Russka

This novel only covers 1,000 years of history, not the advertised 1,800 years. The first chapter takes place on 180 CE. The story then quickly moves 800 years forward to the year 1066 CE and ends in 1992 CE. I loved reading about the characters who lived through these eras but would have liked to see more chapters and characters who lived between 180 and 1066 CE. I am not as knowledgeable about life in Russia during those years and yearn to know more.

It was interesting to learn that the Russian people have a Nordic origin while Kiev has a Slavic origin. With the Mongol invasion covering what is now Russia, the people intermarried and their skin color became darker. Even the Christian denominations they initially followed separated these show more people with Russia following Latin Christianity and Kiev following Byzantine Christianity. These countries may be geographically close but they have very different genetic and social origins and they have been fighting each other for 2,000 years. The story follows two families who lived during this time period.

The book may be over thirty years old but it is timely. Some of the cities where events take place include Moscow, Russka (there are 2), Novgorod, Kiev, Smolensk, Vilnius, Riga, Polotsk, Yaroslav, Suzdal, Odessa and Nizhni Novgorod. One of the settings is the city of Tver. If you've seen recent news reports you know that Vladimir Putin's Wagner Company enemy Yevgeny Prigozhin was killed in a plane crash last week in Tver. Kiev is another city that is included in many family stories in the book. It shows Russka invading Kiev and later being kicked out numerous times over and over and over throughout the millenium covered in the book. While Russka was published over 30 years ago, it has been a help to me as I read the news today.

I loved this novel but must admit if you are not a fan of history, you won't like Rutherford's tomes show less

‘’The steppe was quiet that night. So was the forest. Softly the wind moved over the land.’’

Russia...Few countries are able to create such vivid images once you hear their names. Those of us who had the good fortune to visit that beautiful country will be able to understand the heart of this book even better. A land of antitheses, a land of classical and primitive beauty, a land created by blood, tears and religion, a land where every form of Art flourished, giving birth to Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Pushkin, Gogol, Turgenev, Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Gorgi, Nureyev, and the list is endless. I won’t deal with political issues, I couldn’t care less about politics in any country and any era. All I am able to say is that bringing the show more course of Russia through the centuries into life is a daunting task. And I can think of noone better to bring it to fruition than Edward Rutherfurd.

Rutherfurd uses a small community named Russka and follows his familiar and fascinating technique. We follow the descendants of two families through time, starting from 180 AD all the way to the 90s, from the Roman times to the fall of the Iron Curtain. The characters are men and women that have their weaknesses and strengths, their hopes and fears, feelings that are mainly dependant on who has the absolute power over the troubled country at any given era. With the risk of sounding like an old, broken record to those who follow my reviews and have read my commentaries on Rutherfurd's books, I must say (for the millionth time) that he creates people that live right in front of our eyes. He inserts historical details which provide the necessary context for the interactions and the storylines, but he doesn't give a History lecture and, the most important, he doesn’t choose sides.

He paints with words. His descriptions of battles, political machinations and daily life are equally exciting. He touches upon religious, political and philosophical matters in a simple, clear, confident manner. Each story-chapter is a small literary treasure, a necessary piece to the beautiful Russian tapestry he has created, but there are some that simple stand out.

‘’All nature seemed at peace in the vast Russian silence.’’

‘’Forest and Steppe’’ : The birth of Russia through the eyes of a young woman of mixed parentage. A tale set in 180 AD.
‘’The River’’ : A story of rivalry between brothers and the caress of good fortune set in the 11th century.
‘’The Tatar’’ : A dark story set in the 13th century, during the terrible Tatar invasions. An unusual text by Rutherfurd who shows he isn't afraid to deal with bold- nay, shocking- storylines. A word of caution, though. It is not a chapter for readers who are sensitive in issues like incest and problematic sexual relationships.
‘’Ivan’’ : We move on to the time Ivan Grozny- more commonly known as Ivan the Terrible- and the era in which Moscow becomes the heart and jewel of Russia. In this story, Rutherfurd has created a very interesting and tragic relationship between Boris and Elena, a young married couple who do everything they can to destroy one another.

‘’You’re free, Cossack- free as a bird over the steppe. But I’m alone with nothing.’’

‘’The Cossack’’ : Perhaps, the best moment in the book. A wonderful journey in the life of the Cossacks, during a tumultuous era in Russian history and the influence of Poland in the religious and political issues of the country.
‘’Catherine’’ : We travel from Moscow to St. Petersburg, this glorious, mesmerizing city, and the Golden Age of Russia. The era when everything flourished under the reign of Catherine the Great.

