2017 Janet Fitch (P)2017 Hachette Audio

Critic Reviews

"Incandescent. Fitch has expertly drawn the world of Russia in 1916 in flurries of white, like an exquisite snow globe, and then nudged it to the edge of a precipice, until in one jarring push, it falls. It crashes and each brilliant shard lifts and swirls. Poets, artists, profiteers, soldiers, cult leaders, sadists, idealists, blood, sex, hope all piecing together in a new life, a new country. The brilliant Janet Fitch has written yet another powerful, kaleidoscopic novel." (Cynthia Bond, author of Ruby)

"Ambitious, vivid, engrossing. Fitch puts flesh and bones on one of the most tumultuous times in human history, a vast canvas filled with the rising up the oppressed, naïve hope, abrupt reversals, and crushing betrayals. The novel is a virtuoso rendition of the time, buoyed by Fitch's impeccable research and her bold, unforgettable prose." (Susan Sherman, author of If You Are There and The Little Russian)

"This is Janet Fitch at her finest." (Elizabeth Entenman, HelloGiggles)

*****WOW*****

OK....so much to say....I think this is the wordiest review I have ever written...so here goes....

When I started writing this review, I had no idea there will be a sequel!!!!!
This was one very long and beautifully written and well researched book about the Russian revolution, which has been in the making for over 10 years, wow!!!!
It helped a lot that I was born and raised in Leningrad (I know it is St. Petersburg now, but I was born and raised in Leningrad), and all the neighborhoods are familiar to me, which felt like I was walking them again with this book.
The poetry, the beautiful poetry, the breathtaking poetry - not sure if it has the same soul when translated. I remember them all by memory, we all have the poetry imbedded in our memories since we are little little kids.
And the Russian words transliterated into English, were probably hard to read and get the full meaning, unless one is fluent in Russian.

So, with all above said, I had the privilege to enjoy the book immensely, and now I cannot wait for book 2 to be published! I wonder why that wasn't more heavily publicized.

I facilitate a few book clubs, and might add this one to the book list. I wonder if the ladies in my groups will love me or hate me for adding a very lengthy book, but I will take that chance.

Marina's Revolution, Indeed!

Nothing like a revolution springing its banks, while a somewhat pampered poetess and the men and women in her life try to navigate the flood waters. She believed she could so she did, or at least, she tried to and that's all
that matters.

I'm a Dr. Zhivago nut. Watched it over and over, read it in college, reread it a few years ago by audio. When I was a child, I understood the love and the tragedy. When in college, I picked up so much more on the politics. It was only when I listened again a few years ago that I realized the themes- the old Country vs the new country, and how Zhivago's loves reflected them, and the tragedies of each. Because I'm such a Dr. Z fan, I was a bit afraid to pick this up, especially with the billing being somewhat of a Dr. Z for women.

I'm not really sure it is, but the beauty of this book Is how it stands on its own, rather like The Count did in The Gentleman of Moscow. I don't think the symbolism is near as strong as in Dr. Z, but the depth of the journey is certainly present, the hopes, the loves, and the tragedies. The shattered lives, the growth, the twists and turns. It is amazing what humans will do to survive. This book showed me yet another top story of the Reds and beyond. Highly recommend.

Meh.

Just interestoenough to keep me listening, but very lightweight, and the ending - well, it just ended with almost nothing resolved.

a gripping story in exquisite language

Janet Fitch has an uoutstanding ability to make the reader fall in love with words. In The Revolution of Marina M., she holds the reader spellbound with a rich and entertaining story that makes the soul sing as well as cry. This novel shows us the personal side of a revolution. It is a must-read.

too graphic

returning. a disappointment. too graphic. I tried to finish it and I still have the feeling that I'm not sure what I just listened to. the span of scenes is huge, the story wanders and at certain chapters you aren't even sure what's going on. too graphic applies to violence and sex. way too graphic. not my taste at all. the narration is good. I could have finished it just to listen to her speak.

Amusing and Entertaining

One judges a novel on its own world and its own story. On those criteria it is a geat story that is well written and well read.

I have read several novels on the Russian revolutions and usually they are deep and brooding tracts scouring the human spirit in all its beauty, cruelty and rawness,Dr Zhivago by Pasternak and Tolstoi 's The Road to Calvery spring to mind.

Fitch's book is very different maybe because its American or maybe because thats just how the author sees things I don't know. It is a sort of romp through the Revolutions with Mary Poppins and Dothothy Gale, with a soupcon of sex.

Once you have accepted it is basically a turn Bourgeosie adventure for most of the characters and their teenage emotions rather than a confronation with working class dystopia and the collapse of their world. Then the novel becomes a well wrtten modern coming of age story with fun characters and all the lightness of a well written romance novel.

A long but intriguing tale.

Loved Janet Fitch’s story telling and obviously well researched.
So many twists and turns for the heroine and in such a short space of time, I just found that the ending was a bit up in the sky, did the author get bored or do we have to wait for a sequel?

Brilliant!!

Incredibly imagined!! Fitch is a master of surprise, story and scene! What a pleasure to listen to every word. It is erudite and enrapturing— I can only hope it will be made into a mini series of major movie!! I was spellbound throughout!

Raw emotions through your guts...

Such emotional journey through history...gut wrenching. A classic. The best novel I read this year. Period.

Too tedious

This story was very tedious at times but written well enough tha i wanted to see what was going to happen.

chuck lit very sophomoric

waste of time unless you know nothing about the historic setting. the possibly a good bodice ripper upon the Volga