"Joseph Howse evokes the literary styles of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky ... Howse's novel feels Russian, from its ornate structure to its social commentary to its wry humor. The author has composed a book like Tchaikovsky would a symphony; tight, disciplined, yet bubbling with unspoken passion and near-magical allegory."

- Rob Errera, IndieReader

"A resilient coming-of-age story ... The author includes emotional, compelling scenes with every character, as each one has been dealt a vastly different hand of cards. ... It feels very down-to-Earth and includes necessary comical moments throughout. I did not know much about the events or places in this book before, but after finishing it and doing a little extra curiosity research, I'm thankful to have learned something new in such an engaging way."

- Audrey Davis, Independent Book Review

"A coming of age narrative held against the backdrop of the last days of the Soviet Union ... This setting and context of the book feels authentic and it is clear that a lot of research has been carried out in order to add dimension to the story. ... I think that this book would appeal to those interested in character driven family dramas and relationship stories, and may appeal to those interested in modern Eastern European history."

- Ambassador, LoveReading