My Russian Love

A lost love affair of the past, spanning paris to russia, I think during the early sixties. I read this freshman year of college so it completely fed my romantic side. I've read this book several times since then and it still captures my imagination. One of my favorite books!

This is much more than your run of the mill love story because if its intensity and strong writing. We travel seamlessly between Paris and Russia as the narrative switches from the narrator's current train ride to his older love affair with the beautiful Anna. His memory starts when he spies someone on the train making one of Anna's most intimate gestures, but he cannot find her. This sighting starts him on his personal quest both to finish the film he's working on and to come to a sense of closure in this relationship.Though the plot is fairly straightforward, the author brings us to more profound levels of emotion through the characters' interactions and love story. Though it's a quick read, it's not a simple read and there are some breathtaking scenes that will stay with you long after the close of the novel. The ending felt a bit too cinematic, but I overall I really enjoyed this book. His 1991 book Separation won the Prix Renaudot, so I plan on finding that one next.