I was intrigued by the jacket cover of this book asking how
you could know what you want with your life and who you are if you don’t know
your own mother. The hint that the
mother’s story was related to Russia also interested me. I was curious enough to buy the book and am
happy I did. I found not only a well
written book about three women but also a book that drew the reader into the
fairy tale along with the daughters.
As is often the case in families, one sibling is the
reliable one always putting responsibility before self while another is the
free spirit, flying off to all parts of the world leaving everyone else to hold
life together. Meredith is the older,
responsible daughter who almost loses all she loves trying to keep it together.
Nina is the free spirit, going into war zones and natural disasters looking for
the perfect photo. One hides behind
family, work and duty while the other hides behind a camera lens and a search
for the thrill. Both are trying to
capture the same thing—meaning in life.
Their mother, Anya (Vera) has never shown them love and they have
developed accordingly. They loved their
father and upon his death, finally begin to learn what makes Anya tick.
Using the fairy tale as a basis for the story of her life,
Vera finally lets her life story be told.
She can only tell it in the dark at first and only in pieces. Nina is determined to get the whole story and
keep a promise to her father. Meredith is equally determined not to listen to
the story any longer. Her husband tells
her that words matter and that she is just like her mother. To her this is cold and unfeeling. While she
realizes he is right, she does nothing to stop the breakup of their marriage.
Nina loves Danny but freezes when he proposes marriage. Despite both women loving their men they can
not commit. It is through the fairy tale
and its completion that they learn to love their mother, that she loves them
and to find what makes each of them happy.
Surprises—that again I am drawn into a book about strong
women. Vera starved, watched her
children die, left her dead mother in a graveyard, unburied because she lacked
the strength to bury her, walked miles to save her children and herself only to
find everyone she loved was dead and she was in a German work camp. Surprise #2—the trip to Alaska is cathartic
for all three women. Vera finishes her story and her daughters learn that she
was afraid to love them—afraid they would be taken from her. Meredith learns
that she indeed still loves Jeff and is finally willing and able to make
changes that will make her happy. Nina does love Danny and they agree to live
the life of nomads, following a story until they can no longer get around.
Marriage is not necessary as long as they have love. Surprise #3—not everyone
in Vera’s life died. The trip to Alaska
helps her find her daughter, Anya. It also lets her know that Sasha had not
died as she had been told. He did live, moved the family to Alaska as they had
planned and lived out his life waiting for her to come to him.
The ending is beautiful and a perfect blend of love and
faithfulness.
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