Eloise and Nanny go to Moscow. It’s super cold (her turtle gets shipped back home on page 8 or 9). It’s the Cold War era so the entire book has a very somber atmosphere. Everyone is eyeing each other with suspicion, wariness or just plain looking angry (even the geese on the roadside). Eloise and Nanny are shown around formally with a guide and translator, and obviously followed the whole time by someone keeping an eye on what they do. They view stupendous palaces and museums, public works, a crowded department store, extravagantly decorated subway stations and the Red Square. Most of the time can’t even go into buildings because something is closed, or there’s no tickets available, or some other reason. And all the while Eloise is on good behavior, which makes this book such a contrast to the others (especially the flair of Paris) that it’s just stunning. I think the only naughty thing she did on the whole trip was sneak around the hotel at night spying through keyholes.
She knew she was being watched. The contrast is such a shocker, it’s worth reading the first few (original) Eloise books just to see how different this one is. Of course, Moscow isn’t like this now, so it’s something of a historical piece as well, in its own way. Apparently based on the author’s own visit to Russia during the same timeframe.
Borrowed from the public library.
