"In Search of Treasure" by Asya Lavrinovich, summary Automatic translate

This book is a story about growing up, friendship, and first love between two completely different classmates, whose destinies accidentally intersect due to the challenges of school. The book was created in 2021. The most important detail about this book is that the narrative is told alternately from the perspectives of the two main characters, Sima and Lev, allowing the reader to see the same events from opposite perspectives.

Introduction of the characters and school routine

Seventeen-year-old Serafima Shats is a senior at the gymnasium. She lives with her alcoholic father. Sima’s mother died long ago. In life, she often told her daughter that their last name, Shats, translates as "treasure." Sima is constantly bullied by her classmates. She has a noticeable scar on her face and has long since lost faith in people. Unpleasant confrontations regularly occur at school. During one of them, classmate Yulia Shandareva demands a huge amount of money from Sima for a broken, expensive phone and ruined makeup. Sima categorically refuses to pay.

Lev Stakhovich is the complete opposite of Sima. He grows up in a wealthy family with loving parents and a younger sister, Lilya. He’s popular at school and dating a former student, Aksinya. Lev’s life seems perfect to those around him. The only problem is his overprotective, strict mother, who controls his every move and forbids him from many things.

Start of classes

The school principal, Antonina Yuryevna, is Lev’s aunt. She was close friends with Sima’s late mother and tries to look after the girl as best she can. Sima is having serious problems with her history class. Antonina Yuryevna calls Lev into her spacious office. She paces nervously and concocts a cunning plan to save Sima from failing her grades this year.

The principal asks Lev to become Sima’s unpaid tutor. In exchange, Antonina Yuryevna firmly promises to persuade Lev’s strict mother to let him attend a summer music festival with his friends. Lev is furious at having to spend his personal time on a struggling classmate. Sima is also actively opposed to the idea. Sima’s father harshly interrogates her, suspecting they don’t have the money for private lessons.

Developing relationships

History classes are held at Lev’s home. At first, the teenagers find it extremely difficult to communicate. Lev monotonously reads out the answers to the exam questions, and Sima is frankly bored. Gradually, the ice between them melts. Sima looks at the books in the Stakhovich family’s home library with genuine admiration. Lev realizes that Sima is intelligent and simply desperately needs human interaction.

Soon, Lev falls ill and misses school with a high fever. His mother turns a common cold into a real tragedy. Returning to school, Lev walks Sima home. Late in the evening, the teenagers notice a lonely little boy crying on a bench in the courtyard. They approach the child and help him safely return to his parents. This shared experience helps them find common ground. Lev’s mother, however, throws a huge fight at her son for returning home late.

Preparing for the expedition

Lev accidentally discovers that his girlfriend, Aksinya, is brazenly cheating on him. He’s deeply troubled by the painful breakup. Sima and her eccentric friend, Lyalya, support Lev with all their might. One day, Lyalya brings a strange, exotic fruit, durian, into the yard. The boys have to quickly escape from the local hooligans due to the fruit’s strong smell. These cheerful moments forge them into true, loyal friends. Lyalya tells Lev about her long-standing passion for metal detectors.

By the end of May, Sima successfully passes a difficult history test. White poplar fluff swirls throughout the schoolyard. Sima feels a strange emptiness after the end of the school year. Lev displays iron firmness for the first time in a conversation with his mother. His mother unexpectedly backs down and allows Lev to go on the trip. Lyalya passionately suggests going on an expedition in search of real treasure. Lev turns to his neighbor Semyon, an experienced amateur treasure hunter, for valuable advice.

Travel and life in the camp

A noisy group is getting ready for a long journey. The expedition includes Sima, Lev, Lyalya, Lilya, and Lev’s wealthy friend Maxim, whom the friends have taken to calling Marvin. The guys drive far out of town in a Mazda. The smooth road runs alongside a wide, clear river. Maxim persuades the friends not to drive in complete darkness and to pitch tents on the sandy shore.

In the morning, Lev wakes to the ringing sound of birdsong. Maxim drank too much beer the night before and is now fast asleep. During the day, Maxim begins to actively show attention to Sima, constantly trying to be right next to her. She feels extremely awkward. Late at night, the group reaches the diggers’ camp. They arrive very tired and incredibly dirty.

Changes and feelings

The harsh life far from civilization quickly changes the relationships within the close-knit group. The teenagers sleep in cold tents, cook simple food over a campfire, and walk about 5 kilometers daily. Lyalya unexpectedly assumes the role of a confident leader, as she is an expert in searching for ancient artifacts. He begins a flamboyant courtship of Lev’s sister, Lilya. Maxim realizes that there is a strong, invisible bond between Sima and Lev and permanently puts an end to his persistent courtship.

Sima and Lev spend countless hours together, engaging in long conversations. Sima openly shares difficult memories of her dark childhood. Lev talks about the constant pressure from his demanding parents and fondly remembers his grandfather, an archaeologist. The pair retrieve ancient copper objects from a depth of 30 centimeters. A summer expedition helps them finally understand their deepest, true feelings.

The end of summer

At the very end of August, the happy friends are getting ready to go home. They stand on an old railway platform, waiting for the evening train. The setting sun brightly illuminates the red roofs of the houses and the tall green pine trees. Lev and Sima quietly step aside. Lev honestly admits that he is very happy about Sima’s poor performance in history. It was this happy coincidence that allowed them to meet and fall deeply in love. The teenagers kiss tenderly.

In the distance, the loud, metallic whistle of an approaching commuter train can be heard. Lyalya slowly pulls a heavily crumpled piece of paper from the pocket of her blue jeans. He shyly asks Sima and Lev to listen carefully to the poem he composed especially for Lily. Sima smiles at her faithful friends and joyfully realizes she is no longer alone. An unforgettable summer trip has given her devoted companions and a bright first love.