First I want to say that I really need to read EVGENY ONEGIN. I've seen the movie with Ralph Fiennes and Liv Tyler and it's a fabulous movie. And, I own the book. I just haven't read it. However, after reading this book I truly need to find some time to get to EVGENY ONEGIN. Also, I quite badly want to re-watch the movie.

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Yes, i'd heard of the Russian poet Pushkin, but never read any of his writings. So to read he died young, in a duel over his wife's honor added a bit of intrigue to his story.

I don't think Alexander felt worthy enough of Natalya's love. She, one of the great beauties of Russia, was torn between a rather shallow societal life of costume balls, and one of contentment with a devoted husband and children.
Shallow and a wee bit self-absorbed is how she comes across. I'd have liked to read more of Pushkins inner workings. And no matter how much i analyze it, i am totally baffled by the title! ( )

When Natalya meets Alexander Pushkin at a ball, she is instantly drawn and attracted to him. Finding her to be beautiful and intelligent, Pushkin pursues a courtship. They marry and have children and are generally happy, up until another man enters Natalya's life and Alexander challenges him to a duel.

I find Russian history fascinating, and this story was no exception. Glimpses of the Russian czar and court life were sprinkled throughout the book adding a layer of depth to Natalya and Alexander's lives. I wish the author had spent some time to tell us what happens to Natalya and her family after the duel. After all, a woman's life doesn't end with her husband's. Overall, 4 out of 5 stars. ( )

I will admit to knowing the name Alexander Pushkin. But I will also admit that I didn’t know much more about the man than he was a famous poet. I’ve long been fascinated with various facets of Russian history so I knew that I was starting from a good place with The Lost Season of Love and Snow. The book is the imagined telling of the love story of Alexander and his wife Natalya through her eyes.

It was a time when women did not hold much power and the slightest scandal could ruin a woman forever. Natalya was one of the great beauties of her time despite coming from a family that had fallen on hard times. She was feeling the pressure to marry well so as to provide for her family but what is a girl to do when the heart leads her to a poet? That poet may be Russia’s most famous but he has a bit of the renegade about him and she fears his revolutionary thoughts could lead to exile. She gets assurances that her beloved will be safe but the question then becomes, will she be?

These two are very compelling characters; Natalya was very young when she married Alexander and he was what we would consider a bit of a player. He introduced her to court where her beauty made her quite popular and after a childhood where her mother constantly berated her the attention was a comfort – especially when Alexander was away. They were both flirts but Natalya attracted some dangerous attention. It caused her no end of worry and Alexander no end of jealousy.

Her telling of the tale offers a softer perspective on their life together. History shows it did not end happily for him but life did go on for Natalya and their children.

I enjoyed this take on the love story of Alexander and Natalya. They were at times lovable and detestable as can often be said of people of disparate ages and types who fall in love. Ms. Laam brings the period to life with well written descriptions of the Tsar’s court and its entertainments. She presents the different households well so that you really get the sense of the depths to which Natalya’s family had fallen while still trying to maintain some nobility.

It’s a great read for sitting by the fire with a cup of tea on a Saturday afternoon. ( )

Natalya's mother expects her to make a match that will improve the family's fortune, and a poet who must survive from poem to poem does not qualify. Though this Russian beauty tries to be cautious, she ultimately follow her heart, and must face the consequences of a life around court and marriage to a genius.

From the start, Natalya (also called Natasha or Natalie) is a character to sympathize with. At first she lives under the thumb of her exacting mother. Then, life wasn't easy with an income that came in as a trickle, a growing family to feed, not to mention the dinners she must be hostess to, and the dances/masquerades she must attend. It was fascinating and heartbreaking to watch as she danced to the tune of the court, which roves to bring tragic consequences.

The plot of the story is evenly paced. There are a couple sex scenes, which while not overly graphic in detail, but are enough to make a sensitive reader uncomfortable. There are many side characters, people who influenced this woman's life, but the focus is where it should be: on Natalya.

This was an intriguing read about a historical figure I'd never head of before. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy a fictional look at a woman who was once looked down on.

I received a copy from NetGalley for reviewing purposes. ( )