"The Whitest Night" by Asya Lavrinovich, summary Automatic translate

This 2022 young adult novel tells the story of two girls whose lives unexpectedly intersect in the same St. Petersburg apartment. This book is a direct continuation of Agnia Lehmann’s story from "Love Not According to the Script." The events unfold against the backdrop of a summer city, where the heroines try to navigate complex relationships with their pasts.

Agnia’s move and life with her father

Agniya Lehmann flees her hometown, pursuing her dream of attending the Academy of Fine Arts. Initially, she stays with her biological father. The man constantly feels guilty about his daughter, apologizing several times a day. Agniya lives with his new family, which also includes her stepmother, Tatyana, and her fourteen-year-old half-brother, Albert. Relationships in the household are tense.

Agniya sees a falsehood in Tatyana’s behavior, which only feigns happiness at having a guest. Tatyana enthusiastically praises her son, Alik, claiming he received a scholarship to attend university. In reality, Alik is often rude to his parents and skips school. Agniya feels uncomfortable staying with this family, so she decides to rent her own place. At the same time, she maintains a kind attitude toward her younger brother, who shows a genuine interest in her life.

Meeting Varya and a conflict with a neighbor

A girl finds a room in a top-floor apartment in central St. Petersburg. Her new neighbor is the bright and eccentric student Varya Mechetina. Varya leads an active lifestyle, loves parties, and spends a lot of time with her friends. One of her close friends is fashionista Karolina, who sews incredibly bright dresses and sundresses. Varya has a pet — a cheerful West Highland White Terrier named Harvey.

Varya and the guy from the house across the street, Nazar Kushner, are at war. They constantly plot against each other. Nazar, whom Varya sarcastically calls "Barbarian," often irritates her. One day, he shines a laser pointer directly at Varya’s forehead. The red dot attracts the dog’s attention, causing it to run wildly around the room. Varya hates her neighbor intensely, yet is forced to regularly cross paths with him.

An unexpected meeting with Fedya

The girls’ lives change dramatically when Varya goes on a date with a new acquaintance named Fedya. Varya decides to invite the young man over and orders Thai food delivery. When Agnia opens the apartment door, a long, silent scene ensues. Fedya stands in the doorway holding a bouquet of peonies, and the young people stare at each other in silence.

It turns out they’ve known each other for a long time. Soon, Agnia confesses a long-held secret to Varya. In her hometown, Agnia had fallen deeply in love with Fedya. Their acquaintance began with chance encounters on the bus, after which the young people began pursuing each other everywhere. Later, a mutual friend, Nadya, formally introduced them. Agnia tried her best not to get attached to the young man because of her plans to move to St. Petersburg. Fedya, for his part, couldn’t leave his ailing grandmother and follow his beloved to another city.

Agnia’s past

Agnia tells Varya in detail the reasons for her escape and her complicated relationship with Fedya. Agnia’s stepfather, for his own financial gain, tried to set his stepdaughter up with the son of his business partner. The girl decided to spite her intrusive stepfather. She brought Fedya into her home and deliberately portrayed him in the most unfavorable light in front of the family. Agnia deliberately projected coldness and indifference.

Fedya felt incredibly humiliated. Agniya turned out to be not the kind and sincere girl he had initially imagined. Fedya perceived her as spiteful, vindictive, and vile, ready to do anything to win the family war. After this terrible incident, Agniya hastily left for St. Petersburg, leaving Fedya heartbroken. And now the guy unexpectedly showed up in her new rented apartment as the suitor of her neighbor, Varya.

Development of the relationships between the main characters

Fedya’s arrival forces Agniya to reconsider her selfish actions. The young people begin to spend a lot of time together. In June, bright white nights blanket St. Petersburg. Agniya and Fedya stroll through the city until the early hours, waiting for the sunrise over the spire of the Peter and Paul Fortress. They slowly sort out their relationship and forgive each other for old, deep-seated grievances.

Meanwhile, Varya and Nazar’s relationship gradually changes. Varya begins to realize that Nazar Kushner isn’t her worst enemy. He often helps girls out, giving them rides in his car. Nazar gets along well with his little dog, Harvey. The dog joyfully licks Nazar when they meet, which initially angers Varya immensely. Varya comes to know her neighbor from a completely different, better side. Their mutual insults and long-standing feud gradually transform into romantic attraction. Nazar even introduces Varya to his sister, Milana.

Bonding and preparing for exams

Agnia is diligently preparing for the entrance exams to the Academy of Arts. She’s finishing her creative portfolio. She finally feels truly happy and at peace. Fedya successfully finds a new job and passes a challenging probationary period. The young couple are genuinely happy about their small but valuable victories.

Varya often spends time with her boisterous friends in the food court of a huge shopping mall. They heatedly discuss items bought on sale, drink milkshakes, and compete in wit. Varya’s life is complicated by a serious conflict with her parents. Varya’s mother and father move to the United States, leaving their young daughter alone in St. Petersburg. Varya refuses to communicate with her parents and maintains contact with her family exclusively through her grandmother, Valya. She is reinstated at the university, returning to a full student life.

Resolving plot lines

Towards the end of the book, all the open conflicts are resolved logically. Agniya successfully passes all her exams and fulfills her greatest dream – she enters the Academy of Arts. Fedya secures a new, challenging job. His company provides him with a nice apartment to rent near the Chernyshevskaya metro station. Agniya packs her few belongings and moves in with Fedya. Now she and Varya often meet on weekends and organize fun board game tournaments.

Varya remains in her spacious apartment in the city center. She’s no longer looking for a new roommate to share the rent, as Nazar is moving in permanently. Varya is actively learning to cook home-cooked meals. Harvey, the dog, has regular access to the treats Nazar brings him.

The end of the story

The neighbors often spend long rainy evenings in the kitchen, listening to lyrical melodies on an acoustic guitar. These beautiful compositions are played by their quiet neighbor, Zhorik. The characters can accurately determine whether Zhorik has had another fight with his girlfriend by the mood of the melodies he creates. If sad music is playing, it means Zhorik is having problems in his personal life again.

On warm days, Varya and Nazar share a romantic dinner on the roof of their old building. Life for the young couple continues as usual. One autumn day, a brand new note appears on the landing, written in Nazar’s familiar, uneven handwriting. He had previously drawn a huge Ursa Major constellation there. Nazar leaves a very touching love letter for Varya. He writes that he confessed his love simply by drawing the Ursa Major in the entryway. He claims that all ordinary people are made of bones, flesh, weight, and height, and only his beloved Varya is made of constellations. All the characters find their quiet and peaceful happiness in the big city.