The Nesting Dolls

Odessa, 1931: Daria—born Dvora Kaganovitch—marries the wealthy Edward Gordon, fulfilling her mother’s dreams, yet finds that a woman’s plans are no match for Stalin’s oppressive Soviet state, forcing her to rely on the kindness of a man proud of his own coarseness. Odessa, 1970: Brilliant young Natasha Crystal dreams of studying mathematics, but Soviet restrictions prevent Jewish students like her from attending Odessa University, pushing her toward a dangerous path. Brighton Beach, 2019: Zoe Venakovsky, or Zoya, has worked tirelessly to escape the suffocating streets of Brighton Beach, only to discover that what she tried to leave behind may hold her true happiness. Spanning Siberian gulags, underground Soviet refusenik networks, and oceanside Brooklyn, The Nesting Dolls is a poignant and ultimately redemptive tale of circumstance, choice, and consequence, following three unforgettable women who must navigate hardships that challenge their dreams as they fight to fulfill their destinies.