The Russian Revolution by Rupert Colley

Over the last couple of months, I've been downloading books from the 'History in an Hour' series to my kindle.  They are short, cheap and promise to offer bite sized chunks of history that can inspire you to find out more about subjects you are interested in.  During the Bout of Books Readathon, I wanted to read something that I knew I could finish quickly, so I took the chance to try one of them out.

The Russian Revolution covers Russian history from the rule of Tsar Nicholas through the failed revolutions of the early 1900s to the triumphant revolution of 1917.  Colley writes about the civil unrest in Russia at the time and the mismanagement of this by the Tsar, which led the way for revolutionary groups to gain a foothold.  We learn how the Bolsheviks (the party of Lenin and Stalin) went from being a small, fringe group of extremists to the rulers of Russia (aided a bit by the Germans, who wanted Russian anarchy).  The Russian Revolution also examines the history of Russia after 1917, how the Reds won the resultant Civil War and how Stalin used Lenin's death to maneuver himself into power, even though he was unpopular.

I was actually very impressed with The Russian Revolution.  As it was so cheap, I wasn't expecting much from it, but it exceeded my expectations.  I was already familiar with a lot of the history (I studied the Russian Revolution for my GCSE History, but that was years ago!) so it provided an excellent refresher.  Although there just isn't the space for anything to be covered in depth, there's a good breadth of information and everything is explained clearly and concisely, something a lot of history writers can struggle with.

The Russian Revolution isn't a book to go to if you are looking for analysis or commentary on historical events.  It sticks to the bare outlines of what happened and is good for providing a general overview of a topic.  I finished the book eager to read more about the Russian Revolution and I'm already scanning my shelves, trying to decide which book about it I will pick up next.  If, like me, you're interested in a topic but feel like you need something introductory before reading a more in depth book on it, the History in an Hour series would make a good choice.

Source: Personal copy

First Published: 2012

Score: 4 out of 5

Read Alongside:

I used to read a lot about the history of Communism, these are all books I read pre-blogging, that would work after reading this more introductory book.

1. Young Stalin by Simon Sebag Monteifore - A biography of the early life of Stalin by a good historian.  Who knew that Stalin was a bank robber and had great success with the ladies?  I've not read the follow up, Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar yet.

2. The Rise and Fall of Communism by Archie Brown - This is an absolute door-stop of a book but it's also an excellent and readable account of the history of Communism across the world, not just in Russia.  It took me a whole summer to read this one, but I loved it.

3. In Europe: Travels Through the Twentieth Century by Geert Mak - This is an intriguing mix of travelogue and history.  Mak travels across Europe and 'back in time'.

Enchantments by Kathryn Harrison

Set in Russia during the 1917 Revolution, Enchantments is narrated by Masha, daughter of the infamous 'mad monk' Rasputin.  After her father is murdered by those suspicious of his links with the Tsarina and her son Aloysha, Masha and her sister are taken under the protection of the Tsar.  But as the Revolution continues and the royal family are put under house arrest, it becomes clear that Masha and the Romanovs are in grave danger.  For Masha and Alyosha, their growing friendship becomes a way of escaping the present and Masha becomes a kind of Scheherazade, telling fantastical stories of their past, present and future.

Thoughts:
I studied the Russian revolution as part of my GCSE in history and ever since I've been fascinated with Russian history.  Of all the characters in Russian history, Rasputin is one of the most interesting - an unwashed, illiterate peasant who claims to see the future, seduces lots of women and manages to earn the trust of the Tsarina.  He was famously hard to kill, being poisoned, shot and bludgeoned on the head with an axe before finally being drowned.  Reading Enchantments, I was very impressed at how Harrison dealt with his character as she managed to keep the curtain of myth and romance around him.  Rasputin was shadowy throughout the book and hard to pin down, a charismatic figure shrouded in mystery, just how he should be.

I was also impressed with how Harrison dealt with Alyosha's illness, hemophilia.  Although I logically knew that hemophilia means the inability of the blood to clot, I never realised how horrific this illness was until I read Enchantments.  Harrison gives a detailed account of how the illness has effected Alyosha's life and that of his family and you can't help but feel sorry for him.  The interactions between Masha and Alyosha are quite touching.

So there was lots to like about Enchantments but unfortunately the book was let down by a pacing issue.  It's made clear very early in the book what is going to happen at the end (although to be fair, anyone at all familiar with the history would know the ending already) so there was no tension throughout.  Masha's storytelling is whimsical and out of chronological order, meaning that the different chapters jump back and forward in time pretty randomly.  This meant that for me, the book felt a bit meandering and long-winded without tension and pace to drive it forwards.

Verdict: A good read if you are interested in Russian history or the Romanovs, but not the first Russian historical fiction book I would recommend.
Source: From the publisher, via Netgalley
Score: 3 out of 5

Read Alongside:
1. The Winter Palace by Eva Stachnaik - Another historical fiction novel set in Russia, this time about Catherine the Great.  Beautiful descriptions of Russia itself in this one.
2. A Mountain of Crumbs by Elena Gorokhova - Another account of growing up after the Revolution, this time a memoir from an ordinary girl.
3. Young Stalin by Simon Sebag Montefiore - I read this pre-blogging and it's an excellent history of the man who would grow up to be the dictator.  I would also recommend the sequel Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar.