An elegant new novel

You know how you can dip into a book and from the first chapter it transports you to another world? Daphne Kalotay's new novel, Russian Winter, is just like that. I picked it up at the height of the summer heat wave and it felt nothing short of miraculous to be carried away to the bitter winter of Moscow in the 1950s and 1960s to help keep the humidity at bay.

This narrative pas de deux binds Nina Revskaya's mysterious past as the Bolshoi Ballet's rising young star with her reclusive present as an anonymous benefactor of the Boston arts scene. When a rash, youthful decision based on jealousy and insecurity sets events spinning out of her control, Nina spends the rest of her life guarding a dark secret. With this sweeping story of art, love, and Soviet politics come hints of intrigue and betrayal, and even those with the most dazzling talent cannot protect themselves against damaging accusations.

The book, published by HarperCollins, goes on sale on September 7, and it's currently one of the top books by independent booksellers for the month--you can see all of our collective favorites here. What's more, it's the Odyssey's September pick for our First Edition Club.

~Emily Crowe