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Bellagrand

What a lost soul, a lost lost soul. In one of his letters to Gina, he said "You know how you keep saying You're such a dreamer, Harry. When you murmur it, it's like a caress from your lips, it's your love letter to me. This I freely admit. For when I dream, my beloved Sicilian princess, I dream of you. Bellagrand has also given us Alexander Barrington. The love of my life.


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The parts where he is growing up is one of the best parts of this series. Knowing how he becomes the man he is in TBH really is the highlight of it all. This is an unforgivable book. It touches your heart and soul. It wounded me deeply.


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Love stories have been written and told every single day, but this love story will for sure stay with me forever and ever. It is dramatic, it is angsty, it IS an epic tale for us to see. Every time I think about it, the wound will bleed, it reminds me of a tragic and disastrous, but a great love. I will end my review with a quote from the book "If you press me to say why I loved him, I can say no more than because he was he, and I was I.

Love is not blind; that is the last thing that it is. Love is bound; And the more it is bound, the less it is blind. Sep 12, Teresa rated it really liked it. At first I was really excited to read this book as I wanted to read more about a young Alexander as The Bronze Horseman is my favourite book. However this book is not Alexander's story but Gina and Harry's story. I really felt for Gina, as an Italian immigrant she had her whole life of opportunities in front of her in America.

But she was so blind for her love for Harry and the decision to marry him changed her life forever. After years of struggle, of living poor and with Harry in and out of ja At first I was really excited to read this book as I wanted to read more about a young Alexander as The Bronze Horseman is my favourite book.

Bellagrand by Paullina Simons

After years of struggle, of living poor and with Harry in and out of jail they finally catch a break and get to live in beautiful Bellagrand with their beautiful child Alexander. Gina finally has the life she dreamed of with the love of her life Harry and with her much loved son Alexander. But unfortunately this dream does not last. Once again Harry has turned their lives upside down. Gina's heartache, sacrifice and decision to stick by her husband even though she knows he is wrong costs her everything and eventually she pays the ultimate price - her life. The book ends with them going to Russia and I would have loved an extra chapter from Harry after years in Russia admitting that he was wrong and acknowledging what he gave up for his beliefs.

A few conflicting feelings, as I can't be angry at Harry as his decision leads his family to Russia and ultimately leads us to the story of The Bronze Horseman. However if it wasn't for Alexander and Tatiana I would feel differently. View all 11 comments. Jul 04, Renee Werthwein rated it really liked it. I'm still processing everything.

Dec 08, Mollie rated it it was amazing. Why did the quote that was meant to strengthen them only weaken her? I knew reading this would be hard. It broke my heart. I questioned why I ever loved their story to begin with. I thought, why continue if you know it does not end in happiness? But it made my heart full too.

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I love the cathartic process I go through when reading a Paullina Simons book. I can always expect to channel a magnitude of emotions through her writing. I felt the love, frustration, hope, anguish, and heartache. The skill that allows this author to evoke so much from tragedy is beyond me. It was ugly, but it was supposed to be. It served its purpose. Everything is terrible and everyone is about to die.

And then they do die. What's wrong with those Russians and their entire line of literature? And yet look how deep they are. We all have to choose. Either Boston or Bellagrand. One or the other. You can't have both. View all 6 comments. Dec 26, Kristy Mcwilliams rated it really liked it. I was disappointed in Children of Liberty because I was expecting more from the story. Bellagrand gives me the rest of the story that I was looking for. The only thing missing for me was a little more about their life in Russia but I think i need to re read the trilogy because I am sure it is all in there somewhere.

Bellagrand is compelling and devastating all at the same time. I want to reach into the book and shake sense into Harry and I was willing Gina to leave him many times but I knew if sh I was disappointed in Children of Liberty because I was expecting more from the story. I want to reach into the book and shake sense into Harry and I was willing Gina to leave him many times but I knew if she did the story we all love would not exist.

For me the mark of a good book is when you are emotionally attached to the characters and story and miss the characters after you are finished reading. Well I finished this last night and I am still thinking about the characters and wondering about their choices ect.

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May 26, Zena rated it it was ok. Never have I read a book with more abysmal characters. Harry and Gina were horrible. Harry is selfish, ignorant, lazy and thick as shit. Gina is self absorbed, vain and also selfish. They are both insensitive assholes and thus perfect for eachother. What saved this book was Simon's historical and political accuracy and her ability to write well rounded stories spanning decades. Jan 07, Melissa Ward rated it did not like it. Talk about a downer, just wanted slap Harry and tell him to wake up to himself!

It was a roller coaster of being irate, sad, conflicted, on edge, rooting for them and wishing their fate could have been different because some of the time you felt and believed in their love. I'm not sure I've read a book that has made me silently wipe tears quite as much as this one did on so many different occasions. So many beautiful moments, and beautiful side character moments, but mostly I was clutching my chest with anxiety and feeling so much sorrow and sadness for our beloved Alexander.

The boy whom everyone loved with all their hearts. Apr 05, Jennifer Jones rated it liked it.

