SPOILER ALERT: Do not read unless you have read 92% of The Bronze Horseman.
Wow. Double wow. I haven't blogged in a couple days because I've been stuck to this book. Holy crow. I am exhausted and it's not even over yet. I can already see why Christie says I need to have the next book in my hands the second I'm finished this one. Although, to be honest, I don't know that I'll survive this one.
Where did I leave off? Oh yeah, Dasha - Ladette of Leningrad - was dead. Good riddance. Haven't missed her. Now...what happened next...hmmm...oh THAT'S right...MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF COPULATION on an hourly basis! How could I have forgotten? Oh right - I DIDN'T forget! Because it's gone on non-stop since it started!
Could this book get any better??
OK so right now - we are in the hospital with poor Shura who decided to help The Good American Doctor and almost got himself killed in the process, mmm hmmm. Only to wake up and find out that Tatia has been running around on the ice, dodging bombs and finding him. The fact that she hooked her own arm up to his IV almost made me run screaming from my house straight to the Kleenex factory. I loved when the Good Doctor realized she was his wife. He was like "Ohhhhh....NOW I get it....what a dumbass I've been!" I was really hoping for Ina's reaction, too.
So now...Dimitri is up their bums, trying to get them to take him to the US. He's not too quick on the uptake, that one. I really thought they might be able to leave without him finding out about them. What a douche. But I'm hoping they DO take him along, because he'll be a good nemesis in the next book. And afterward, I hope he gets HIS - and good. Walking with a bum ankle is not enough pain and suffering for him. You know you want to see him get hit by an armored military vehicle driving at warp speed.
OK so lastly...I have to bring something up. If you are someone who hated/didn't read Twilight because you thought Edward Cullen was overbearing...but you love Alexander Belov...well I don't really understand that logic at all. This guy is hot as all get out - but his possessiveness would get on my last nerve. And what a bossypants! "Tatia - Stop serving others so you can do whatever the hell I tell you to all day long!" I mean come ON. Sometimes he talks to her like she's 4. I think she has to break him of this. Although, maybe she already has after saving him on the ice. I was mad at her for not staying put in Lazarevo (can we say "Claire Fraser"?) but honestly, Alex would be dead if she hadn't. Even HE admitted he likes her being only 70 kilometers away. He just has to start seeing her as an adult with free will - and not as Chris Farley's little naughty pet in Tommy Boy.
Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE Alex - who wouldn't? He's a knight in shining armor and has sacrificed himself time and time again for Tania. But he has just as much growing up to do as she does in some ways. And lorddddddd...if they do get to America? HOW is he going to handle the attention his wife gets THERE? Oooofah...I can't WAIT to see what happens.
OH and PS - I don't understand why Alex married Tania. If he knew she'd be in grave danger as his wife if he ever got caught...why didn't he just keep things the way they were? Inquiring minds want to know.
I've also wondered why Alexander wanted them to get married at this point. He knows Dimitri is a loose canon, and he knows what will happen to his wife if Dimitri spills the beans. And we also know the lengths that Alexander will go to to protect Tatiana. So why get married? Yes, we know he values marriage and the importance of making vows and all that, but that doesn't seem worth jeopardizing her safety for at this point in time.
ReplyDeleteMaybe he was just overcome with emotion and lust. ;)
I agree that Alexander is way too bossy and possessive. I don't think any of us would put up with that. I do think that it makes him even sexier as a character. I'm not sure why. It gets a little much sometimes but I easily forgive him. :)
ReplyDeleteI think Alexander married Tania because after everything that happened between them, he finally had a chance to give her everything that she deserved, so he did. He wanted to show her why he came to Lazarevo. I do think he regrets it later, simply because he put her life in danger. He hates himself for it. I think he was just caught up in the magic and wanted to show her that he finally didn't care what anyone thought or said. He was going to do what he wanted for once. Lazarevo was safety to them and he forgot about reality.
Carol, you need to blog about the potato countertop. :) That man is a verra fine carpenter! Who cares that he's Mr. Bossypants!
This might sound all screwy to others who have read the book... but I don't think there would have been all that sex without them getting married because of the way he saw her. He didn't want to use her like he had all those other women, he wanted to do right by her.
ReplyDeleteI also thought the possessiveness was over the top, but I get that too. I got upset at my wife after we got married and she was volunteering at teh Ronad McDonald house and other things... because I was young and stupid. Then I realized that it was things like that that made me love her so much in teh first place, like Tania taking care of all those people.
He's overbearing and possessive, but I forgive him too. :)
ReplyDeleteThere are least 2 instances where he gets physically aggressive with Tatiana, and I didn't like that one bit. But still, I can't help but love the man!! How dysfunctional.
Oh yes, the potato countertop. Very handy things those potato countertops are...
Clay, that doesn't sound screwy. :) I think you're right.
ReplyDeleteI did find his possessiveness to be mostly endearing.
I think that Alex believed he would die and that he saw his month off as the last time he would truly see Tania. Therefore, he was hurt and angry that she would choose to spend any time with anyone besides him. I guess he figured she should be able to read his mind...
ReplyDeleteTheresa,
ReplyDeleteI think you hit the nail on the head.
I still can't read the last 10% of this book on a reread. I had to entirely skip "Wentworth" the first two rereads as well though..........eventually I will. I'll just skip right to T&A.
Jennifer, I have about 10% left to read - you're scaring me.... :-O
ReplyDeleteOoooopps!!!
ReplyDelete