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Snowdrops [Hardcover]

A. D. Miller (Author)
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (107 customer reviews)

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Product Details

  • Hardcover
  • Publisher: Atlantic London; First Edition edition (2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1848874529
  • ISBN-13: 978-1848874527
  • Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 7.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (107 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,471,549 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

› Visit Amazon's Andrew Miller Page
Andrew Miller
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Customer Reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
(107)
3.8 out of 5 stars
See all 107 customer reviews
“ The narrator just did not convince as a character. ” The Emperor  |  12 reviewers made a similar statement
“ A brilliant book, great writing. ” Roman G  |  13 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
90 of 100 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Love And Other Corruptions: A Cold And Remote Tale Of Russian Intrigue January 7, 2011
By K. Harris HALL OF FAMETOP 10 REVIEWER
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
On the surface, A.D. Miller's fascinating debut novel Snowdrops has all the ingredients of a devastating tale of morality gone awry. Set brilliantly in the heart of Moscow and its environs, the wintry setting provides a background to a world that exists unlike any other. And Miller's strength is that he has an insider's knowledge of this strange, but distasteful, land where bureaucratic corruption, decadence, and petty fraud coexist with beauty, idealism, and cultural promise. Okay, so maybe it's not a world "unlike any other" under those terms--but there's just something so inherently intriguing about the openness of Moscow's decadence that makes it an undeniably appealing "character" in Miller's story. And, in fact, Moscow is the most delineated and complex "character" that Miller has described. The human protagonists, however, are all rather chilly. The book unfolds as a confessional with British lawyer Nick Platt recounting, via writing, his past indiscretions to his unseen new fiance.

Set in the early 2000's, Snowdrops introduces Platt--middle-aged and somewhat isolated in a hedonistic new city. He spends his days officiating vaguely defined business enterprises with fairly unsavory characters. He's just putting in his time, not asking questions, and enjoying (however reluctantly he paints it) the sins that the city's nightlife has to offer. His days start to brighten, however, as he rescues two young ladies from a mugging. They begin a friendship that becomes more intense. Soon Platt finds himself in a full-on romance with one of the girls. And his devotion is seemingly blind to the realities of the relationship. When they solicit his legal expertise in a real estate transaction involving their aunt, Platt acquiesces compliantly. But you know, from the first pages of Snowdrops, that this tale is headed to dark territory--the only mystery is how willingly Platt will become a part of that darkness.

Despite being referenced as somewhat of a psychological thriller (The Talented Mr. Ripley and Gorky Park are thrown in as comparison points by the publisher), Snowdrops is indisputably a character study. And, herein, (for me) lies the problem. As everything in Platt's confession is told through a rather gauzy reinterpretation, the supporting and peripheral characters can only be marginally defined through his eyes. And his utter complacency in his own life leads to a true lack of character development for everyone else in the novel. But that's okay and, in fact, I'm positive that was Miller's intent. And I love the idea, in theory. But that leaves Platt as the emotional center of Snowdrops and, unfortunately, that's where and why the book seemed so chilly and detached in the long run. Platt's confession lacks drama and conviction. He states the facts of what happens without seeming to be invested in anything.

Snowdrops, without a doubt in my mind, could have been a powerful and devastating tale of moral ambiguity. Platt's delusion while the events were transpiring might have been offset in his telling, but that's not what Miller wants to convey. Platt was seduced and intoxicated by his experience in Moscow and it was worth ANY price. That's clear--and that tone, which is fully intentional, kept me from ever really connecting with Platt. At the end, for me, Platt remains a curiously detached cipher (like the aforementioned Ripley, but Ripley's exploits were cunningly treacherous and he was an active participant in his own story). Snowdrops then seems like a novel with no real center--a passive protagonist who is still dishonest with himself. And, ultimately, that's why Moscow stands as the most intriguing aspect and most fully developed character that Miller's world presents. KGHarris, 1/11.
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Moscow Noir December 4, 2011
By James L. Thane
Format:Hardcover
A British lawyer, Nicholas Platt, is working in Moscow in the hectic, free-for-all, Wild East days of the new Russia. By day he helps negotiate huge bank loans to facilitate Russia's economic development. These deals involve a number of shady characters and questionable assumptions, but Nick is caught up in the free-wheeling, anything goes climate, and whatever moral scruples he might have brought with him from the UK are quickly eroding. The same is true of his personal life as Nick gets caught up in exotic and often erotic lifestyle that flows from the rivers of cash that are flooding through the city.

