This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
L. BORDETSKY-WILLIAMS is the author of the memoir, Letters to Virginia Woolf (Hamilton Books, 2005, http://www.letterstovirginiawoolf.com); The Artist as Outside in the Novels of Toni Morrison and Virginia Woolf (Greenwood Press, 2000); and three poetry chapbooks (The Eighth Phrase (Porkbelly Press 2014), Sky Studies (Finishing Line Press 2014), and In the Early Morning Calling (Finishing Line Press, 2018)). She is a Professor of Literature at Ramapo College of New Jersey and lives in New York City.
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
Forget Russia is a work of fiction in the historical fiction, family saga, and interpersonal drama sub-genres, and was penned by author L. Bordetsky-Williams. Written for adult reading audiences, the work is accessible to readers of most sensitivity levels and contains a small amount of moderate violence pertinent to the plot. We find ourselves in the year 1980, following the exploits of American college student Anna, whose desire to learn more about her family history takes her on an emotional journey whilst she is studying abroad in Moscow. What follows is a multi-generational tale of culture clashes, family values, and the reality of living in Brezhnev’s Soviet Union.
Author L. Bordetsky-Williams has crafted a historical work that smacks of authenticity on every page, delving ever deeper into the hidden realities of life behind Russia’s Iron Curtain, and what it means to try to engage with other cultures and discover your true identity as an adult. One of the things which I found most impressive about the work was the narrative style, which perfectly balances the immersion into the scene via atmospheric details and clever exposition, with the presence of character, emotion, and interaction. We really get to know Anna and the family as the generations expand and, though the plot is filled with interesting twists, we never lose sight of the ‘Russian soul’ of the story, and the looming sense of dread and disquiet. Overall, I would highly recommend Forget Russia for historical and cultural fiction fans: an accomplished and very engrossing read.
