Reviews

And The Earth Will Sit On The Moon: Essential Stories by Nikolai Gogol

malorie's review against another edition

4.0

I had not previously read any of Gogol's work, though it has been on my list for quite some time. The introduction gave a good insight into the author and these five stories going in. I appreciated the context as I read these stories (including beneficial info on the Table of Ranks) without which would have left me very confused while reading. I do not have anything to compare this translation to, but I did enjoy it. In fact, I enjoyed the style and how the language flowed quite a bit. I found myself reading some bits aloud because the tone carried so well, and the satirical and comedic nature shone in passages.

Aside from the stereotype of "the Jew" (which is a paradigm of antisemitism in Russian literature of this era) present in "The Diary of the Madman," I very much enjoyed these stories and their absurdist bent. Still, I must confess I liked his lesser-known Ukraine Stories (the last two stories in this volume) better than the political humor of 19th-Century St. Petersburg.

I am happy to report that I am glad this was my introduction. I think that five stories spanning a variety of subjects are an excellent intro to a writer who otherwise could be a bit overwhelming. I look forward to exploring Gogol's work more expansively!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a fair review.