One afternoon, Nick saves two attractive sisters from a purse snatcher and he is soon involved romantically with Masha, the older of the two. The women are very mysterious; even Masha reveals little of herself to Nick. But he is too caught up in the intimacy which he believes to be love. Then Masha and her sister, Katya, ask Nick to help their elderly aunt in the sale of her apartment and the purchase of a new one. It quickly becomes apparent to Nick that this deal may not be completely legitimate, but by now he is completely bedazzled by Masha, and his moral compass has long since lost the ability to find True North. He knows he is almost certainly heading for a fall, but like any true noir character, he's long past caring.

This is an excellent debut novel that paints a gripping portrait of the new Russia and the seduction of man who is powerless to resist its allure. It should appeal to those who like their novels dark and their characters flawed and in the grip of an attraction beyond their power to control.
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51 of 68 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Psycho thriller set in modern Russia December 25, 2010
By lisatheratgirl VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
This is a fast read, mainly because you won't want to put it down. The story is told by Nicholas Platt, a lawyer from England, presumably talking to his fiancee. He, like the author, worked in Moscow for a number of years, and so you get a rich description of the city, the restaurants, hotels, casinos, nightclubs, old building facades, subways and parks. The author was able to make me see the city as a whole, not just the picture of the Kremlin you get on posters. He also got across what it was like to live there for the generation that survived WWII and Stalin, and the younger people, under thirty, born after the fall of Communism. There is nothing that is not for sale and everyone has their hands out from beggars to government officials to taxi drivers to judges. In such an atmosphere of crime and corruption, I wondered that Nick would be so gullible as to take everyone at face value. I think anyone who is living and working in a foreign country should be doubly on their guard, because they are outsiders. People may think they know their way around, but they may be more at risk than a tourist or student who leaves in a short time (exception: Natalee Holloway). You can't be too trusting. What starts out as a bland story, but has enough foreshadowing to keep you reading, of course ends in total disaster. It's tightly written with interesting characters (Nick sure found them interesting, until he learned what they really were). For a first novel, I thought it was excellent.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Outdistances our usual, knee jerk criteria for judging a novel.
I'm in a state of euphoria after finishing SNOW DROPS in one intoxicated sitting. This is more than a thriller, or a page turner, though it is both of those things. Read more
Published 7 days ago by Ronald Haak
5.0 out of 5 stars Unexpected and enlightening
The plot was compelling and kept me reading with interest. Most of all though, I enjoyed the imagery of what it's like to live in Moscow. Read more
Published 9 days ago by A. Matteson
2.0 out of 5 stars Too predictable
Very predictable story about a naive lawyer being dragged into a property hustle in Moscow. Having read articles and books about Russia before, I didn't feel I learned anything new... Read more
Published 28 days ago by Olikul
3.0 out of 5 stars A good book when there is nothing on television
Snowdrops is a good read, but lacks excitement. I did get annoyed by the main characters acting as if they didn't have a brain in their heads. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Charles E. Carlson
5.0 out of 5 stars Miller "gets it" about Moscow and Russia today - loved this book!
I just finished this book. Loved it. I give it the highest rating.

His last line, about "I miss Moscow" - I totally relate. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Karen K. Porter
4.0 out of 5 stars Very Dark Story
This is a well written story told by an English lawyer in Moscow after the fall the of Soviet Union. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Marjean M. Hull
2.0 out of 5 stars Snowdrops
Sorry, this did not appeal to me at all. Characters were ill defined, the story itself was mundane and jumped around a lot without getting anywhere very much.
Published 2 months ago by Jules
5.0 out of 5 stars Blinded
A guileless British attorney (he sort of seemed like an American to me) working in Russia during the boom is blinded by love/lust/optimism and (I won't be giving too much away when... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Michael P. McCullough
3.0 out of 5 stars Cold and interesting
Read this book before visiting Russia for the second time (irrelevant fact). I enjoyed the writing style and plot, despite not really liking any of the characters. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Susan from Perth
3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing
I say disappointing because maybe I expected too much of this book. It is beautifully descriptive and at times had unexpected and thought provoking insights that will stay with me. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Glinda
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