Er was eens in Rusland. Macht en weelde: de opkomst van de nieuwe rijken.

Ben Mezrich's storytelling sheds light on a turbulent period, but I'm curious what drew him specifically to these figures and this era.

The intricate descriptions add depth but sometimes made the narrative feel slow. Was that intentional to build tension?

Given the multitude of players and incidents, I wonder what guided the choices for what made it into the final narrative.