A review by e_flah
Gone by Nightfall by Dee Garretson
4.0
*Actual rating is a 3.5*
As the Russian Revolution unfolds, Charlotte realizes that her dreams of staying in Petrograd to pursue a medical degree are in jeopardy. Gone by Nightfall's driving force is its compelling plot, which focuses primarily on how Charlotte and her family get caught up in the revolution unfolding around them.
There were so many elements of Gone by Nightfall that were right up my alley: an attractive tutor with lots of secrets, a historical setting (and even better - an early 20th-century one), a fast-paced plot, and lots of endearing family antics. It took me a little bit to get invested in the story but I quickly found Gone by Nightfall challenging to put down. With the external tension from the revolution and the sexual tension between Charlotte and the new family tutor, Dmitri, there was so much that kept me saying "one more chapter" far later than I should've.
While I really liked a lot of things about Gone by Nightfall, it is one of those books where you only notice the elements that were a little off until after the feels have worn off. The writing was a little choppy and I would've loved a more robust interior life for Charlotte. The relationship with Dmitri probably falls into the category of insta-love but the dramatic setting made me willing to let that go. I have a lot of unanswered questions about numerous threads in the story though I got the sense that this is a stand-alone. However, none of these things kept me from enjoying this book while I was reading it.
It's really exciting to see more YA historical fiction - particularly books not set during WWII - as this is a genre I really like that seems to get neglected. Garretson's 2019 release All is Fair has been sitting on my TBR for a while and I now will be moving it up toward the top of the list.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
As the Russian Revolution unfolds, Charlotte realizes that her dreams of staying in Petrograd to pursue a medical degree are in jeopardy. Gone by Nightfall's driving force is its compelling plot, which focuses primarily on how Charlotte and her family get caught up in the revolution unfolding around them.
There were so many elements of Gone by Nightfall that were right up my alley: an attractive tutor with lots of secrets, a historical setting (and even better - an early 20th-century one), a fast-paced plot, and lots of endearing family antics. It took me a little bit to get invested in the story but I quickly found Gone by Nightfall challenging to put down. With the external tension from the revolution and the sexual tension between Charlotte and the new family tutor, Dmitri, there was so much that kept me saying "one more chapter" far later than I should've.
While I really liked a lot of things about Gone by Nightfall, it is one of those books where you only notice the elements that were a little off until after the feels have worn off. The writing was a little choppy and I would've loved a more robust interior life for Charlotte. The relationship with Dmitri probably falls into the category of insta-love but the dramatic setting made me willing to let that go. I have a lot of unanswered questions about numerous threads in the story though I got the sense that this is a stand-alone. However, none of these things kept me from enjoying this book while I was reading it.
It's really exciting to see more YA historical fiction - particularly books not set during WWII - as this is a genre I really like that seems to get neglected. Garretson's 2019 release All is Fair has been sitting on my TBR for a while and I now will be moving it up toward the top of the list.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.