Castle of Concrete

April 15, 2019
Love triangles tend to make people angry. This novel--a coming-of-age story set in the Soviet Union in the early days of perestroika--may make readers upset for other reasons. Sonya is a 15-year-old Jewish girl, and the guy she's dating might genuinely be one of the worst people on Earth. Ruslan is violent and bigoted, and he tends to patronize Sonya. He says things like, "it's time you learned life a little...you little hedgehog in a fog." Readers may wonder if Sonya is entering into an abusive relationship, especially when Ruslan tries to beat up his romantic rivals, like her other love interest, a perpetually tan Jewish boy named Misha Aizerman. The novel might have provided valuable insight into survivors of abuse if Ruslan were the least bit appealing, but the attraction seems to be mostly chemical. His eyes are apparently enchanting, because Sonya describes them every few chapters. Debut author Raina's prose is often repetitive and clumsy, though from time to time it's possible to glimpse the novel she meant to write, a moving story not only about love, but about political freedom and religious identity. Unfortunately, even Team Edward may find Ruslan difficult to defend. (Historical fiction. 12-16)

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July 12, 2019

Gr 8 Up-This bildungsroman/love story set during the 1990-91 Russian unrest centers on a Jewish girl. In 1990, Sonya leaves Siberia to join her dissident mother in Moscow and start a new life full of possibilities, leaving her shy, bookish self behind. She catches bad boy Ruslan's eye but is also intrigued by self-assured Misha, who is Jewish. Sonya, who is half Jewish and looks Russian, is searching for connections. She dates Ruslan, who attends protests, but when she discovers Ruslan is a white supremacist, she confides her Judaism and ends things. A chaste relationship with Misha ensues. Everything comes to a head during the 1991 coup, culminating in Ruslan throwing a rock that hits Misha, nearly killing him. The writing is awkward and stilted in places, keeping readers at a distance from Sonya. Chemistry between Sonya and Ruslan is lacking-their supposed love never feels believable, and Ruslan remains the archetype of the bad boy, more of a plot device than a fully realized character. Sonya's search for who she is feels plausible, but she's not particularly sympathetic. The book lacks context about Russian politics at the time, and without previous knowledge, readers are left floundering. VERDICT There is a definite need for books with Jewish protagonists. Unfortunately, this one, which lacks transitions and has the feel of a fictionalized memoir, falls flat.-Amy Lilien-Harper, Wilton Library, CT

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