“The Magpie on the Gallows”, Eduard Verkin. ed. Inspiration
Future. A world without diseases and sorrows. The story of Yan, a simple reserve guard. Decisions that determine the vector of further development of the entire civilization. Eduard Verkin continues to surprise readers with his adult prose: his two-volume book “Snark-Snark” glorifies provincial culture (in heads and on the ground), partly in the style of Gogol, and “The Magpie on the Gallows” promises to be a fantasy … of course, not everything is according to the rules a place. Verkin’s main tools: absurdity, grotesque and light surrealism. It is the best way to help wipe dust off mirrors and help you see the reflection of the world and yourself in a cloud-free way.
“Among the People”, Islam Khanipaev. ed. Alpina.Prose
Islam Khanipaev, who works on detective stories, comedy series and science fiction, this time focuses on a coming-of-age novel. “Among the People” is a book built almost entirely on dialogues and monologues. But this is not without reason. The main character moves to a new school where there is a debate club, but it also has its dark side – the world of rap battles that evoke the most negative things but also make you stronger. How will it affect the main character? The result is a colorful youth drama with a not very successful love, a double family tragedy and, most importantly, the main character’s constant work on himself. So when should you fight and when should you give up and accept the opinions of others?
“Gaslight Theory”, Ekaterina Lander. ed. sage brush
It would seem that the essence of this novel can be compressed into one sentence: “A mystical thriller about mysterious attacks that took place in Moscow in 2018, where the culprit of all problems considers himself a descendant of angels.” But Ekaterina Lander does not betray herself and weaves a huge tapestry in which equal space is given to both the present and the past – the second story touches on the late 90s. This is a book about growing madness, endless searches, ghostly lovers, and love worse (and stronger) than death. However, the novel is far from being a philosophical treatise. First of all, this is a fascinating, if bleak, read, as if implying: Quickly film me!
“We Investigate the Murders” by Richard Osman. ed. myth
It can be said that Richard Osman came from the world of comedy to the world of literature by standing on his own two feet, with his best-selling book “Thursday Murder Club” being translated into dozens of languages. In his new book, the author does not change his favorite genre, but this time his heroes are a retired detective, a private security worker and an author. There will also be a dead body, a bag of money, and a murderer. And you can be sure of good British humour, crazy dynamics of events and very deep character development. An ideal read for long evenings: relaxing and invigorating. Meanwhile, the novel opens a new series of the author.
“Poisoned Lands”, Ekaterina Zvontsova. ed. exmo
A historical novel in diary format with a magical touch, dedicated to Gerard van Swieten, the prototype of the mythological Doctor van Helsing. The hero goes to a small town as an “auditor”, but finds himself in events much more complicated than the fight against ignorance and superstitions. As always with Zvontsova, this novel will be tragic, stylistically beautiful and comprehensively immersed in the context of the era (not only at the level of landscape and events, but also at the level of the language, thoughts of the characters). And more importantly, the Poisoned Lands is not a gallery of marble historical busts. The experiences and doubts of all the main characters here are familiar to the modern reader. The distance between “history” and “reality” is minimal.
Anna Kovali “The end of the world”. ed. sage brush
This mystical novel seems at first glance to be a detective story, but from the very first pages it breaks the rules of the genre: we, the readers, immediately know who the murderer is. Moreover, we read history through his eyes. A creepy forest, a former philosophy teacher nicknamed the Pied Piper, rites of passage and all this in the Russian province. “The Very End of the World” is a story about loss and self-discovery, filled with folklore elements. And the growing tension between heroes in a traditionally closed society is reminiscent of Tartt’s “The Secret History” in the best sense. The book was also included in the longlist of the Lyceum, Russia’s main prize for young writers.
“What is your name?”, Alexandra Shalashova. ed. Alpine. Prose
Poet and prose writer Alexandra Shalashova’s new book is like a rhythmic play, full of unforgettable images: flying storks and fleeting memories. This novel, melancholic and sometimes hazy, puts the reader in a kind of trance. But only in this way is it possible – as shamans once did – to communicate with your inner self, which Shalashova’s heroes are afraid to confront. “What’s Your Name” is a book about loss, fear, sadness in the world, and how to deal with it.
“The White Queen”, Evgenia Safonova. ed. Like the Book
A story within stories: a girl who looks a lot like Gerda goes to save said brother from someone who looks a lot like the Snow Queen, and hears stories about the spoiled fates of others. But the plot isn’t the real issue here. First of all, this is a surprisingly rhythmic retelling of many popular fairy tales, from the story of Kai and Gerda to Little Red Riding Hood. Evgenia Safonova deconstructs the folklore canon to create an extended metaphor from cubes. The White Queen is a novel about how to live as a broken person. It doesn’t matter what brought him down, the important thing is not to burn in the light of the blinding truth.
The Curious Case of Allan Wayne by Rita Hoffman. ed. myth
Bestselling young adult author Rita Hoffman has dabbled in a variety of genres, from thriller to dark fantasy, proving once again the diversity of her writing tools. “The Curious Case of Allan Wayne” is a gothic novel about a Catholic priest, in which an atmosphere in the spirit of Irving and Stoker prevails, and a fascinating plot underlies everything. The reader can expect monsters from the European bestiary, classic vampires (no Twilight!), a mad aristocrat, a graveyard, and references to Goethe’s Faust; It was he who inspired Hoffman’s first notes. The book is placed in the world of the novel “Miracle Catcher”, but can also be read as a standalone.
“Water Source”, Olga Ptitseva. ed. Polyandria No Age
The second and last part of the dystopia is “Two Hundred and Third Days of Winter”. Once upon a time, the cold party declared eternal winter, and now two heroines and a group of activists are defying the law… The author will finally shed light on the fate of the rebels. While it is common to think of dystopia as always being about the social system rather than the individual person, this novel is, on the contrary, mostly psychological. Social is in the background here. Ptitseva is more important than the metamorphosis (and sometimes even miasma) of the human soul.
What are you thinking?
Source: Gazeta
Dolores Johnson is a voice of reason at “Social Bites”. As an opinion writer, she provides her readers with insightful commentary on the most pressing issues of the day. With her well-informed perspectives and clear writing style, Dolores helps readers navigate the complex world of news and politics, providing a balanced and thoughtful view on the most important topics of the moment.