In the winter of 1916 in St Petersburg, young Sashenka plays her part in the revolution. 20 years later, and she is married to a powerful man, but she starts an affair that will have devastating consequences. Cross between "Dr Zhivago" and "The Island". Montefiore won the 2008 Costa Award for Biography of the Year for "Young Stalin".
In the bestselling tradition of Dr Zhivago and Sophie's Choice an epic story of revolution, passion and betrayal - and one woman whose extraordinary secret lies uncovered for half a century. Winter, 1916: In St Petersburg, beautiful and headstrong Sashenka Zeitlin is just sixteen. As her mother parties with Rasputin and her dissolute friends, Sashenka slips into the frozen night to play her part in a dangerous game of conspiracy and seduction. Twenty years on, Sashenka has a powerful husband and two children. But she's about to embark on a forbidden love affair which will have devastating consequences.