Hotel Moscow - Book Review

From the cover :






From the author of Jerusalem Maiden comes a mesmerizing, thought-provoking novel that tells the riveting story of an American woman—the daughter of Holocaust survivors—who travels to Russia shortly after the fall of communism, and finds herself embroiled in a perilous mafia conspiracy that could irrevocably destroy her life.



Brooke Fielding, a thirty-eight year old New York investment manager and daughter of Jewish Holocaust survivors, finds her life suddenly upended in late September 1993 when her job is unexpectedly put in jeopardy. Brooke accepts an invitation to join a friend on a mission to Moscow to teach entrepreneurial skills to Russian business women, which will also give her a chance to gain expertise in the new, vast emerging Russian market. Though excited by the opportunity to save her job and be one of the first Americans to visit Russia after the fall of communism, she also wonders what awaits her in the country that persecuted her mother just a generation ago.


Inspired by the women she meets, Brooke becomes committed to helping them investigate the crime that threatens their businesses. But as the uprising of the Russian parliament against President Boris Yeltsin turns Moscow into a volatile war zone, Brooke will find that her involvement comes at a high cost. For in a city where “capitalism” is still a dirty word, where neighbors spy on neighbors and the new economy is in the hands of a few dangerous men, nothing Brooke does goes unnoticed—and a mistake in her past may now compromise her future.


A moving, poignant, and rich novel, Hotel Moscow is an eye-opening portrait of post-communist Russia and a profound exploration of faith, family, and heritage.






My thoughts :






The book takes place during in 1993. That year, I started college and while I was aware of the historical events taking place in Russia, I only saw them from the perspective of rejoicing that communism had fallen. In Hotel Moscow by Talia Carner, the struggle for the Russians to adjust to Capitalism from Communism is shown clearly through the lives of her characters in this impressive and fascinating novel. The mafia uses torture and violence to intimidate and women are especially vulnerable during this time.






The characters are developed and emotional and hope to improve their world. Though sometimes the pacing stalls while the history and details of the culture and business practices are shared, I was completely fascinated by Hotel Moscow and highly recommend it as a great read.






About Talia Carner


Talia Carner is the former publisher of Savvy Woman magazine and a lecturer at international women's economic forums. This is her fourth novel.


Visit Talia at her website, taliacarner.com. You can also connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.













I am part of the TLC Book Tour for Hotel Moscow which is published by William Morrow and released in June 2015. You can find a list to read other reviews on the tour at : TLC Book Tours