Macht und Symbol
"Wer den Kreml mit Russland gleichsetzt und im Goldglanz der Kuppeln die Größe der Nation erkennt, der betreibt eben jene Glorifizierung des Staates, der Kern der Putin-Ideologie ist. Es ist ein zentraler Mythos seiner Herrschaft, dass der Kreml die Nation verkörpert. Wir sollten künftig nicht mehr Kreml sagen, wenn wir Russland meinen – als Gegengift für Kalte-Krieger-Köpfe. Die Botschaft von Catherine Merridales wichtigem Buch ist: Das russische Volk steht vor den Mauern." Welt Online
Klare Unterscheidung
"Merridale distinguishes clearly between the appeal of the site to later generations of Russian nationalists as a transcendent symbol of cultural, political and spiritual supremacy, and the constant process of reshaping the Kremlin territory that took place over the years." The Guardian
Vom geheimen Herz
"Merridale’s extraordinary history of the red fortress mixes politics, history, architecture and biography to lay bare the secret heart of Russia’s history… It is a delight to read, with pithy pen-portraits, poignant vignettes and mordant summaries of the twists and turns of fate and fortune… Merridale does a brilliant job of piecing together the clues from the past and evading the constraints of the present." Wall Street Journal
Handwerklich perfekt
"Not everyone can poke through the attics and cellars of the Kremlin, as Merridale has done. But this enjoyable and superbly crafted book is far more than just a travel companion to be read when you walk the long Russian corridors. It helps place Putin and his country in a rich and varied setting, and I look forward to re-reading it next time a Russian official is late for a meeting." The Independent
Ergiebiges Porträt
"Ms Merridale is a historian by training, but she has a detective’s nose and a novelist’s way with words. Her eyes and ears are as sharp as her pen. (...) 'Red Fortress' is a splendidly rich portrait of an exotic and puzzling redoubt." The Economist
Geschichte und Metapher
"All of which is utter nonsense, as Catherine Merridale’s fascinating history reveals: the story of this famous compound is not one of continuity, but of construction, destruction and reconstruction. Every reincarnation of the Russian state over the centuries — and there have been many — has been accompanied by a corresponding reincarnation of the Kremlin. Its history is thus a metaphorical history of Russia, as Merridale understands very well." The Spectator