‘’The wolf is near, but on a cold, dark night, the Tsar is very far away indeed.’’

We enter the years of doubt, the time when the oppression is doubly-felt among the lower classes and the cries for freedom and change start rising above the level of whispers.The French Revolution has planted a mighty seed all over Europe and the people begin to question everything they used to take for granted. However, revolutions are always double-edged swords and Rutherfurd writes about the darkest times in Russian History with sensitivity and objectivity.

‘’Fathers and Sons’’ : Turgenev and Bakunin’s influence is very prominent on this chapter, leading us towards the final acts before the world explodes.

The following chapters describe the bloody days of the Revolution, the Russian fight and contribution in stopping Hitler’s forces from advancing further,with the eventual defeat of the Nazi oppression, and the times of uncertainty following the fall of the Iron Curtain.

Trying to trace the complex history of Russia while being completely objective, professional and respectful, is toiling work. Even writing a simple, unimportant review about this great country is tricky,because there are always the ones looking for a fight, trying to lure you into cheap political commentary. I have read many, many books that combine History and Fiction to narrate the tale of the beautiful country. None could come close to Edward Rutherfurd’s creation…

‘’Russia: where the plain is endless.’’
‘’Russia: where the east and west meet.’’




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I LOVE historical novels that span generations/time periods, and this book delivers, with nearly 2000 years of Russian history, as followed through several family lines. These lines continue to interact with one another through the ages, often not knowing that their ancestors had met. This book also roused me to do some research into Russian history for myself, so this book not only entertained me, it led me to further educate myself.

I liked how this book illustrated different lifestyles, whether ethnic, or socioeconomic. Russia through the ages has been a land comprised of many people, with influences from various lands that give it a rich and storied history. This book reflected on that well, in my opinion.

​I have not heard of Edward Rutherfurd until he was recommended to me as a good historical fiction writer. I started with "Russka" - historical fiction about Russia, a territory closest to me, especially as the story starts near the city of Kiev in ancient times. And though at first I had a subtle feeling that I was not sure where he was going with it, in time I got used to his narration in this mammoth of a book - not just in size (760 pages) but in the time span he covers in it: from A.D. 180 to 1990!​

The interweaving of the characters and their family lineages is quite fascinating, and the map of relationships at the front of the book (a sort of a couple of family trees whose branches cross among themselves here and there) was show more helpful. Major historical events surrounding the plot (or plots) are given enough importance, considering the limitations of just one volume. I learned a lot about the history of Orthodox Christianity, about the "root of the endemic anti-Semitism" in Russia, among many other points of history. All in all, I didn't lose interest even once throughout this overwhelming saga. show less

Such a disappointment! I thoroughly loved his New York and I love Russian history, but this story was very disjointed. I've been doing some researching and found out this was Rutherfurd's first historical saga. I also read where a couple of critics claimed these were short stories put together to form a novel; that is how I felt. I just couldn't find the connection between characters nor find out why some disappeared or where others came from. Now I really have to think if I will do a 3rd Rutherfurd or not! 1168 pages

Sometimes I love the works of Edward Rutherfurd - sometimes not. 'Russka' fell somewhere in the middle for me. Like Rutherfurd's other novels, Russka attempts to tell the story of a city (or country) by following a number of fictional families from pre-history to the present day and sets their stories against the backdrop of historical characters and events. I found this book to be very slow-going in parts, especially at the beginning.

Rutherfurd is known for his extensive research and this was most evident while reading the book. I never felt a connection to the families, however. I'm not sure what the problem was but there wasn't a single fictional character that I would have wanted to have a coffee or a chat with. However, the show more 'history' part was very engrossing, especially as the story headed into more modern times. Maybe Russia is just too large a country with too much history to fit into 950 pages and do any era justice.

I usually like to read in the evening and sometimes go to bed early just so I can read a few extra chapters. I was happy enough to keep reading Russka but the book never made me want to go to bed early so I could read more - except on the last day of reading when I saw the end approaching and kept reading so I could be finished with it. show less

Russka by Edward Rutherford is an amazing read, but not for the faint of heart. Rutherford has spent a great deal of research an inclusion of historical detail in his work of fiction. His attention to detail and character development adds to the history he brings to life. In studying the history of Russia, reading this book added a new dimension. It gave a 'voice' to the historical personalities that are so important for the understanding of the history student.

Rutherford gives life and love to the characters he sets to paper. His development of plot carried through many generations gives the reader a fairly full picture.

If you want a quick read, this book isn't it. If you want a good read, don't miss this book.