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Mikhail and Margarita
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
26 posts | 13 read | 24 to read
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review
Billypar
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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Bailedbailed

Only listened to an hour and a half but I couldn't get into it. In general, I like the idea of a famous author with an interesting life as a main character in fiction, as long as the overlap with their work isn't too simple- I was worried about that with a love story with Margarita against the backdrop of oppression. Left it too early to judge though.

review
ReadosaurusText
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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Pickpick

🎉My favorite book of 2017🎉
Timely in its subthemes of authoritarian regimes, censorship, and the power of satire and the arts, this is a wonderfully written novel. While much Stalin-era literature speaks to the triumph of the human spirit, Himes's book seems to speak more to the inescapability and perpetual cycles authoritarianism.

Full review here: http://readosaurustext.blogspot.com/2017/12/my-top-book-pick-of-2017-julie-lekst...

BookishTrish I want to read this so badly 6y
ReadosaurusText @BookishTrish This was like someone crawled into my brain and wrote a book for me (with the exception of one small scene). I hope you will love it, too! 6y
35 likes1 stack add2 comments
blurb
ReadosaurusText
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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Well, look at that. My favorite book of 2017 just won an award! #congrats #EuropaEditions #awardseason

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ReadosaurusText
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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When you are like, "Dang, I forgot a hair tie for my trip," and then you open your book and see that a few weeks ago you used a hair tie as a bookmark! #whatluck #bookmark #neverleavehomewithoutyourbook

merelybookish Nice! ☺️ 6y
Kaye I guess I‘m not the only one that tosses a hair tie in my book if I can‘t find a bookmark. 6y
ReadosaurusText @Kaye Glad to hear I am not the only one! Anything I have at hand is fair game: clean Kleenex, receipts, coupons. 6y
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Kaye Yep, me too. I have the worst habit of losing bookmarks . Too bad all books aren‘t made with those handy dandy ribbons sewn into them. They‘d be stuck to the book. 6y
Dolly It's those little things, isn't it? 6y
ReadosaurusText @Kaye Necessity is the mother of bookmark invention! 6y
50 likes8 comments
blurb
kathleenaflynn
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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Books about writers fascinate me, and Master and Margarita is one of my all-time favorites, so I knew I had to read this.

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ReadosaurusText
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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I'm enjoying outdoor reading weather while I still can. I can't believe it is almost fall, which basically means #winteriscoming. ☀️📚☀️

Churchlady #winteriscoming 😂😂😂😂😂😭😭 7y
47 likes1 comment
quote
ReadosaurusText
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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Yep, this sounds about right: "Bookcases stood on both sides of the chair. These were filled and double-layered, with yet more books in varying stacks on the floor in front, as if waiting in queue." (page 78) ???

#stillinbed #SatisfiedSaturday #AwesomeAutummBooks @Jess7

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ReadosaurusText
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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September 1, 2017
Dear Litsy,
Yet again I am weak, and despite my New Year's resolution not to buy new books, I could not have anticipated that a novel about Bulgakov and his inspiration for Master and Margarita would come out. The fact that it was published by #EuropaEditions made it all the more irresistible.
Sincerely yours,
Dawn

JazzFeathers It's perfectly forgivable in my book 😁 7y
ReadosaurusText @JazzFeathers Thank you. 😃 7y
43 likes1 stack add2 comments
blurb
thereadingwomen
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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This gem is one of the books we're highlighting in our Fictional Universes episode. MIKHAIL AND MARGARITA is a fictionalized account of Mikhail Bulgokov and his relationship with Margarita, the woman who inspired his novel MASTER AND MARGARITA. It was so intriguing to get a behind the scenes look, as it were, into the formation of a novel by seeing the world through the author's eyes. Not a quick read, but absolutely a rewarding read. - A

