Review: "The Revolution of Marina M" by Janet Fitch

This is the fascinating fictional story of Marina Makarova as told in her own narrative, starting when she was a young girl of almost 16 in Petrograd. It starts around the time of the birth of the Workers Revolution and World War I in 1916 until 1919. She is a member of the hated bourgeois class and is torn by her loyalty to her family and her compassion for the working class. Her life takes many twists and turns. She is obsessed with her boyhood boyfriend whom she cannot stay away from even at the threat of danger. This passion leads her into life threatening situations. She finally realizes that truth and takes command of her life as she realizes that the people in her family are not what she grew up believing.

I love the author’s descriptions of events and people. They are vivid and captivating. You feel the panic and excitement at the labor rallies and can see in your mind’s eye, what Marina’s lover looks like. There is a myriad of subordinate characters that give the story depth. Each has their own story to tell and all are well defined. My only complaint is that the ending was anticlimactic.

This is the first novel that I have read by Janet Fitch and I will definitely read another. The story is fast moving and keeps you turning pages. I would recommend this book for young adult to adult readers for the mature subject matter.