Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #145737 in Books
• Published on: 2006-06-08
• Binding: Paperback
• 392 pages

The Good Book Guide
'A fascinating tale of past sorrows and future hopes, greed, malice and intrigue.'

Easy Living
'Startlingly original ... emotional, riveting and unexpected.'

Belfast News
'This is a haunting, mesmerising read.'

Customer Reviews

Decent page turner
Zoia's Gold is not a bad book. It is the story of a Russian emigre artist, told by an art dealer who has fallen on hard times, as he researches her life. Extraordinarily, much of the information about the artist is true.

It is well-written and in parts very evocative and moving. Where it fell down for me was the mystery aspect, which was predictable and lacking in tension.

Perhaps 3 stars is a little harsh; I would say this a good book for curling up with on dark winter nights, or to while away a journey when you want a book that fills your head with pictures but you don't want to have to concentrate too hard. OK, but not required reading.

Ideal travelling companion
This book was my travelling companion for several weeks. I rationed myself to reading it only when on the move, a hour here and there, rather than devouring it in huge chunks as one might on a beach (if a beach were handy, which sadly it is not right now). It is a strikingly original piece of work: partly a mystery, partly a study of obsession, partly a biography with echoes of "Doctor Zhivago", yet more than the sum of its parts.

Mysteries are everywhere these days, and this story has its share of twists and tension, and will certainly keep you guessing. But, crucially, the mystery element is not a ploy or a series of stock devices. It arises from the nature of the subject: a deeply enigmatic real-life artist (Zoia) who plainly did deal in deception and concealment on many levels, for reasons that become all too shockingly clear. I also like the fact that the `investigator' figure, Marcus Elliot, is anything but an impartial or objective observer. Not only is there an obscure and troubling connection between himself and Zoia, but as the book unfolds, Zoia's life and work holds up a mirror to his own in a fascinating and dangerous way - even though, on the surface, the two people could hardly be more different or further apart.

Like most good novels, Zoia asks something of its readers, but richly rewards them for their investment. Like obsession itself, it creeps up on you. The writing is both taut and evocative, and the period detail - is excellent. In particular, the last two parts, "Parnassus" and "Sevastopol", are worth more than a single reading.

All that glitters is not gold. . .
This book started so well. There was mystery, beautiful writing and the suggestion that something scandolous was going to be discovered. However, my excitement at this book did not last.
Although, as another reviewer has pointed out, the writing is quite beautiful, there is something lacking to make it the interesting page turner it promises to be. The pace of the novel is incredibly slow. Sington also tries to run two storylines together - one based around Zoia, and the other around the present day character, Marcus Elliot, who is trying to discover more about the artist. While both storylines have their moments of interest, neither really gripped me. Elliot seems very boring, and quite cliched. While Zoia is certainly an interesting figure, she just wasn't enough to keep me plodding through this book.
I rarely give up on books, but with this one, about two thirds of the way through, I did.
For me, the plot was too much like the paintings it was based around - it shimmered with the quality of something priceless, but similar to fools gold it was not quite what it claimed to be.