Masha

Mara Kay

Standing by the window, Masha watched the long flaming strip in the west, a sure sign of her departure. In her room everything was ready--the new dress, the bonnet and gloves. The small tin trunk did not close properly and had to be tied with a piece of rope. But it did not matter. Nothing really mattered except the frightening thought that this was her last evening at home....

To Masha the prospect of admission to the Smolni Institute for Noble Girls was not inviting. It meant nine years away from everything that was dear to her--the old house, the relaxed country ways, Trezor with his shaggy ears and comforting bark. But Masha realized that her mother, widowed at Borodino, had to accept this wonderful opportunity for her daughter--an education at this extraordinary school founded by Catherine the Great.

Set in Russia a century and a half ago, this book follows Masha through her nine years at Smolni--years during which the shy, protected child grows to be a young woman about to face a challenging future.

There is practically no information on the Internet about Mara Kay. The following is the information listed on the back of the book jacket:

'Mara Kay is herself of Russian descent although she now lives in the United States. She writes, " I have always felt it was a pity that the biographers of Catherine the Great forgot to mention that she was a pioneer in women's education in Russia. She dreamed of creating 'a new Russian woman,' cultured and accomplished in every way." The Smolni Institute for girls was the result. Miss Kay is working on a sequel to Masha telling of later events in the life of Masha, her best friend Sophie, and many of the other girls who shared the Smolni upbringing.'

Masha, as well as Mara Kay's other books, all seem to be out of print. I have yet to find a site that has Masha for sale. The sequel referred to above appears to be The Youngest Lady in Waiting and is listed by Amazon (they do not have a copy available for sale, but will look for one). Other books by Mara Kay include The Burning Candle, In Face of Danger (published in England as Storm Warning), A House Full of Echoes (published in England as Restless Shadows), One Small Clue, In Place of Katia, and A Circling Star. Some of these latter titles can be found at Barnes and Noble and Bibliofind.

Last updated: December 2003