I won this from Goodreads a few months ago, and just finally got around to reading it. This book was a pleasant surprise for me. I don't read a ton of nonfiction, but when I do, I love when it exposes me to people or places that I know very little about. Russia is certainly one of those places, and I am particularly uninformed when it comes to Russian history. It took me a little while to figure out what direction this book was taking (is it about the author? his parents? Russia itself?)...eventually I realized that the themes of all these separate stories ran together very coherently. I was especially intrigued by Mila and Mervyn's story...a happy ending, yes, but not entirely...much like many of the political changes in Mila's home country. Overall it was both moving and informative. I learned a lot!

I enjoyed this book. I like reading about this era in Russian/Soviet history. But what I especially liked about this book is that is is told from an unusual point of view -- at least in my experience. This is from the pov of the grandchild of a Stalin supporter who then fell out of favor. It reads very easily, skipping back and forth between generations, but still very clear to follow. I viewed it primarily as the story of the middle generation, but in reality it is subtitled THREE Generations. I sometimes felt annoyed when the present slipped in and stole my from the past, but when I remembered it is the author's story too, it was better. He is very candid about the things that happened, and how sometimes things DON'T end up happily ever after even when it seems you've gotten all you've ever wanted. I have recommended this book to a number of people.