Review: A Fascinating Read!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 23, 2013
This story takes place in the early 1990's during the dissolution of the Soviet Union. It is written through the view point of a young girl named Marina, who lives in Russia and who has big dreams for her future. Now that communism is coming to an end and her country begins to experience democracy and freedom, she believes these dreams may be even more attainable. The changes also present new challenges for herself and for everyone around her.I was a young child during the early 1990's when all of this happened, so even though I have vague memories of hearing about it, most of what I know is from what I learned in school. It was fascinating to read about it here as seen through the eyes of an ordinary, young girl. I gained a much better sense of what it was like for Russians during that time.Like Marina, I have always had dreams of traveling and being able to see more of the world. Very few people in the Soviet Union were allowed to travel outside the country, however. As an American, I have never had such a restriction; although due to limited funds, I haven't done nearly as much traveling as I would like! It was very easy to relate to Marina even though we are from completely different parts of the world. She seemed very real, and reading about her life in Moscow was quite an enlightening experience.This well-written drama shows how uncertain our futures can be and how life is always changing -- whether for better or for worse. Highly recommended.