9780062341242
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One Night in Winter audiobook

  • By: Simon Sebag Montefiore
  • Narrator: Simon Prebble
  • Category: Fiction, Literary
  • Length: 13 hours 20 minutes
  • Publisher: HarperAudio
  • Publish date: May 06, 2014
  • Language: English
  • (2567 ratings)
(2567 ratings)
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One Night in Winter Audiobook Summary

Inspired by a true story, prize-winning historian and acclaimed novelist Simon Sebag Montefiore explores the consequences of forbidden love in this heartbreaking epic of marriage, childhood, danger, and betrayal that unfolds in Stalin’s Moscow during the bleak days after World War II.

As Moscow celebrates the motherland’s glorious victory over the Nazis, shots ring out on the crowded streets. On a nearby bridge, a teenage boy and girl–dressed in traditional nineteenth-century costumes–lie dead. But this is no ordinary tragedy, because these are no ordinary teenagers. As the son and daughter of high-ranking Soviet officials, they attend the most elite school in Moscow. Was it an accident, or murder? Is it a conspiracy against Stalin, or one of his own terrifying intrigues?

On Stalin’s instructions, a ruthless investigation begins into what becomes known as the Children’s Case. Youth across the city are arrested and forced to testify against their friends and their parents. As families are ripped apart, all kinds of secrets come spilling out. Trapped at the center of this witch-hunt are two pairs of illicit lovers, who learn that matters of the heart exact a terrible price. By turns a darkly sophisticated political thriller, a rich historical saga, and a deeply human love story, Montefiore’s masterful novel powerfully portrays the terror and drama of Stalin’s Russia.

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One Night in Winter Audiobook Narrator

Simon Prebble is the narrator of One Night in Winter audiobook that was written by Simon Sebag Montefiore

Simon Prebble has worked extensively on British and American television as both actor and narrator.

About the Author(s) of One Night in Winter

Simon Sebag Montefiore is the author of One Night in Winter

One Night in Winter Full Details

Narrator Simon Prebble
Length 13 hours 20 minutes
Author Simon Sebag Montefiore
Category
Publisher HarperAudio
Release date May 06, 2014
ISBN 9780062341242

Subjects

The publisher of the One Night in Winter is HarperAudio. includes the following subjects: The BISAC Subject Code is Fiction, Literary

Additional info

The publisher of the One Night in Winter is HarperAudio. The imprint is HarperAudio. It is supplied by HarperAudio. The ISBN-13 is 9780062341242.

Global Availability

This book is only available in the United States.

Goodreads Reviews

Katie Scarlett

July 17, 2016

Ja ovu knjigu nisam ispuštala iz ruku do poslednje strane. Ima nešto u načinu na koji Simon pripoveda, tako brutalno iskreno, a opet obavijeno velom romanse i nade. Sa lakoćom ulazi iz lika u lik, bio to desetogodišnji dečak ili montruozni pripadnik tajne policije. Fascinantan slučaj ruske istorije, o kojem svakako ne bih ni čula da nije ove knjige. Neprestano vas drži na ivici, napetim, jer ne znate, kao ni likovi u knjizi, u kome smeru bi vas odvela sledeća rečenica. Odavno nisam čitala ovako dobru knjigu.Recenzija na mom bloguhttp://thestuffdreamsaremadeof21.blog...

Melanie

March 10, 2017

It was hard to put down. I was captivated by this extraordinary story within which some of the characters were actual historical figures. Looking over one's shoulder all the time for fear of being incarcerated, tortured, sent to the Gulags or killed for the slightest move in the wrong direction in the eyes of some must have been a terrifying ordeal.I look forward to reading more of this author's work.

Aleksandra

February 06, 2017

Nakon pročitane obje knjige, Sašenjka i Jedne zimske noći, drago mi je što sam konačno zaokružila ovaj serijal koji me je neopravdano predugo čekao na polici. Moram priznati da sam Sašenjki imala par zamjerki, previše površnu karakterizaciju glavnih likova, posebno naslovne junakinje, koja mi je zbog toga jednostavno nekako proletjela kroz roman, bez da sam se istinski uživjela u njenu sudbinu. S druge strane, historijski period dešavanja tog romana savršeno je rekonstruisan, opisi su predivni, vjerni, svaka riječ ima svoju težinu i vrijednost... Međutim, tih zamjerki za Jednu zimsku noć nemam, naprotiv. Montefiore je u ovom romanu uspješno smjestio izuzetno zanimljivu i potresnu životnu priču u burna politička zbivanja Staljinove Rusije nakon II svjetskog rata. Likovi su životni, jednostavno nemoguće je ne suosjećati, ne preživljavati s njima teror staljinizma, ne iščekivati željno kakva će im sudbina na kraju biti...Zapravo tek nakon pročitane obje knjige dobila sam zaokruženu sliku, jednu savršenu majstorski napisanu priču o sudbini čovjeka, bio on "običan" ili "visoko pozicioniran", u teškim vremenima gdje je teško ostati čovjek sa svim svojim manama, ali i strastima, gdje se ljubav teško rađa, a još teže sačuva...

