A Couple Reviews

Here is an excerpt from a great review at Amazon:

This novel is full of psychological aspects. You see the difficulties of Nicolas' mission, how much he suffered but also how strong he became. Furthermore you learn about Russia in the 19th century, a life on a Russian estate as well as about how bureaucracy worked and what way of thinking used to be. It contains an unbelievably vast range of issues from history to love and from humanity to justice. In the whole book Julian Berengaut describes the story so well that the reader can easily find himself part of the scene. It's definitely one of those unputdownable books you can't stop reading. Prepare to accompany Nicolas on his exciting, touching journey!

thanks Lara Kosa! And here's another: 

The mode in which the novel operates is similar to that of "The Life of Pi" by Yann Martel or "Blindness" by José Saramago: novels that are almost "philosophical" in their desire to sketch out some dilemmas confronting the living, but whose intellectual energy is inseparable from the vitality of a narrative thrust that impels the action forward.

thanks Alok Yadav!