The Last Russian Doll by Kristen Loesch

The Last Russian Doll by Kristen Loesch – 384 pages  

ARC from Berkley and Netgalley for an honest review

Book Blurb:

The Last Russian Doll by Kristen Loesch: In a faraway kingdom, in a long-ago land…a young girl lived happily in Moscow with her family: a sister, a father, and an eccentric mother who liked to tell fairy tales and collect porcelain dolls.
One summer night, everything changed, and all that remained of that family were the girl and her mother. Now, a decade later and studying at Oxford University, Rosie has an English name, a loving fiancé, and a promising future, but all she wants is to understand–and bury–the past. After her mother dies, Rosie returns to Russia, armed with little more than her mother’s strange folklore–and a single key. 

My Review: 3.5 stars

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The Last Russian Doll by Kristen Loesch was a thought-provoking work of historical fiction that also focused on educating the reader on the history of Russia. Through different POVs that jump back in forth in time from 1915 to 1991, it covered the Russian Revolution, the Siege of Leningrad and the fall of the USSR. 

It was through a multi-generational plot and use of allegorical fairytales that the story unfolded. There were two main POVs that told the story which also jumped around in time. I had no problem following the storyline and enjoyed each POV equally.

I was completely invested while reading the book but there were a couple of plot holes that I felt were left open regarding the mystery aspect of the book. I think the story could’ve used a bit more polishing.