Rating: 
Summary: Awake All Night
Review: I loved this book. I picked it up from a supermarket shelf on the basis of a quick read of another Paullina Simons novel. What a treat. The very gradual build up of attraction and passion between the two main characters is gripping. The contrast between the warm human elements and the devastation wreaked upon Leningrad during WW2 serves to heighten the tension. This book evokes feelings of love, pain, tragedy and passion. It made me smile, cry, gasp - and it kept me awake until the small hours and made me wake early to continue reading. I would thoroughly recommend this book for a long, quiet weekend, or for a great holiday read - as long as your companions don't mind being ignored until you've finished!
Rating:
Summary: Incredibly Moving
Review: I have just finished reading this novel and although my mind is probably too full of the story to give anything more than a visceral reaction I felt I had to try and express some of what I was feeling. I was hooked from the start by the author's delightful characterisation of Tatiana and her descriptions of wartime Leningrad. The war seen through Tatia's naive yet enquiring eyes was brought home all the more powerfully to me because of her simple way of looking at things. I thought Ms Simons's writing reached its zenith during her descriptions of the Siege of Leningrad and I was moved beyond telling by the tired and matter of fact way the deaths of the people in the streets was told from Tatiana's POV. She had seen and suffered so much by that time that finding the postmaster dead at his desk or stepping over people frozen on the stairs had become almost routine. This made it all the more shocking. I was particularly drawn to the relationship between Tatia and Dasha and got a very clear picture of Dasha even though we never heard her own POV. Their situation brought me to tears on more than one occasion. The bond between the sisters was the linchpin of the story and was illustrated with such care and passion the reader could not fail to be moved. I reacted to this novel on a very emotional level and it is no mean feat of the author's that she carried me along on this wave for so many pages. It is a story that stays in the mind and heart for a long time afterwards.
Rating:
Summary: A brilliant work
Review: In 1941 Leningrad, Tatiana and Dasha Metanov are more than mere sisters; they are best friends. Though the city is not what it once was and poverty is rampant, the siblings are happy even though they are forced to share a bed in the family apartment. The overall good feelings of the Metanov brood changes to fear when Stalin's Foreign Minister Comrade Molotov announces the German invasion. Not just the Metanovs are scared, as the entire country knows how easily the blitzkrieg overwhelmed France. As the country readies for war, Tatiana meets Red Army first lieutenant Alexander Belov while she eats ice cream. Alexander and Tatiana begin to fall in love, but Dasha also finds herself dreaming about her sibling's soldier. Adding to a budding triangle is the deep secrets that Alexander has that could destroy everyone if revealed. THE BRONZE HORSEMAN is an invigorating and exciting World War II tale that feels more like Dr. Zhivago occurred at the onset of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union. The romance with its betrayal and secrets is fun to read on its own account, but Paulina Simons book belongs to Leningrad and the dark era that is just beginning and so brilliantly described by a powerfully talented author. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: A classic can't-put-it-down read
Review: A marvelous story of star-crossed lovers set in Leningrad during the seige of WWII. Paullina Simons has written a classic love story of the new century, chock full of history and characters that you will think about for weeks after reading about them. I felt as though I had lived through that terrible winter in Leningrad. I only wish the book were twice as long, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed, hoping for a sequel. Don't let this one pass you by. It's a book you'll always remember, and want to read over and over again.
Rating:
Summary: Lost
Review: Upon finishing this amazing experience, I cried. I cried because there were no more words to read. I scrambled to find more pages and more words that would keep the story going and felt lost when I realised there were no more. The beautiful, yet terrifying life of a young girl, with such real descriptions of her suffering, her joys and experiences that lead her to being a woman. The book forced me to face a reality about war that I did not know existed, an horrific reality yet uplifting because it is seen through the eyes of such a powerful character. I await a sequel that will let me continue on the journey of the life of Tatiana. I only hope the sequal exists, or is in the making. I must read more books by Paullina yet would be suprised if any could match The Bronze Horseman. I have only found one other book in my lifetime that compares, and I am sure that book sold millions of copies worldwide. My advice to anyone would be to buy the book and savour it, savour every perfect word.
Rating:
Summary: Review of The Bronze Horseman
Review: The Bronze Horseman is one of the best books I have read in years, and I consider myself an avid reader. The story is of a young girl and a russian soldier as well as their families, neighbors, etc. in WWII Russia. It reminds me of a Russian Gone With the Wind and also The Diary of Anne Frank. I found the characters compelling, and the book is a captivating read. I could not put it down, and I have subsequently started reading Ms. Simons three earlier novels.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertainment AND Education ..?
Review: I enjoyed this book immensely,not only because it is a compelling tale of love and war but because I learned about the war as it affected the Russians and about life in a communist country. Being more of a scientist,history is not my strong point so it is a bonus to read a book that gives me an insight into a subject which would otherwise pass me by. In my opinion this leaves "Captain Correlli's Mandolin" out in the cold.There is more emotion in the prose..not to mention the passion...! Paullina Simons never fails to amaze me with her scope of writing,each book dramatically different from the last.Check them all out..you won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: A watershed moment for Ms. Simons
Review: This book is literally the best book I have had the priviledge to read in at least 5 years. I absolutely fell in love with Tatiana and Alexander, felt literal disdain for her parents and Dimitri, just became completely swept up in this story of love and utter despair. I truly became fascinated with war-torn Leningrad, and I'm not much of a history buff, but was utterly moved to tears by the love story. I do not read romance novels and never have - I don't even read fiction that often. But this book was a birthday gift from my sister, and she said she was haunted by this book for a long time afterward. She is absolutely right. I never thought a book could make me cry - twice. Thank you, Ms. Simons. Please do continue telling your marvelous stories for us....including a sequel to this one!!
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I have ever read
Review: This is an incredible, wonderful book. I literally cannot remember ever being more moved by a novel. I have followed Paullina's career from the beginning and greatly enjoyed her previous three books, but nothing prepared me for THE BRONZE HORSEMAN. A powerful, dramatic, moving and very soulful work; it is a passionate love story, an intense war story, and a must read for all book lovers.
Rating:
Summary: Epic and exhilarating!
Review: I've loved every single one of Paullina Simon's books, starting with Tully. She effortlessly moves from saga to mystery to thriller and now, in what I think is her most brilliant novel yet, she has created a breathtaking story of love, loss and history. I read when I should have been doing the laundry. I read when I should have at least THOUGHT about starting dinner, and I read when my husband was prompting me about an overdue video we should watch. Simons not only knows her history, even better, she knows people.
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