The Revolutionist

by Robert Littell

Book Overview

An epic saga of the Soviet Union's brutal first decades-from "The New York Times" bestselling master of espionage. Hailed as "the American le Carre," Robert Littell presents an ambitious novel about star-crossed idealist Alexander Til. When Til returns from America to Petrograd on the eve of the October Revolution in 1917, it is to put his life on the line in the hope of transforming Russia. But after witnessing the birth of a new era, he watches...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 014311655X
• ISBN13: 9780143116554
• Release Date: December 2009
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Length: 467 Pages
• Weight: 0.93 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.4" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Littell satisfies with character development and history

Robert Littell's extensive knowledge of Russia is put to gooduse in this expose of the bankruptcy of Soviet Communism. The hopes ofAlexander Til and his friends are interwoven with historical accounts of one of the greatest thefts of all time. Littell shows how Stalin and others stole the hopes of the Russian people for a better life after the Revolution. The book is a great read and very informative about Russian and Soviet history. Great character development.

Decent writing, stellar ending

"The Revolutionist" is a captivating novel about a fictional man, Alexander Til, as he helps in the Russian Revolution but becomes disillusioned over the course of decades. Robert Littell presented the story well, although he could have expounded more on certain aspects of the plot. The ending, however, was incredible. Robert Littell's use of symbolism was better than any I've ever read. The book left me feeling quite satisfied. This book, while not Solzhenitsyn, gives a more personal touch to the hope presented by Communism and the horror of Stalinism. "The Revolutionist" is not complex, however; I'm only 16. Littell spent years researching the facts, yet some inaccuracies remain. Regardless, anyone interested in Soviet history should definitely read this novel.