Я взяла эту книгу не только из-за сюжета; к тому же мне понравился спокойный язык автора.

Взяла is:

• past tense
• feminine singular
• from the perfective verb взять

So it tells you that the speaker is female and that she took/picked up/chose the book as a completed action.

Compare:

• я взяла = I took / I picked up
• я взял = the same, but said by a man
• я брала = I was taking / I used to take / I took (imperfective, less focused on a single completed result)

In this sentence, взяла fits because the speaker is talking about one specific act of choosing or taking the book.

These are an aspect pair:

• брать = imperfective
• взять = perfective

In this sentence, взяла from взять is used because the speaker means a single completed action: she picked up or chose the book.

Very roughly:

• Я брала эту книгу = I was taking this book / I used to take this book / I took this book (with less focus on completion, depending on context)
• Я взяла эту книгу = I took/picked up this book (completed action)

Russian often uses the perfective when talking about one finished event.

Because книга is the direct object of взяла, so it goes into the accusative case.

• dictionary form: эта книга
• accusative singular feminine: эту книгу

Both words change:

• эта → эту
• книга → книгу

This is a very common pattern with feminine singular nouns ending in -а.

After из-за, Russian uses the genitive case.

So:

• сюжет = plot
• сюжета = genitive singular

Из-за often means because of or due to.

So из-за сюжета literally means because of the plot.

A learner should also know that из-за can sometimes sound slightly negative in other contexts, but here it simply means because of.

Good question. In Russian, the most standard pair is:

• не только ..., но и ... = not only ..., but also ...

But Russian also allows the second idea to be expressed in a separate clause, especially when the speaker wants a slightly looser, more natural flow.

So here:

• не только из-за сюжета
• к тому же мне понравился спокойный язык автора

means something like:

• not only because of the plot; besides / moreover, I also liked the author’s calm style

So this is perfectly natural. It is a bit less tightly paired than не только ..., но и ..., but it sounds very idiomatic.

К тому же means something like:

• besides
• moreover
• on top of that
• what’s more

It adds another reason or supporting point.

In this sentence, the first reason is related to the plot, and к тому же introduces an additional reason: the speaker liked the author’s style.

It is a very useful connector in Russian for adding information.

Because the Russian verb понравиться works differently from English to like.

Russian structure is closer to:

• To me, the calm language of the author pleased/was pleasing.

So:

• мне = to me
• понравился = pleased / was liked
• спокойный язык автора = the calm language/style of the author

This is a very common Russian pattern:

• мне нравится книга = I like the book
• мне понравилась книга = I liked the book

So the experiencer goes in the dative (мне), and the thing liked acts as the grammatical subject.

Because the verb agrees with язык, which is:

• masculine
• singular

So the past tense form must also be masculine singular:

• понравился

Compare:

• мне понравился язык = I liked the language/style
• мне понравилась книга = I liked the book
• мне понравилось письмо = I liked the letter

In the past tense, Russian verbs agree in gender and number with the subject.

Literally, yes, it is calm language of the author, but in natural English it usually refers to the author’s style, prose, or way of writing.

Here язык does not mean language in the sense of Russian, English, French. It means the author’s linguistic style or manner of expression.

So спокойный язык автора suggests something like:

• calm, restrained prose
• smooth, unaggressive style
• clear, unhurried writing

It is stylistic, not technical.

Автора is the genitive singular of автор.

It is used here to show possession or association:

• язык автора = the author’s language/style

This is a very common Russian way to express ’s:

• книга автора = the author’s book
• дом брата = the brother’s house
• имя героя = the hero’s name

So instead of using an apostrophe as English does, Russian often uses the genitive case.

The semicolon links two closely related parts of the sentence, but more strongly separates them than a comma would.

Here the first part gives one reason:

• Я взяла эту книгу не только из-за сюжета

And the second part adds another:

• к тому же мне понравился спокойный язык автора

The semicolon works well because the second half is a full clause with its own structure, and the writer wants a clear pause before the added point.

In English, you might also use a semicolon in a similar situation.

Yes. Russian word order is flexible, and changing it often changes emphasis, not the basic meaning.

For example, you could also hear:

• Не только из-за сюжета я взяла эту книгу.
• К тому же спокойный язык автора мне понравился.

These versions are grammatical, but the emphasis shifts.

In the original sentence:

• Я взяла эту книгу comes first, setting up the main action
• не только из-за сюжета gives the first reason
• к тому же naturally introduces the extra reason

So the original word order sounds smooth and neutral.