The Winter Queen: A Novel: Amazon.ca: Boris Akunin, Campbell Scott: Books

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Three million copies of Akunin's Erast Fandorin historical mystery series have been sold in Russia, where the author is a celebrity. This volume--the first of nine installments so far--should get the series off to a rousing start in the U.S. It's set in Czarist Russia and stars the naive but eager Fandorin as a young investigator with the Moscow police. Why would a university student shoot himself in the middle of the Alexander Gardens? Fandorin sets out to find the answer and soon lands in the middle of a far-reaching international conspiracy. Yakunin effectively juxtaposes the comical innocence of his hero against the decadence of nineteenth-century Moscow--aristocrats idling in gambling clubs while the winds of revolution freshen. In his debut, Fandorin comes across as an odd but appealing mix of Holmesian brilliance and Inspector Clousseauian bumbling. Occasionally, Akunin's style seems a bit affected, aping the manner of, say, Thackeray, commenting on the foibles of his characters, but at the same time, that nineteenth-century tone is part of the book's appeal. Anne Perry fans, in particular, will enjoy this series. Bill Ott
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

“Mystery readers should enjoy this story. It is as Russian, and as international, as caviar and vodka! A crafty tale full of atmosphere, character, and action. I look forward to hearing more about the young detective Erast Fandorin.”–Anne Perry

“Elaborate, intricate, profoundly Czarist, and Russian to its bones, as though Tolstoy had sat down to write a murder mystery and came out with The Winter Queen. A wondrous strange and appealing novel, and not quite like anything you’ve read before.”–Alan Furst

"Atmospheric and engrossing, The Winter Queen is a historical thriller from the world of the czar. Boris Akunin is Russia's answer to Caleb Carr." -Kevin Baker

From the Hardcover edition.

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First Sentence
ON MONDAY THE THIRTEENTH OF MAY IN THE year 1876, between the hours of two and three in the afternoon on a day that combined the freshness of spring with the warmth of summer, numerous individuals in Moscow's Alexander Gardens unexpectedly found themselves eyewitnesses to the perpetration of an outrage that flagrantly transgressed the bounds of common decency. Read the first page

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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt

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Customer Reviews

47 Reviews

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4.1 out of 5 stars (47 customer reviews)

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4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Journey Into Czarist Russia, Mar 4 2012

By

James A. Anderson "Author" (London, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

Ce commentaire est de: The Winter Queen: A Novel (Paperback)

THE WINTER QUEEN is an interesting journey into Czarist Russia. Well written and almost lyrical at times, with a great sense of humor and adventure.

Erast Fandorin follows the breathtaking twists and turns of his investigation...Highly recommended. Like a Russian James Bond. This book is elaborate, intricate, profoundly Czarist, and Russian to its bones. It is almost as if Tolstoy sat down to write a murder mystery. A strange and appealing novel, and not quite like anything you've ever read before. The book is as international as caviar and vodka.

Definitely makes me want to read others in this series.

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4.0 out of 5 stars A good start to the series, July 18 2004

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J. Mullin (Plantation, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

Ce commentaire est de: The Winter Queen: A Novel (Paperback)

We learn from the book-jacket (and from the description above) that Akunin has sold millions of books in Russia, and that The Winter Queen is the first in a series of novels involving 19th century criminal investigator Erast Fandorin. I stumbled across this book on a table in Harrod's, and if the rest of the series are as fast-paced, witty and well-written as this one I am a new Akunin fan.

The book takes place in 1876 Moscow, where a good-looking, wealthy young gentleman approaches some ladies in the park and shoots himself in the head. Some in the Criminal Investigation Department wish to close the file immediately, an obvious suicide by a lovesick youth, but young Fandorin, a newcomer to the department, takes the investigation seriously. He starts uncovering all sorts of interesting secrets and conspiracies, taking him to London and back. Along the way he must deal with attempts on his life, learn how to gamble for high stakes, preserve his honor by issuing a challenge to a duel, and decide whether an agent in London is trust-worthy or a double-agent.

Some here have likened Fandorin to James Bond, or a Russian Sherlock Holmes, but he doesn't really fit either bill since he is too young, naive, eager to please and vulnerable compared to those classic characters. At various times in the novel Fandorin prepares to meet his maker, including one chilling scene in London where he gets to take a swim in the Thames, Harry Houdini style. We know he must make it to the next book in the series, but he seems to make it by the skin of his teeth. I agree with the reviewer who likens him more to the young protaginist from Caleb Carr's The Alienist, a much closer match in my opinion.

The language of the novel can get a little wooden at times, common especially with translated works, but the dialogue occasionally sparkles, and Akunin is trying to emulate a late 19th century style. Overall I enjoyed this book immensely, and will have to look for some of the later books in the series. Four stars.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Summer Reading, May 24 2004

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Leonard Fleisig "Len" (Virginia Beach, Virginia) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

Ce commentaire est de: The Winter Queen: A Novel (Paperback)

Boris Akunin's The Winter Queen was a very nice 'read'. The first in a series, Akunin introduces us to Erast Fandorin, a young investigator newly hired by the Moscow police force. Erast comes to the police after his father's family fortune took a dramatic turn for the worse that jolted Erast out of a life of upper-income leisure into a career as a detective. Young, tenacious, intuitive, and more than a bit na�ve, Erast is assigned to investigate a clear cut case of suicide. On its surface, an easy investigation designed to ease Erasts's entry into life as an investigator. Of course, all is not what it seems and Erast determines quickly that there is more to the case than a simple suicide. Erast (and Akunin) slowly peel away the layers of mystery and reveals in the process a world-wide conspiracy centered on a series of well run and maintained orphanages endowed by a rich, influential English noblewoman. Along the way Erast encounters love, lust, gambling, and avoids a series of death defying experiences. Standing alone the series of events described above sounds rather pedestrian. A well worn theme. However, the pleasure to be derived from this book is the setting, late 19th century Russia. Akunin has a keen eye for detail and atmospherics. He conveys (as does the excellent translation) a sense of what life must have been life in 19th century Moscow and St. Petersburg.
The book ends triumphantly but Fandorin's triumph turns bittersweet n the last few paragraphs. Although this made for a disconcerting jolt at the end of the book it is quite understandable when one considers that Winter Queen is the first in a long series of Fandorin mysteries. A happily ever after ending would not leave much room for drama in the next installment.

Some have compared Fandorin to Sherlock Holmes with a bit of Inspector Clouseau thrown in for good measure. I think Fandorin's character stands on its own and needs no comparison to other literary detectives. If I had to provide any sort of comparison it would be to the protagonist in Caleb Carr's The Alienist. The characters and story lines are quite different of course. The comparison lies in the impact of the historic locale (19th century New York City and 19th century Moscow) that forms the atmospheric heart of each book.

All in all this is a very entertaining piece of mystery writing set in an exotic locale. It is a perfect book to read on the beach, on a long plane ride, or sitting on a lawn chair in the back yard. I look forward to the next installment in the series.

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars All the little children
In Germany it was student duelling - with sabres, as Mark Twain so vividly described. In late 19 century Russia it was suicide, sometimes performed in bizarre ways - one loaded... Lisez davantage

Published on Jun 5 2008 by Stephen A. Haines

5.0 out of 5 stars Winter Queen by Mystery King
The ending! What a shocker! I couldn`t get over it for days, and wanted more! I found this book by chance and read it because I am interested in Imperial Russia. Lisez davantage

Published on July 17 2004 by A McDowell