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What ultimately is sad is the lost Gina. I found myself hoping that she somehow sees Harry for what he really is, not just for what she wants him to be. She never gives up on the dream that she first had when she met him all those years ago. Harry, I found, was not only the pitiful excuse of a husband she didn't deserve and couldn't quite let herself leave, but he turned out to be selfish, irresponsible and arrogant in his beliefs to the point where his family is sacrificed. He never really understands what he has done, even when they are exiled into Russia. The sad conclusion to this story is necessary in order to understand how a bright, beautiful girl who only dreamed of a better life in America ended up in Soviet Russia as a drunkard.

This story is sad, sad, sad. I wanted to kick Harry to the curb, tell Gina to run, run far away! He was a sinking cesspool of driveling nonsense most of the time. Simons' writing can sometimes be slow, tedious and sometimes boring in places. The only thing good Gina saw in him was back when she first met him. She struggles throughout her whole life, trying to find that again, never realizing the old Harry is gone and replaced by a self-preserving, lying Communist. I felt sorry for her. Then I came to a startling realization: Gina is not strong, nor courageous. She's weak willed and easily manipulated.

Harry's sister, Esther tells Gina that she's selfish and she's taken everything away from Esther and her family. On this I agree somewhat, even if Gina did it unknowingly. However, she can never stand up for what she believes, to anyone! She never tells her husband what she really feels, and in the end it costs her dearly.

So while I hated Harry, sympathized with the two families that fell victim to these two hapless souls who create havoc on everyone around them, I really detested Gina for failing to stand up to her husband. Simons does have a way of dragging things on for endless pages here, and it makes this story feel as if it goes on forever. She's a brilliant writer, so I find fault with the editors for leaving everything in this book. It could easily be shortened with the same amount of drama.

Sometimes more isn't better, sometimes it's just more. In the end, I was glad it was over with because it drained me. I was sad, frustrated and depressed for two people who couldn't manage their way out of a paper sack. How can you love characters when you know the fate that they have served their son my dear and beloved Shura. How can you become attached to characters when you know their fate is a dreadful one?

Two words Paullina Simons!!!!!!! This author is beyond when it comes to writing and conveying emotions into words that etch into your heart. After reading Children of Liberty you must read Bellagrand. Alexander's parents story, especially Gina, Alexander's mother is nothing short of a tragedy. Gina represents an immigrant trying to find the American dream her father wanted for her.

Yet, Harry is trying everything he can to escape the dreams his father has for him. Although at times I wanted to throw my kindle across the room and yell Gina you fool I just couldn't help loving her and Bellagrand. I am from Massachusetts so all the history and talk of Lawrence and Concord were very close to home for me. I was traveling in Florida at the time I was reading that too was special. I was feeling everything Paullina was describing and Florida was by far Gina's happiest time!


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If you are a BH lover then you may also notice how Gina and Tatiana are very much alike in many ways. Tatiana has what I wish Gina could have, courage! I was never sure what I felt for Harry but, in the end I couldn't even hate him. I think pity would be the word, his life was such a disappointment to himself and those who loved him. In the end he knew it and you could feel his self flagellation loud and clear. Of course this is not the love affair that Tatiana and Alexander have but the way Paullina writes you can't help but to fall into Bellagrand. Jan 21, Carla Coulston rated it liked it.

I found this disappointing in the main. I am one of Simons biggest fans, especially of her dearly loved Bronze Horseman Trilogy - and so imagine my delight to discover a prequel! Unfortunately this wasn't the book I hoped it would be. One of Simons greatest strengths is as a historian, but instead of the historical elements providing a gentle undercurrent to carry the love story as it did in Horseman , in this book it overwhelms and drowns it.

It's a book full of politics and turmoil, of big, wid I found this disappointing in the main. It's a book full of politics and turmoil, of big, wide issues So it fell short for me. It took me until halfway into the book to even begin to get into it I didn't feel connected to any of the major characters - Ben, especially was lacking in depth, and I found it hard to remain sympathetic to Gina in the face of her unrelenting stupidity and poor choices.

Probably Harry was the best character in the book - although meant to be the antagonist, he was nevertheless the most real. Although, as ever Simons remains an exceptional writer with some beautiful passages of prose. Jan 23, Pamela Morris rated it it was amazing. I'm so glad Paullina Simons took the time to do these 2 prequels, because I love her writing - her characters are so real and you really feel for them, and it's great to know the backstory of how the broken parents we meet in The Bronze Horseman came to be so.

On the flip side, this story is heartbreaking. Throughout this whole book, I wanted to beat Harry. He's just so out of touch with everyone and everything, and so self-righteous in his beliefs. I really didn't feel so Oh sweet Bellagrand I really didn't feel sorry for him in the least at the end; he got what he wanted, even if it wasn't what he thought it would be. Gina, both saint and martyr. I think no one, both in her time and ours, would have looked down at her had she left him, and God knows she should have, many times.

