A rarity. First of all, a Spanish novel set in Russia. Not the Royal or the Palatial Russia of the Romanovs. But the wild country where the Volga flows and the summer heat stings and you need an acetylene torch to attract the nocturnal butterflies.

Then, there are the letters. As Vespucci wrote to Lorenzo of Florence, or Madame de Sevigne to her daughter, things do sometimes start with a letter. Or end with one. Dearest Varia,

And finally the landscape - Yalta and Istambul, so vivid you can smell them.
The prose befits the dreamscape created by Prieto. Crimea, the Black sea, the collapse of another empire, the unravelling of another dream.

A beautiful book.

ORPHANED at the bookcrossing local Boston meetup, January 11, 2011…
Will release at OBCZ at Cafe Bella Vita, Boston, MA.

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DEAR FINDER,

Welcome to BookCrossing!

Please make a journal entry to let me know that this book has been caught so I know that it has found a good home with you. If you are new to BookCrossing, when you join please indicate that you were referred by haahaahaa98. I hope that you enjoy the book. You can make another journal entry with your comments when you are done reading.

Then, whenever you are ready to send it on its way, make a journal entry if you are giving or sending this book to a known person, or a release note if you are leaving it “in the wild” again for anyone to catch. Then watch its journey. You’ll be alerted by e-mail each time someone makes another journal entry. And it’s confidential (you are known only by your screen name and no one is ever given your e-mail address), free, and spam-free.

I hope that you will enjoy the BookCrossing experience!

PS And if you find yourself liking BookCrossing, Boston has an active group of BookCrossers who meet bi-monthly: second Tuesday of the month at Algiers (40 Brattle St, Cambridge - Harvard Square, 2nd floor). Come join us! For more information, see our meet-up group at http://bookcrossing.meetup.com/195/! Be on the lookout for other books left in the "Wild"!

Picked up at Bella Vita OBCZ on my way to meet with other Boston BookCrossers and our special guest Lyttletonwitch!

I'm not sure how to rate this book. It's a masterpiece of language. [Would be fun to read in the original, because this translation is wonderful]. For language and creativity, it is definitely a 10. However, I'm giving it an 8 because the story itself didn't grab me as much as it could have - I alternated many times between loving it and finding it tedious. (I'm also at a disadvantage for not having read any Nabokov - didn't even know he was into butterflies!). That said, I *am* tempted to keep this for a rereading, but will let it go and hope to acquire another copy later for a closer reading.

In the Bank of America ATM next to Stop & Shop. Hope the finder enjoys it!

Released for September Sapphire Challenge hosted by Plum-crazy.
Released for You're Such an Animal Release Challenge hosted by Secretariat.

DEAR FINDER,

Welcome to BookCrossing!

Please make a journal entry so we know this book has found a new home.You don't need to join BookCrossing and you can remain completely anonymous. However, we encourage you to join so that you can follow this book's future travels. (You’ll receive an email anytime someone makes a journal entry). It's fun, free, and confidential. If you decide to join, consider listing eponine38 as referring you.

Take your time reading the book, and after you finish, please make another journal entry to record your thoughts about it. This book is now yours, and you can keep it if you choose, though we would love for you to share it. If you pass it along, please make a release note to let others know where you left it “in the wild”, or a journal entry if you gave/sent it to a known person.

I hope you enjoy the book!