Kiwiflora

October 20, 2013

A bit of internet research shows up that Joseph Stalin, dictator leader of the Soviet Union from mind-1920s till his death in 1953, was responsible during this time for the deaths of 20 million Soviet people - his own people. Most died from starvation either due to state induced famine or in the infamous Gulags. By the way, this is in addition to what may be another 20 million who died as a direct result of WWII. His purges were so extensive and ruthless that come the German invasion of Russia in 1941, it is claimed that he did not have enough man power to prevent the invasion. Such was Stalin's paranoia and insecurity during all the years of his terror filled reign, that literally no one was safe. Including children. Even children of his own advisers and high ranking defence personnel.This novel is based on the episode that became known as the Children's Case of 1943 when two children of high ranking Soviet officials died during a shooting. Amongst their papers, plans for a joke government were found which resulted in the friends of the two dead teenagers being imprisoned, interrogated, forced to sign a confession and then sent to central Asia for six months. The author spoke to survivors of the case as part of his research. This case forms the backbone to the novel, using both real people, for example Stalin and some of his generals, and fictionalising the children and their families. The novel is as much about Soviet Russia during this time as it is about the private lives of families, and how betrayal at this most private of levels was actively encouraged.Stalin didn't believe in love of any kind except to himself and the glory of Russia. The one fly in this ointment was the poet and writer Alexander Pushkin whose works were reluctantly permitted as he simply couldn't get this man out of Russian mindset. In this novel, the author uses Pushkin as the base around which the teenagers build their Fatal Romantics' Club which Stalin felt so threatened by. The web of fear that was caused by the shooting of the two teenagers, is huge and complicated, with the reader fearing for the lives of most of the characters in the novel. This includes the children themselves, one as young as six, the parents, some of whom have to continue looking Stalin in the eye, knowing that Stalin hs personally directed the arrest and interrogation of their children.The school teachers at the prestigious state school the children attend are also under threat, surveillance and interrogation.At the same time as all this is going on, one of the school girls is having an affair with someone she shouldn't be. This too is based on a true story of the period, whereby a translator at the British Embassy became engaged to a Russian girl. When she attempted to legitimately leave Russia and join him, she was poisoned, brought back to Moscow and tried for treason. The fictionalised version is slightly different, but no less terrifying than the original.The tension and fear throughout this story is palpable from the opening sentence: "Just moments after the shots, as Serafima looks at the bodies of her school friends, a feathery whiteness is already frosting their blasted flesh". This very highly regarded author has written two non fiction books about Stalin, and another about Catherine the Great, as well as one other fiction book set during the time of Stalin's rule. He knows this period in history intimately, his knowledge and research shining through. We get a real taste for what daily life was like in communal living situations, the need for husbands and wives to have private whispered conversations in the bathroom with the taps running, the queues for food, the constant being on guard, the sudden disappearances of neighbours and then years later the random appearance of long lost friends and loved ones. We simply can't comprehend living under such fear and intimidation. And yet it is important that we know about what has gone on in our recent past.This is a compelling and frightening read, Stalin's use of children making you realise what an absolute monster this man was, and yet the power of love still managing to shine on through.

Anaarecarti

February 25, 2020

O carte care, în ciuda atmosferei familiare pentru noi, cititorii din România, te sufocă, care te acoperă de secrete, care ţese în jurul tău o plasă de teroare din care m-am scuturat cu mare greutate ducându-mă direct la Internet ca să verific eventuale rădăcini ruseşti ale lui Montefiore, căci mi se pare aproape imposibil ca “un străin” să scrie cu atâta aplomb despre o lume pe care a cunoscut-o doar din cărţi.Recenzia completa pe https://anaarecarti.ro/main/intr-o-no...

