The Orphan Sky
By Ella Leya
This story takes place in Azerbaijan during the years of Russian occupation. Leila is a talented pianist, on her way to a career as a concert pianist. Leila lives a life of ease with her family, her father a communist party supporter who takes bribes to support their life style. Leila meets a young bohemian artist who introduces her to life beyond the rhetoric of communism. Leila takes chances and makes mistakes in her pursuit of personal and artistic freedom. In the end, she defects to the US to escape her KGB husband and the constrictions of her communist country.
The novel looks at the lives of some of the great Russian composers, dancers and musicians, many of whom defected to the freedom of western countries.
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommendation: An interesting look at life under communism in the 1970s.
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