Publishers Weekly
★ 12/24/2018
Set in 1896, Akunin’s excellent seventh Fandorin mystery (after The State Counsellor) finds the brilliant investigator back in Moscow just in time to prevent some thugs from abducting Xenia Georgievna, the daughter of Georgii Alexandrovich, the uncle of Nicholas II, who’s soon to be crowned as tsar. Fandorin is later stunned to learn that Xenia’s brother, Prince Mikhail Georgievich, was snatched while she was being rescued. He suspects a Moriarty-like criminal mastermind known only as Dr. Lind. His theory is confirmed when the Russian royal family receives a letter from Lind, who demands the Orlov diamond, which adorns the imperial scepter and is an essential part of the coronation ceremony, in exchange for Mikhail’s safe return. Fandorin, aided by a loyal family retainer, Afanasii Ziukin, races to retrieve Mikhail, in an effort to avoid giving up the valuable gemstone. Akunin keeps the action fast-paced, and the logical twists head-spinning, without sacrificing humor or depth of characterization. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
Praise for The Coronation:
“Akunin’s brilliance lies in taking the elements of a classic detective story and imbuing them with a poignant emotional complexity.”—Sunday Times (UK)
“Fandorin is there to provide the solution, rescue the missing child and—in common with the reader—have a lot of fun.”—Times (UK)
“A novel as crammed with delights as the Tsarina’s jewel box.”—Daily Telegraph (UK)
“Enjoyable and very fast-paced. Akunin’s sense of place is undeniably vivid . . . The Coronation may be my favorite of the Fandorin novels so far . . . A very good read.”—Crime Segments
“Every single one of these Fandorin books are supreme fun, and this is no exception. They indeed get better and better with each one. Akunin's writing is sprightly, very witty, and supremely literate. The novels are exciting, hilarious, full of adventure, and very, very clever . . . Akunin has a superbly enjoyable style: it's idiosyncratic in the same way that Andrea Camilleri's style is . . . The Coronation is very highly recommended indeed—as are all his books. They’re great fun, full of excitement and adventure, wonderful characters, and are highly intellectually engaging as well. What more could you want?”—EuroCrime (UK)
Praise for Boris Akunin:
“Brimming with adventure and extraordinary vitality.”—Anne Perry, on The State Counsellor
“A relentless page-turner. The 19th century that Mr. Akunin depicts is pulsing with irresistible energy. From dastardly terrorists to sultry femme fatales, Akunin’s Moscow is a porto-noir paradise cut through with a decidedly Russian sense of futility . . . Fun and entertaining.”—New York Journal of Books, on The State Counsellor
“It is difficult to convey the breadth of influence that Boris Akunin has on Russian society . . . In scope, think of Akunin as the J.K. Rowling of Russia—in style, perhaps somewhere between Dorothy Dunnett and Robert Ludlum.”—Daily Beast
Library Journal - Audio
06/01/2019
A four-year-old Russian prince, nephew to the tsar, is kidnapped. A ransom letter arrives asking for the magnificent Orlov diamond, which is set in the imperial scepter, in exchange for the prince. The problem is the scepter is integral to the impending coronation ceremony of Nicholas II. Will gentleman detective Erast Petrovich Fandorin and his assistant Masa discover the criminal in time to save the boy and the coronation? Narrator Nigel Patterson makes adept use of tone and accents to differentiate characters and keep listeners engaged. Listeners will enjoy the fast-moving mystery, but the Russian patronymics may confound a few. VERDICT An elegant, entertaining blend of mystery and historical fiction that will be popular in most collections.—Cynthia Jensen, Gladys Harrington Lib., Plano, TX
Kirkus Reviews
2018-09-02
Finally, it can be told: the highly fictitious story of how an audacious criminal who did his level best to disrupt the coronation of Czar Nicholas II in 1896 was foiled by perennial agent Erast Petrovich Fandorin.
When Nicholas' uncle Georgii Alexandrovich Romanov and his family arrive at the Small Hermitage in Moscow's Neskuchny Park in preparation for the coronation, the family's butler, Afanasii Stepanovich Ziukin, thinks his biggest problem will be deciding how to fit the whole household into a mere 18 rooms. More serious trouble promptly arrives during Afanasii's walk around the grounds with Georgii's daughter, 19-year-old Xenia Georgievna, and his youngest son, Mikhail Georgievich, 6, when they're attacked by a gang of brigands obviously intent on abducting Xenia Georgievna. The girl is rescued by the unexpected and muscular intervention of Fandorin and his valet, Masa, but the kidnappers get away with Mikhail. A suavely menacing letter from Doctor Lind, a pseudonymous supercriminal whose activities Fandorin has long been familiar with, demands an outrageous ransom: the Orlov, the largest diamond in the royal scepter. Since the absence of the stone would surely be noticed during the coronation, plunging the dynasty into unfathomable chaos, Fandorin proposes paying Doctor Lind a series of lesser ransoms every day for a week in hopes of gathering more information about his operation in the meantime. Lind accepts the plan, and the game of cat and mouse is on between two world-class antagonists who are both clever, resourceful, and well-stocked with backup plans. Fandorin recruits the butler and Emilie Declique, Mikhail's governess, to help him foil Lind's plot. But Lind has many more accomplices and no scruples about killing anyone who stands in his way. Nor is he distracted, as Afanasii is dismayed to see Fandorin is, by an utterly inappropriate attraction to Xenia Georgievna.
Just when you think you know what's coming next, Akunin, the most audacious author of historical mysteries (The State Counsellor, 2017, etc.) in the business, shows that he's way ahead of you. Like-minded readers who can get past all those royal patronymics are in for a treat.
