Books
automatic translateA summary of "The Other Way" by Boris Akunin
This philosophical novel was published in 2015The narrative alternates the protagonist’s theoretical reflections on the nature of true feeling with everyday scenes from Moscow in 1925–1926. The reader sees the underbelly of the early Soviet era through the prism of human attachments, professional duty, and agonizing moral choices.
A summary of Dubrovsky by Alexander Pushkin
The classic Russian author’s novel describes the conflict between two landowners and the tragic fate of their children. The work was created in 1833. The writer left the drafts without final edits, and the text was published posthumously under an editorial title.
"Bad Blood" by Dakha Taratorina, summary
A dark romantic fantasy novel published in 2022, this book tells the story of a crippled mercenary and a naive village witch, whose destinies intertwine despite mutual mistrust and mortal danger.
"Spiritual Mines" by Ivan Okhlobystin, summary
The events revolve around parish life and the unconventional Orthodox priest Father Savva. The story was written in 2008. The protagonist has a paradoxical way of thinking, and his advice always hits the mark.
"Smoke" by Ivan Turgenev, summary
Published in 1867, Ivan Turgenev’s novel offers a sharply satirical portrayal of the conservative Russian aristocracy and the pseudo-revolutionary intelligentsia. Amid heated ideological debates, the dramatic love story of a young landowner who comes to the spa town of Baden-Baden unfolds.
Donut Hole for Harms Award Winners
ST. PETERSBURG. The first season of the Daniel Harms Award has kicked off.
Hans Christian Andersen’s "Thumbelina" Summary
This fairy tale is the story of a diminutive girl forced to overcome harsh environmental and social obstacles to survive. Hans Christian Andersen published the work in 1835.
A summary of "Uncle’s Dream" by Fyodor Dostoevsky
The story was written in 1859 during the author’s Siberian exile. The writer embraced the genre of satirical comedy of manners, exposing the greed, vanity, and hypocrisy of provincial noble society through the story of a cynical matrimonial intrigue.
"Eugénie Grandet" by Honoré de Balzac, summary
The novel "Eugénie Grandet," written in 1833, reveals the pernicious power of money over the human soul and the depths of unrequited loveThe work is distinguished by the realistic precision of its portraits, where the everyday stinginess of the French provinces is contrasted with the uncompromising spiritual purity of the protagonist.
"His Fan" by Anna Jane, summary
Anna Jane’s novel "His Fan" was published in 2020; it’s part of the "Musical Love Spell" series and focuses on characters whose personal histories had previously remained in the shadowsThe action opens in St. Petersburg on New Year’s Eve, where twenty-year-old Nellie Radova sits alone in a dark apartment, drinking tea, gazing at the festive city, and trying to cope with the news that her longtime love, Phil, guitarist for the band "On the Edge," is supposedly planning to marry Kristina.
"Her Last Hero" by Maria Metlitskaya, summary
"Her Last Hero" is a dramatic novel by Maria Metlitskaya, written in 2013. This book tells the story of an unexpected and profound connection between an elderly, long-forgotten Soviet director and a young Moscow journalist.
A summary of Max Fry’s "Complaint Book"
The novel tells the story of people gifted with the ability to live other people’s lives and borrow their destinies. Created in 2003, it takes place on the streets of snowy Moscow, where the mystical underbelly of existence lurks beneath the mundane.
"Joan of Arc" by Dmitry Merezhkovsky, summary
This book is a religious and philosophical reflection on the path of the Maid of Orleans, written in 1938The author compares the Hundred Years’ War with the decline of Europe on the eve of new global catastrophes, seamlessly merging the historical records of the Inquisition’s trial with mystical reflections on the coming Kingdom of the Holy Spirit.
"Heat" by Lucy Taylor, summary
Published in 1995 in the landmark collection "Safety of Unknown Cities," this short story is a masterpiece of extreme horror and transgressive prose, exploring the connection between pyromania and masochistic sexual desire.
"The Iron Heel" by Jack London, summary
The social science fiction novel "The Iron Heel" was written in 1908. This dystopian book takes the form of a manuscript by Avis Everhard discovered seven centuries later. The text is annotated by historian Anthony Meredith in the year 419 of the Brotherhood of Man.