The Nonesuch vs Zoya: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Nobility, Historical Fiction, Romance, Fiction
The Nonesuch
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At the age of five-and-thirty, Sir Waldo Hawkridge, wealthy, handsome, eligible, illustrious, and known as the nonesuch for his athletic prowess, and when he comes north to inspect his unusual inheritance at Broom hall…
Zoya
“Zoya closed her eyes again as the troika flew across the icy ground, the soft mist of snow leaving tiny damp kisses on her cheeks, and turning her eyelashes to lace as she listened to the horses' bells dancing in her ears like music.”
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Against the backdrop of the Russian Revolution and World War I Europe, Zoya, young cousin to the Tsar, flees St. Petersburg to Paris to find safety. Her entire world forever changed, she faces hard times and joins the…
Side by side
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- The Nonesuch is the quickest read — about 5 hours vs 8 for Zoya.
- Zoya has the widest readership — 16643 ratings behind its score.
- Zoya runs the darker storyline; The Nonesuch stays the lighter read.
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How to choose
Scores by source
| The Nonesuch | Zoya | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 4.1 (12895) | 4.0 (16643) |
| Hardcover | 3.7 (21) | 3.5 (10) |
| Google Books | 5.0 (1) | 5.0 (3) |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (10) | 4.5 (149) |
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Reception
| The Nonesuch | Zoya | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 12895 | 16643 |
| Editions | 30 | 57 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 4340 | 7150 |
| Reading it now | 665 | 628 |
| Written reviews | 1021 | 633 |
| Wikipedia attention | 281 | 638 |
| Pages | 300 | 448 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: The Nonesuch or Zoya?
The Nonesuch has the higher combined reader rating across sources (The Nonesuch 4.1/5, Zoya 4.1/5).
Which is shorter to read: The Nonesuch or Zoya?
The Nonesuch is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: The Nonesuch (300 pages, ≈ 5 h 33 m); Zoya (448 pages, ≈ 8 h 18 m).
Which is harder to read: The Nonesuch or Zoya?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — The Nonesuch: Moderate; Zoya: Moderate.