Peter

September 30, 2013

I almost never read historical fiction. I much prefer my history books to be non-fictional, and I do worry that my poor befuddled mind might end up conflating fact and fiction. However Simon Sebag Montefiore is one of my favourite historians and I found myself being sucked in to reading this, his most recent historical novel. What particularly intrigued me was a recent newspaper piece by Montefiore which, though clearly a PR piece for this book, set out the original real historical background to the story. It detailed how two children of elite Soviet figures had ended up shooting each other and sparking a spiral of typically Stalinist paranoid investigation and quasi purge – but this time the terror fell first on a set of school children. Without giving away too much of the plot of this book, almost every character finds themselves falling into very dark times and no one gets a perfectly happy ending. Stalin comes across as by far the most convincing and rounded character as you would expect for a writer who has produced two of the best histories of the man. However the completely invented politburo member Hercules Satinov does transform quickly from a stock character into a very sympathetic figure who, by the end, is a much more interesting character than the intended heroine Serafima. Indeed I became much more worried about the fate of Satinov’s 6 year old daughter Mariko than I did about Serafima.In summary not only did it manage to sneak past my doubts about historical fiction, it has made me want to go back and read properly Simon Sebag Montefiore’s Court of the Red Tsar again to remind myself of the facts of the original story this was based on. Normally I would not do so, but on this case I thoroughly recommend anyone to read both the factual and the fictional accounts of this tale.

Ann

November 11, 2014

I know that I have a small obsession with trying to understand life under communism (and particularly life in Russia under Stalin), but I thought this book was extremely well done. Montefiore does and excellent job of blending historical figures and activities (i.e. interrogation of children) with excellent fictional characters. He also blends in the power of love - - - - quite an accomplishment. Most of the books that I rate 5 stars are serious literature, and this one is not. Nonetheless, I thought it was excellent!

Lιƈíɳια

August 08, 2018

"Romance histórico, thriller e história de amor. Um livro sobre intimidade e romantismo na Rússia de Estaline. De leitura compulsiva." THE GUARDIANThe Guardian não enganou, é tudo isso e ainda mais. É um romance perturbador passado no pós-guerra em Junho de 1945, em que nós (os leitores) ficamos reféns de toda esta história que tem como protagonistas a elite moscovita e as altas patentes tão próximas ao Estaline. Uma época em que ninguém estava a salvo, nem as crianças, num ambiente de denúncias e traições em que há sempre espaço para grandes paixões que perduram por décadas...Tudo começa com um duplo assassinato de Rosa e Nikolai. Estamos perante um crime? Um pacto suicida?Ou uma conspiração? E assim todo o círculo de amigos e familiares destes dois jovens se vêem envolvidos num pesadelo que pode ter consequências nefastas para todos.

Deepika

January 31, 2022

I picked this one on a whim and boy was this terrific.It's really hard to write about it without giving away too much, but let me just say this -it reads like a political thriller but is really a meaty love story. And love in Stalin's Russia is about as dangerous as it could be. Quite fittingly, one character thinks her world is like Edith Wharton's with a death penalty. Now I haven't read The Age of Innocence, but I absolutely loved the wittiness of it. And oh the descriptions of Moscow evenings are gorgeous!

João

May 09, 2019

Quando iniciei este livro confesso que foi um pouco a "medo"... Tinha já lido "Os Romanov", também escritos por Simon Sebag Montefiori,e gostei de tal maneira desses livros e da forma de escrita do autor que pensei que ia ficar desiludido com "Uma noite de inverno"!Mas não!Este livro é qualquer coisa de muito bom!Um romance histórico a sério,baseado numa grande quantidade de factos históricos onde depois é inserida uma história sinceramente bem imaginada,planeada, escrita e contada!E consegue ser impossível de parar a leitura e de nos deixar suspensos em certos pontos da história, querendo saber o que vai acontecer a seguir e também nos fazendo viver as personagens e com elas! Para acabar,e como refere o "The Guardian": "De leitura compulsiva"!

Liviu

September 20, 2013

excellent stuff (as expected) and loosely related to Sashenka as many characters appear there too including one of the main characters hereemotional, page turner and brutal in turn alternating the absurdities of communism with its tragedies; kids denouncing parents and 6 year old children (of Stalin's immediate collaborators) jailed and interrogated by the secret police, while a 10 year old threatened with being jailed until 12 when he legally could be executed (and as it happens pretty much of the book stuff is inspired by reality with all the previous happened including 11 year olds kept in jail until they turned 12 and could be given the 9 gram treatment - ie shot in the back of the head), while teenagers' poetic musings taken as conspiracies against the state etc etca more detailed review soon

Cosmin

December 28, 2018

Aventură, suspans, povești de iubire, Rusia stalinistă... must read!

