Birna Rosenthal reviews East to West across Russia: The Long Journey Home

Birna Rosenthal recently shared her thoughts on East to West across Russia: The Long Journey Home:

"What a delightful read this was. Sometimes I found that there was nothing happening in the story when suddenly we are brought into the mind of the protagonist D and then everything becomes real and important. In a novel I am always aware that the story is a piece of fiction but this novel was very different. It contains scenes of fiction and non fiction. It is like the author has created a puzzle and asks the reader can they figure out which scenes are real and ones that the author experienced and which scenes are fictional and came from the imagination of D and his creator.

The one great mystery of the novel is the character N. She is so mysterious and elusive. She never had a voice of her own. We only see her through the mind and thoughts of D. Whether or not D did indeed love a woman named N is a mystery that I feel the author delights in. The scenes at Lake Baikal and in Kirova Park are so heartbreakingly poignant. D longs for N and begs for her return but she never arrives.

Could the failure of N to arrive be a symbolic representation of all the times in life when a sense of failure and nothingness exist in our lives? If N was there then D would feel alive and the whole world would seem brighter and with meaning but when N is invisible we often see the world like D does. We see and feel such emptiness. Our world becomes smaller and full of despair. Congratulations Mr. Christianson. When will we see Book 2?"

Reading Birna Rosenthal’s review is both deeply moving and incredibly rewarding. One of my hopes for East to West across Russia: The Long Journey Home was to create a story that blurred the boundaries between memory, reality, imagination, and longing, inviting readers to become active participants in uncovering its meaning. Knowing that Birna engaged so thoughtfully with these layers of the narrative means a great deal to me.

I am especially touched by her reflections on D and the enigmatic presence of N. The mystery surrounding N is central to the emotional landscape of the novel, and I am delighted that Birna explored the many possibilities of what she may represent. Whether she is a real person, a memory, a symbol of lost love, or something more elusive, her presence is intended to provoke exactly the kind of reflection that Birna describes. Her interpretation of N as a representation of absence, longing, and the search for meaning is both insightful and profoundly moving.

It is also gratifying to know that the scenes at Lake Baikal and Kirova Park resonated so strongly, as these moments were written to capture the emotional depth of yearning, hope, and loss that define D’s journey. I am sincerely grateful to Birna for her thoughtful review, her generous congratulations, and her engagement with the novel’s mysteries. To know that the story continues to inspire questions and reflection long after the final page is one of the greatest gifts an author can receive.

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