ZoyaZoya
Score Classic
What it's about
Countess Zoya Ossupov is a young cousin of the Russian royal family when the Revolution of 1917 forces her to flee to Paris with her grandmother. There she dances in a ballet company, marries an American soldier, and moves to New York in the Roaring Twenties. Then the Depression takes everything, and Zoya has to rebuild her life again and again through the twentieth century.
Why it's worth reading
It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. It's one of Danielle Steel's most popular sagas, a sweeping story of a survivor.
You'll love it if you liked
Desiree
The Thorn Birds
Gone with the WindGood to know
It moves quickly across decades. There's loss and tragedy throughout.
By the numbers
- Readers56 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller42 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Moving
More by Danielle Steel
Fine Things
The Long Road Home
Family Album
DaddyIf you like this, read next
Lonesome Dove
Pride and Prejudice
Sophie's Choice
Rebecca
The Brothers Karamazov
From Here to EternityExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Zoya worth reading?
Yes. It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. It ranks #1,595 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 67.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Zoya about?
Countess Zoya Ossupov is a young cousin of the Russian royal family when the Revolution of 1917 forces her to flee to Paris with her grandmother. There she dances in a ballet company, marries an American soldier, and moves to New York in the Roaring Twenties. Then the Depression takes everything, and Zoya has to rebuild her life again and again through the twentieth century.
How long does it take to read Zoya?
About 10 hours (384 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Zoya?
If you liked it, try Desiree by Annemarie Selinko, The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough or Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.