The Patriots
- 560 pages
- 20 hours of reading
Idealism, betrayal, and family secrets intertwine in this impressive novel that spans two countries and three eras, from the 1930s to the present. During the Great Depression, young American Florence Fein leaves Brooklyn in search of a warm position in Moscow, which seems to promise love and independence. Upon her arrival in the Soviet Union, she quickly finds herself ensnared by the system. Years later, her son Julian emigrates to the United States, but his work in the oil industry requires frequent visits to Moscow. When KGB files about his mother are declassified, Julian decides to delve into his family history and urges his son Lenny, who is trying to do business in Putin's Russia, to return home. The discoveries in the archives are terrifying and painful, revealing the unknown story of Americans abandoned by their homeland and hidden truths about American-Russian collaboration. The novel combines elements of romance and spy thriller, offering a poignant tale of complex family relationships against a political backdrop. It features epic scope, vivid descriptions of life in the former USSR and contemporary Russia, and a probing inquiry into ideological choices.