Review: The White Deer by Regina McBride
Book details:
Book Title: The White Deer
Series: n/a
Author Name: Regina McBride
Publication Date: September 22nd, 2026
Publisher: Green City Books
Pages: 319
Genre: Historical Fiction / Russian Historical Fiction
Any Triggers: n/a
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In the summer of 1879, on his way to Moscow to study medicine, 19-year-old Anton Chekhov, from a bankrupt merchant class family, stops to spend a restful few weeks in the Ukrainian countryside, staying with his friend, Dr. Mitrofan, who is worried about Anton’s lingering bronchitis. It is here that Anton meets Vera Denisova, also 19, a budding actress, the daughter of theater aristocrats from Volkhov, a neighboring estate. The two spend much of their time wandering Volkhov’s vast property, hoping for a glimpse of a white deer that has been spotted in the back acreage.
As they grow closer, Vera confides in Anton about her secret romance and heartbreak over Petya, a servant her age who was gifted at drawing and who she helped to acquire an apprenticeship as a draughtsman in order to leave servitude for good. Anton is fascinated by her obsession, and a triangle forms between Vera, Anton, and the absent Petya. Anton, too, shares his secrets with her, his conflicted relationship with his indigent family and his frustrated wish to publish stories. Surreptitiously through Anton, Vera learns the truth about her family’s declining financial situation and the impending loss of her beloved childhood estate. Together in the long, extended light of summer days, Vera and Anton struggle to come to terms with their feelings for each other and the new profoundly changed world that is waiting for each of them at summer’s end.
The final section of the novel charts the correspondence between Vera and Anton over the next two decades. Vera has become a successful actress and Anton, a doctor who treats peasants for free, has more than realized his ambition as a writer. In a final letter to Vera before his death at 44 of tuberculosis, Anton reveals that his play, The Cherry Orchard, was inspired by his time with her at Volkhov.
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"In this stirring tale, McBride evokes a sense of place with lush depictions of birch stands and daisy fields along with a soundtrack of Tchaikovsky and folk tunes, creating a backdrop for Vera’s tender and chaste friendship with Anton. It’s an evocative portrait of a vanishing way of life."
~ Publishers Weekly
"This transportive novel sweeps the reader up into a vivid, melancholic dream set on a nineteenth century Russian estate. Regina McBride creates her own Chekhovian tragi-comedy that delights as it captures a lost world frozen in time. The White Deer is a gripping must-read for anyone who loves literature and a love story gone awry."
~ Virginia Pye, author of Marriage and Other Monuments
4 out of 5 (Great)
THE WHITE DEER is a gentle story about Anton Chekhov's nineteenth summer that he spends with Dr Mitrofan, a friend of the family. It is told from the perspective of Vera, the young woman who lives on the estate next to the doctor.
Volkhov, the estate, has been in Vera's family for generations, and she loves it with her whole being. She also loves Petya, a servant, who she has helped gain an apprenticeship. They have one night together before Petya leaves for good, although Vera didn't know that at the time. She is left with the result of that night, although she doesn't tell anyone. When Anton arrives, she is struck by him as a person and also some striking similarities to Petya.
What follows is a summer outside of time. They have their ups and downs, and both make mistakes. Secrets are learned and deals are made. Vera and Anton spend most of their time searching for the white deer that has been spotted on the estate. It is mostly an excuse for them to spend time together, although Anton has his reasons for wanting to see it.
The last part of the book is letters sent between Vera and Anton. Knowing how his story ended meant those letters were bittersweet. I loved how facts about his life, like his marriage and living arrangements with Olga, were incorporated into the story, giving the fictional story a factual feeling.
I was immersed in this story and loved every moment. 4 out of 5 great stars and definitely recommended by me.
** The same worded review will appear elsewhere.**
*A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I read this book voluntarily; the comments here are my honest opinion.*
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian
Regina McBride is the author of eight books. The White Deer ~ a novel of Anton Chekhov is her sixth novel. She is also the author of one memoir, Ghost Songs, and one book of poetry.
Her novel, The Nature of Water and Air, was a Booksense Pick (Independent Book Stores Selection), a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers book, and a Borders Original Voices choice. It was optioned for a film. Her books have been translated into five languages.
A recipient of fellowships from the NEA and the New York Foundation for the Arts, Regina lives in New York City, where she taught fiction writing for thirty years at Hunter College and continues to teach privately.
Author Links:
Website: https://www.reginamcbride.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reginamcbride/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Regina-McBride/author/B001IXMGLE
Tour hosted by: The Coffee Pot Book Club
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