Paris - Softcover

"An epic novel" BBC Arts Review

“Alyosha reflected that his own life could be divided into three movements: Russia, Berlin, and Paris. But Paris was by far the most important movement, the one which should take him back to the beginning, back to his mother country a stronger man.” 

It is 1925, and Europe still reels from the aftermath of war and the Russian Revolution. Alyosha Alexandrov, a young Russian exile from Petrograd who once knew only a life of privilege, ekes out a squalid living as he fights to survive on the hedonistic streets of Paris. 

Meanwhile, in Berlin, his cousin, Margarita – also devoid of hope and opportunity – falls under the spell of communism – a decision which will endanger not just her ties with her Marxist-loathing family, but also her freedom and, potentially, her life. 

In a story spanning almost a decade and some of Eurasia’s most influential cities, Alyosha and Margarita must fight to overcome the challenges presented, not just by their exile, but also scandal, love, poverty and increasingly violent political conflict. Is it the politics of government, or those of the heart, that will decide their fates? And what is the true cost of protecting one’s language and culture, values, and identity? 

Paris is the compelling and enthralling story of the Alexandrov family as they each struggle to adapt to the ravages of war and revolution.