Publisher's Synopsis
In War and Peace and Sonya, Judith Armstrong imagines Sonya's underexplored story, describing the couple's simultaneous devotion to and ambivalence about each other and their shared passion for great literature and creativity. Sonya was Tolstoy's muse, model, and assistant. Though she shaped his books and raised his family, history has placed her squarely in her husband's shadow. Only in recent years have the truth of their marriage, the extent of her writings, and her personality come to light. This fascinating fictional biography features original photographs from Sonya's life and gives much-needed perspective on the true nature of this powerful matriarch.