ReadosaurusText This book sounds INCREDIBLE! I can't wait to read it. I had no idea about it! 7y
thereadingwomen @ReadosaurusText Yay! When you read it, let us know what you think. 7y
Velvetfur @ReadosaurusText Me too! I love The Master and Margarita but I didn't know about this book, it sounds great... 7y
88 likes9 stack adds3 comments
blurb
theladygreer
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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The amazing Kelly of @fountainbookstore calls herself the caretaker, not the owner, of this long-lived little bookstore in Richmond, VA: the space is small but their place in the community is big. Many thanks to @SonjaYoerg for the introduction. Extra shout-out to Kelly for being the first bookseller who asked me "Are you on Litsy?" before I got the chance to ask her! #independentseveryday #bookstore #bookstorelove #indiebound #rva #getindie

MMFinck I love Kelly! I love Fountain! It's my indie. :) 7y
christineandbooks Why have I never heard of this place in my city?! Need to get​ over there! 🙌 7y
FountainBookstore @christineandbooks Hope you've made time for a visit. Lots of great events coming up! Like http://www.fountainbookstore.com/event/feature-event-nyt-blockbuster-kevin-hearn... If fantasy isn't your thing, lots of other stuff coming up too! Thanks! 7y
FountainBookstore @MMF Thank you! ☺️ 7y
40 likes4 comments
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MidnightBookGirl
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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27 likes1 stack add
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MidnightBookGirl
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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It took awhile, but once Stalin appeared, the book really caught my attention. #audiobooks #librofm #bookclub

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MidnightBookGirl
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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#CurrentlyReading this for book club!

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MichaelKwan
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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I suppose I should be drinking vodka to accompany a novel set in Stalin's Russia. But this is a nice whiskey for drinking on the front porch.

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Moray_Reads
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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I finished part one earlier and I have to admit, I'm struggling. The whole thing feels confused and uncontrolled and I'm not sure I like the extent to which the story had been fictionalised, it jars having read Manuscripts Don't Burn so recently. How is everyone else getting on? @saresmoore @bitterbear @vivastory @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled
#MandMBuddies
* The tortuous syntax is driving me mad!

ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Im liking it so far. It was a weird shift at the beginning of the second part that seemed to have a different documentary-type thing going on, and then we're back to Bulgakov. Weird. But Im liking it so far. 7y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled I also found the mayakovsky part interesting. Didnt know much about his life. 7y
bitterbear I don't want to ruin anyone's experience with this novel... But I'm not thrilled with this so far.. 7y
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bitterbear I do think the writing is beautiful.... 7y
saresmoore I've been struggling, too! I'm just about done with part one. I agree, Moray, that it feels too fictionalized—but I've also been spoiled by MDB. And the writing is weird to me. It feels like I'm switching between three different books, even sometimes within the same chapter! @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @bitterbear 7y
saresmoore @vivastory is off Litsy for the time being, just FYI to the group, so he won't be participating in the buddy read. 😕 7y
Moray_Reads @saresmoore @bitterbear @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled I'm struggling to really understand what the writer is trying to do. I almost feel like she should have changed all the names and circumstances, allowing herself to be inspired by certain elements of Bulgakov's life but also providing the freedom she clearly wants to write her own story 7y
saresmoore @Moray_Reads That's a great point. I'm interested to see where she takes it, but there is a certain expectation based on the obvious title. I wonder, how prevalent is the opinion that Yelena Sergeyevna was Bulgakov's "Margarita" in real life? Also, what is Himes trying to do? I'm checking out her acknowledgements and wondering if reading more widely of Bulgakov would help me appreciate this more. 7y
Moray_Reads @saresmoore I've read almost all of his work and there's very little that I've noticed in Mikhail and Margarita. I love Yelena Sergeyevna's letters in MDB, she seems like the kind of woman you would want in your corner and definitely the wife Bulgakov needed (eventually!) 7y
bitterbear Lol did anyone continue this buddy read? Haven't heard from anyone in awhile... 7y
Moray_Reads @bitterbear I kind of got carried away and didn't want to spoil anyone. How are you getting on? 7y
bitterbear @Moray_Reads I finished already... 😂😂😂 7y
Moray_Reads @bitterbear (Me too!) What did you think in the end? 7y
bitterbear f😒cking hated it. 7y
bitterbear It didn't make any sense to me.... 7y
Moray_Reads Oh thank God. Another hater here 😂 I can't for the life of me work out what the writer was trying to do! I'm also not entirely convinced she's read the Master and Margarita or really knows anything about Bulgakov! 7y
bitterbear @Moray_Reads YES! I completely agree You know what would have been great if she had structured it like master...Also.. Margarita choice at the end didn't make any sense. Zero. All around this book stunk. 7y
Moray_Reads @bitterbear she didn't really engage with the text at all except for a couple of little references like the black cat and then the meeting with "Woland" at the end. There were so many interesting things she could have done. 7y
Moray_Reads @bitterbear Also cutting out Elena Sergeyevna completely when everyone knows she was his Margarita was really odd. I thought Liksom's Margarita was going to be a mixture of Elena and the fictional Margarita 7y
bitterbear It felt like she wrote a historical novel set in Russia and plugged in their names... very disappointing. 7y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @bitterbear @Moray_Reads @saresmoore Im 88% done (sorry - this got SO SLOW for me), so not reading your spoilers until Im done. It picked up about halfway through, but Im honestly just ready to wrap it up. 7y
Moray_Reads @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled No hurry! I don't have much willpower when it comes to keeping to a schedule 😳 7y
saresmoore @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @bitterbear I think I might call it a bail. 7y
bitterbear @Moray_Reads Haha I don't either😘😘😘 7y
bitterbear @saresmoore I don't blame you. 7y
Moray_Reads @saresmoore honestly, you're not missing out of you do. The whole thing left me bemused and irritated 7y
36 likes27 comments
blurb
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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Hey, M&M buddy readers! Thoughts so far? I may actually appreciate The Master and Margarita after reading this. It's calling to mind A Gentleman in Moscow and also Us Conductors. Lots of interesting asides, too. Starting a tag: #mikhailandmargaritabuddyread