Mark

April 07, 2014

As a History teacher I was always looking for books as good as this with which I could get my students to empathise with the victims of totalitarian regimes like Stalin's and really get under the radar and live and breathe historical drama. Historical fiction is good as this is really "faction" vividly told stories based upon true events, thoroughly researched and well documented by historians. The Great Patriotic War is over but celebrations don't count for much as Stalin's obsessional paranoia soon sees that the triumph counts for little in such a a cold and sterile political climate. Stalin's paranoia is well documented but less well known are events like "the Children's Case" which did really happen and shows how so many innocent bystanders were incriminated by false accusations and ridiculous suspicious ' jobs worth' bureaucrats. The story hinges on the fortunes of a group of 18-year-olds at School 801, an exclusive academy frequented by children of the Ministers of State in the Politburo and counting Stalin's own children amongst its alumni. The father of Marina Dorova, ('Minka'), Genrikh is the Minister of State Control while her mother, Dashka, is Minister of Health. Nikolai Blagov's father is a diplomat, Vladimir Titorenko's is in charge of Soviet aircraft production and Rosa Shako is the daughter of a Soviet airforce commander, and George Satinov's father, Hercules Satinov was one of the original Bolsheviks storming the Winter Palace in 1917 and Stalin's longstanding comrade-in-arms and a full member of the politburo. The beautiful Serafima Romashkina is daughter of Sophia Zeitlin, the voluptuous Soviet movie star and one of Stalin's favourite scriptwriters and it is her ravishing beauty, and her romantic inclinations, that unwittingly set off a chain reaction that envelops all her class mates in accusations of conspiracy and political intrigue. A new boy, and son of a former 'enemy of the people', Andrei Kurbsky enrols for the new term, his fees paid by the school Principal, and although not from a privileged background he has genuine academic interests and a passionate love of Pushkin which he shares with his Russian Literature teacher. The teenagers form an intellectual elite within the school and form their own so-called Fatal Romantics Club with restricted access to their own inner circle of friends. The highlight of the regular poetry recitals is the dressing up and taking turns at playing out the death scene of a re-enactment of the duel between Eugene Onegin and the poet Lensky. A tragedy ensues involving these Kremlin children and so immediately Beria and the NKVD is involved as the case transfers to the highest officials within the Lubyanka. Gradually under interrogation and torture all the parents and all the children are involved in the depressingly sinister enquiries that follow. The petty corrupt officials and the insecure political leaders are now involved in a stand off with their children held in custody, as hostages to fortune as private and public loyalties are tested and shattered. But even in this bleak political landscape the author shows love could flourish and secret romances develop despite the informers' attentions.

Jelena

January 08, 2017

Russia, 1945.At first sight it's a story about the end of WWII, communism, Stalin's regime.But soon you realize it's more about the people. Their personalities, hopes and sacrifices. And about that "bourgeois sentimentalism", that thing you call love (how that was considered to be heresy, how it was mocked and almost forbidden - only to be talked about in secrecy).It's Stalin's Russia, after all. And it's inspired by a true story. Some dates and names were changed for the sake of the story, but you've a note from the author at the end of the novel where he explains who was inspiration for each of his main characters, what was changed, and what happened with them in real life.At the begginig the author tells us a story of a group of 18-year-olds at School 801, the exclusive academy, where Stalin's children were once educated too.We learn about those Kremlin children, about their powerful families and their lives. At first we get to know Andrei Kurbsky, an autsider, a son of an enemy of the people, who is overwhelmed by all that - the school itself, his clasmates, their arrival in chauffeur-driven cars etc. He has no money and he fears how he'll pay that prestigious school only to find out that everything has already been paid.He wins the respect of his classmates by quoting Pushkin in their literature class, and because of that (among other things) he is soon invited to join the secret so-called Fatal Romantics Club, and soon - to play a Game - a re-enactment of the fictitious duel between Eugene Onegin and Lensky (or the duel between Pushkin and Dantes, sometimes).But, something went wrong during the Game, the replicas were in fact the real guns, and two students end up dead.Because of their status, the secret police has been called.What started like a seemingly innocent children game soon becoms something much more serious, something that has come to be known as "the Children's Case".The story is so intense, you get a feeling that you live that fear-filled life where you could trust a few or, more likely, no one, where one word said in the wrong way or to the wrong person meant 9 grams in the back of your head or one way ticket to Gulag, and that's if you're lucky and "they" don't take your family too."After all, Stalin believed that killing was the quickest, most efficient way to accelerate the progress of history.""The Party never makes mistakes. Better to kill a hundred innocents than miss one enemy."(view spoiler)[Now, imagine love between a high profile Russian teenage girl and an American diplomat. Or forbidden love between a married man and a married woman, both on high positions (when the woman's husband was on high position also).Do you feel the tension? (hide spoiler)]

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