How much she gained at Bellagrand, and then, how far a fall. And sweet Alexander, that poor innocent boy. He deserved the best, but instead that was ripped from him by his stupid father. Such suffering he will go through because of that man. At least it all works out in the end. Apr 18, Cindy rated it really liked it. This book has taken me forever to read. It made me so crazy at times I had to put it down for months on end. Bellagrand is a prequel to one of my all time favorite books, The Bronze Horseman. And logically, I knew what had to happen in this book to allow everything that will take place in the next.

I kept yelling at Gina to kick him to the curb and go find Ben!! Also, even though these ev This book has taken me forever to read. Also, even though these events took place in the early 's, they had so many parallels to today's political climate of "anti-Capitlism. Paullina Simons like Diana Gabaldon is a genius at weaving political truths into her storylines. That might be why they are my favorite authors! Nov 08, Stephanie rated it really liked it Shelves: And I loathe his parents more than ever. So, this book essentially didn't tell me anything I didn't already know.

I did enjoy reading about Alexander's young life before Russia, and the writing style was beautiful as always-- even while I wanted to throttle Harry and Gina which is always. It kills me a little that I can't hate Harry and Gina as much as I want to, because without their selfish, ridiculous actions, there would be no Tatiana and Alexander so I don't th Alexander is everything.

I don't think I have much more to say about this book to write a proper review. If you're a Bronze Horseman fan, read it. It provides so much insight into Alexander's family, but it is nothing short of infuriating. Jan 03, Amie rated it really liked it.

Anyone who has read The Bronze Horseman will know that this book does not finish in a happy ending but it was a beautifully executed prequel. I preferred it to other books in the series, particularly The Bridge to Holy Cross, that relied too heavily on retelling the story, resulting in a repetitive and frustrating read. Dec 13, Rhiannon Hudson rated it really liked it. Better than Children of Liberty, but god does it just rip your heart out. But that's the best thing about Paullina Simons, she puts so much effort and detail into her characters so they can make you laugh and cry and be mad at them for days!

Dec 23, Karen rated it really liked it. Better than Children of Liberty but very frustrating at times! It is a good story and continues on from Children of Liberty so you already know the characters Nov 10, Sherryl Caulfield rated it really liked it. The Bronze Horseman is my favourite teenage love story; the trilogy, one of my favourite series of all times. I carved out a few days to read Children of Liberty and then afterwards I was in a total slump, not because I had a book hang-over but because I The Bronze Horseman is my favourite teenage love story; the trilogy, one of my favourite series of all times.

I carved out a few days to read Children of Liberty and then afterwards I was in a total slump, not because I had a book hang-over but because I had a book blah.

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Despite the wonderful prose I could not feel the love between the main characters. I could not understand the attraction. I could not put fingers to keyboard to write about it. And even though this book did not make me fall in love with Gina and Harry, even though it did not break my heart over them it certainly made me FEEL — which for me is paramount — and what I felt most was the heartbreak of a lone sister. It was interesting how that came about.

If you have read The Bronze Horseman you will understand everything. Does it get any better? I know they have to go through all this stuff to get to Russia but sheesh! Even though the last few chapters build to an absorbing climax the book was not uplifting and, I admit, I like a happy ending, or at least an ending that has some degree of implied hope and promise.

And I also like my antagonists to redeem themselves in some way. I hated her agreeing to go to Russia. Yet without that, there would be no Bronze Horseman. Over on one of my blog posts I go into my thoughts in more depth for anyone interested in popping by and chatting more about Bellagrand. Dec 04, Andrea rated it liked it. Just finished reading, so sad. Even though you know how the story ends you just wish something would alter her course. I kept thinking go with Ben! I'm even thinking maybe Ben could still save Gina in Russia?? Maybe a third book Paulina?? I just really hope that we get to know more about Gina after she goes to prison, I'm so sad for her.

And Harry, what a stupid, stupid man. He really did put her second. I think this books adds so much depth to TBH, such a good lead into a re read, Just finished reading, so sad. I think this books adds so much depth to TBH, such a good lead into a re read, I wonder if people are reading this without having read TBH trilogy?? What a lovely surprise they would be in for. Jan 13, Jessica Ruben rated it it was amazing. It was SO good. It was SO thought provoking and honest and sad.

My heart broke through it all even though you know how it's going to end because obviously you've already read the bronze horseman! Simons just nailed these characters and their flaws. And she shows how sometimes one choice can end up affecting your entire life Sometimes things don't have a perfectly happy endings. We "hang in there" because we "should" but truly, we shouldnt!

And I Just want to sa You know what? And I Just want to say, Harold, you asshole!! May 21, Luchi Rzezak rated it liked it. Once you become a resident of Bella Grand, you will be able to pay your rent online, submit maintenance requests, and get community news by logging in securely to your Resident Portal. The GreatSchools Rating is a simple tool for parents to compare schools based on test scores, student academic growth, and college readiness. It compares schools across the state, where the highest rated schools in the state are designated as 'Above Average' and the lowest 'Below Average'.

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