bitterbear I'm definitely enjoying the writing.. 7y
34 likes1 comment
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Moray_Reads
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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So Buddies, I've never done this before (I've never even been in a book club so I'm not used to reading along with people!) Do we read at our own speed or (for the avoidance of spoilers) set dates for chapters/sections so we're all keeping pace with each other? I'm ready to be guided by anyone with more experience!
@saresmoore @bitterbear @vivastory @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled

bitterbear I say read at your own pace but have a time limit... Like two weeks or a month. 7y
saresmoore I've never done a book club, either! But it think it might be helpful to break it down? I know @Moray_Reads and @vivastory are super fast readers! Or we could just post anything too revealing under a spoiler tag. @bitterbear @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled (edited) 7y
Moray_Reads @saresmoore @vivastory @bitterbear @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled We could say a section a week since there are 4 parts? Roughly, since they're quite different lengths 7y
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ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @saresmoore @vivastory @bitterbear I like the idea of reading it in sections. That way we can discuss along the way. 7y
saresmoore @Moray_Reads @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @bitterbear @vivastory A section a week sounds like a good plan to me! 👍 7y
bitterbear Sounds good to me... 7y
28 likes6 comments
blurb
bitterbear
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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Moray_Reads What a beautiful sight ❤ 7y
saresmoore 🙌 7y
19 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Moray_Reads
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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Somehow I managed to order a hardcopy AND a Kindle copy, surely proof that my book habit it out of control. If anyone would like the paperback just let me know!

saresmoore Reading versatility! 7y
aa_guer2021 @Moray_Reads is this a new version of Master & Margarita? If so, and the offer still stands, when you're done, yes, please. 😊 7y
Moray_Reads @ruskigurl16 It a fictionalised version of events that inspired him to write M&M, imagining Margarita as a real woman. I've sent you a friend request on goodreads, if you message me your address I'd be happy to sent the paperback to you! 7y
39 likes3 comments
review
balletbookworm
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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Mehso-so

A book definitely intended for fans of Bulgakov's The Master & Margarita. It's been a while since I read it and I was having some trouble piecing together specifics. If I hadn't read Master&M this would've been a novel about Soviet writers in the 1930s. The plot in Mikhail&M takes a while to get going - once it did pick up speed, the fascination for me was the dizzying, Kafka's "The Trial"-like machinations of NKVD and what it makes people do.

