A sex trafficking victim wreaks vengeance on the criminal gang who enslaved her.Born into poverty in the heart of Eastern Europe, Natalia Nicolaeva dreams of a better life. When she is offered a job abroad, however, the promise of the outside world is as terrifying as it is thrilling. After gathering the courage to leave her tiny village, it doesn’t take long before Natalia’s worst fears are … worst fears are confirmed. Kidnapped and forced into prostitution, Natalia must fight first for her honor and then for her life. Be warned, this story is gritty and raw, but guaranteed to keep your pulse pounding.
The first in a series of international thrillers, Russia Girl portrays Natalia’s transformation from innocent farm girl to lethal dispenser of vigilante justice. This is a novel about the pain in the hearts of those made to suffer, the power of family to heal, and ultimately the fortitude of one girl determined to survive.
Author Q&A with Kenneth Rosenberg
Q: This novel is an unusual take on the typical thriller genre. What was the inspiration for this story?
A: I saw a documentary about women from Eastern Europe who were lured abroad under false pretenses and sold into prostitution. The film told the stories of five women who had managed to escape captivity and survive to tell about it. My book was inspired by their stories of courage.
Q: Does that mean some of your novel is actually true?
A: The circumstances in the first half of the novel were based on actual events. I decided to take that story and turn it into a thriller, where the main character becomes a kick-ass vigilante, dispensing the ultimate justice. I felt so badly for those actual women, I guess you could say this is a revenge fantasy.
Q: This book is set in Istanbul and on a farm in the breakaway republic of Transnistria. Do you have any experience in these places? Have you been to them?
A: When I was working on the book, I traveled to Istanbul for research. I spent a week walking the streets and exploring the neighborhoods where it is set. Transnistria is more of a challenge, with complicated visa requirements, but I did spend time just across the border in Ukraine, which I felt was similar enough to give me a sense for the region.
Q: Who have you been most influenced by as a writer?
A: I’ve always loved a good international thriller. I guess this goes back to my childhood, when my friends and I loved all of the James Bond movies and couldn’t wait for the newest one to come out. Later, I came to be a big fan of the Bourne series. My books are probably closest in DNA to the Millennium Series by Stieg Larsson, including The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. They both involve a strong female character who goes through hell but comes out fighting.
Q: Does this mean we can expect more from Natalia Nicolaeva?
A: Absolutely! I’ve already finished the second book. Vendetta Girl is set in St. Petersburg, Russia. The third book, Spy Girl, is set in London and is coming along nicely. I hope that Natalia has a long and illustrious career of fighting injustice all around the world.
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The subject of this book had great potential however, the author did not go into any depth about the experiences and trauma of the character’s involved. It was shallow and lacked the character development needed for the emotional upheaval that naturally comes when young girls are kidnapped into a life ruled by uncaring men no regard for their welfare. For such an important and emotional subject, I found that the telling of this story was superficial in it’s presentation.
This is a powerful book which will haunt you. The realistic manner in which this story is presented and the characters interactions draw you in to a world you’ve only heard exists. The main character is so strong but even so, she still needs help to overcome the tragedy of what has happened in her life. I would have used scary as one of the descriptions however; that’d create the wrong description of the book. It is scary by the fact that this very well could have taken place more than once during this period of time with very little that the victims could do about it.
Originally plot. Characters could have been better drawn.
Predictable
Story had true to life characters and situations.
Very good story
A cautionary tale for young women. If something seems like it is too good to be true, it probably is. Was a very interesting read,.
Very well written!
Would make a great movie script!
Interesting story!
I found it interesting and believable.
This book is certainly different from the other books I was reading. When the star is sold into sex slavery, I figured there going to be an unhappy ending. Certainly surprised me!
It did not really have the action I was expecting. The theme was predictable. It did not have as much action as I was hoping . All said it was an easy read
Not too believable, but nonetheless a page turner.
I loved what the author did with the characters keep me reading, i did not want to put the book down.
If it was possible to give more stars, I would. This is an absolutely incredible book! Must read!
Quick read. Interesting characters.
I hated the profanity & sexual situations (sometimes graphic) in this book. And there were lots of typos.
Thought provoking I like cheering for the under dog
Far-fetched solutions. The victim turns into a superhero. Not a serious enough portrayal of kidnapped victims of sex-trafficking. I wish these victims could find the strength and opportunity to fight back, but the author should have taken the time to develop the plot and characters with more details. A good beach read since it doesn’t warrant great concentration.
Probably based on a harsher reality than I’m used to. I thought the whole sex trade issue was modestly portrayed but towards the end it was just too overwhelming and I had to put down or suffer depression. I think lots of people would really enjoy the country and characters but you must like violence and drama to truly appreciate this book.