W cieniu Pałacu Zimowego

The backdrop of Tsarist Russia adds so much atmosphere and tension. I wonder what led the author to choose this particular historical moment.

The slow reveal of family truths made me think about how much we hide from those closest to us. Did the pacing make the revelations more impactful?

The rich descriptions of the time period never overshadow the characters' inner lives. I wonder if that was a deliberate choice or a happy accident.