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vivastory
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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Have you heard about this @Moray_Reads ?

Moray_Reads I have! I've preordered my copy at my local indie. @bitterbear and i were thinking of a buddy read if you want to join us 😊 7y
bitterbear @Moray_Reads Um getting my copy today... 😊😊😊 7y
See All 18 Comments
bitterbear I'm ^ 7y
saresmoore Ooh, ooh, me too? @Moray_Reads 7y
vivastory @Moray_Reads That sounds like fun! It may take me a few days to get a copy, when we're you thinking of starting? 7y
Moray_Reads @bitterbear @saresmoore @vivastory @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled I think mine is due in on Friday but I'm okay waiting until until everyone is ready, I have plenty to keep me occupied! 7y
bitterbear 😄😄😄😊😊😅😅😅 7y
vivastory @bitterbear @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @saresmoore @Moray_Reads Will one week from tomorrow work for everyone? 7y
Moray_Reads @vivastory @bitterbear @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @saresmoore That's good for me, I'm really hoping this will be a good one! 7y
vivastory @Moray_Reads I have high expectations. I'm going to read Master & Margarita first. 7y
Moray_Reads @vivastory I was thinking along the same lines! Except I just picked up 7y
vivastory @Moray_Reads I'm going to try to find that one too. 7y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled @saresmore @Moray_Reads @bitterbear One week it is! I Kindled it so Im good to go 👍 7y
bitterbear I have my copy! 7y
35 likes3 stack adds18 comments
blurb
Liberty
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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Daylight savings time, my least favorite day of the year. A whole hour to read, snatched away! At least I have a good book. 🖤📚❤️

Rachbb3 My least favorite too. 7y
rubyslippersreads That reminds me of the Wicked Witch's hourglass, but in this case I guess she's saying, "That's how much longer you've got to read, and it isn't long, my pretty ... " ? 7y
phenobarbiidoll That hourglass!! ❤ 7y
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JanuarieTimewalker13 No "s" in saving...someone on Apple news freaked out about that (it wasn't me...lol). It's daylight saving time. 7y
JanuarieTimewalker13 I think the whole thing is nonsense- more helpful when we were strictly agrarian, I think. I say abolish it. It throws some people off for days. 7y
Jennifer3 Love this pic! 7y
Lizpixie I am LOVING that hourglass!! Seriously! 7y
MayJasper Where are your u having daylight saving time? 7y
paperboats I had such a terrible experience with this book - I started reading it and obviously expected to love it but something was off...I went and checked if it was something related with that specific translation and damn, I was right! I picked the very worst translation of the book ever and I was loathing it. I haven't had the courage to pick it up again but I'm sure I will love it when I do. ❤ 7y
bitterbear I get my copy tttooommmoooorrooowww!!!!! 😉😄😆😆! 7y
bitterbear @paperboats who was the translator? 7y
paperboats @bitterbear Michael Glenny! the absolute worst, it is the translation of one the Vintage editions. 7y
159 likes4 stack adds12 comments
review
StephanieY
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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Pickpick

To call this book a love story is like calling Doctor Zhivago a love story - it is much more than that. You can feel the despondency of living in the Stalin era where everyone is listening and informing and no one can be trusted. There are similarities to Solzhenitsyn, but less intense. In fact, this is a good novel for someone who wants to get a taste of Russian literature or who wants a lighter version of it. PUB DATE: March 14

StephanieY Thanks to my #dogsoflitsy for spicing up this ARC cover. 7y
8 likes1 comment
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StephanieY
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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It's too real. 😓
Executive orders written by House staffers who had to sign NDAs? 😕

12 likes1 stack add
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BookishTrish
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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A love story set in 1930s Russia starring Bulgakov!!!!!!! I'm so happy!

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BookishTrish
Mikhail and Margarita | Julie Lekstrom Himes
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There are no words to express my joy at this moment

23 likes2 stack adds