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zarz's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
svb96's review
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
softstarrynights's review
3.0
Four Russian Short Stories, includes stories from four exiled Russian authors, and is the twenty-first book in Penguin's Little Modern series. It's a short little thing at only 50 odd pages, and makes for a quick read. This was a bit of a disappointing read for me, and I think I went into this with too high expectations. Out of the four stories, two I didn't like at all, one was alright, and one I really liked. I just haven't decided if four disappointing stories are worth one really good one. I'd like to read more from that author, but in all hasty I don't think I'm a sort story sort of person.
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kikuchiyo's review
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
lillyminasyan's review
4.0
Really liked the short stories, they were all amazing and unique! I wish some of them were longer, the characters were interesting. I love this sort of books, through books like this you find new authors!
mobyskine's review
3.0
Four short stories from four writers-- who all exiles from revolutionary Russia, exploring stories about death and survival in different views.
Kunak (Galina Kuznetsova)
A story of an abandoned horse discovered swimming for its life during a chaotic refugees attempt to find safety at the coast. This was fairly okay, not my favorite but on how the writer narrated the scene was superb, such devotion and suspense.
A Miracle (Yury Felsen)
A mysterious story told by a patient narrator (who recuperating after a serious operation) about his new bed neighbor, a morphinist. I like how the writer portraying the character's feeling-- intriguing and very secretive. Ending was unexpected.
The Murder of Valkovsky (Nina Berberova)
About love, companionship, passion and death. Dramatic and classic.
Requiem (Gaito Gazdanov)
Beautifully written, this was my favorite among all four. Melancholic, it feels like the narrator was reading a diary of his friendship and lost, very appealing and tragic.
Might be unfair to rate them all as one cause I think they deserve star rating differently. But anyhoo, overall I quite love it a lot. 3.5 stars!
Kunak (Galina Kuznetsova)
A story of an abandoned horse discovered swimming for its life during a chaotic refugees attempt to find safety at the coast. This was fairly okay, not my favorite but on how the writer narrated the scene was superb, such devotion and suspense.
A Miracle (Yury Felsen)
A mysterious story told by a patient narrator (who recuperating after a serious operation) about his new bed neighbor, a morphinist. I like how the writer portraying the character's feeling-- intriguing and very secretive. Ending was unexpected.
The Murder of Valkovsky (Nina Berberova)
About love, companionship, passion and death. Dramatic and classic.
Requiem (Gaito Gazdanov)
Beautifully written, this was my favorite among all four. Melancholic, it feels like the narrator was reading a diary of his friendship and lost, very appealing and tragic.
Might be unfair to rate them all as one cause I think they deserve star rating differently. But anyhoo, overall I quite love it a lot. 3.5 stars!
itsvikiduh's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
jasmineism's review against another edition
4.0
Kunak, Galina Kuznetsova: ★★★☆☆
A Miracle, Yury Felsen: ★★★☆☆
The Murder of Valkovsky, Nina Berberova: ★★★★☆
Requiem, Gaito Gazdanov: ★★★★☆
A Miracle, Yury Felsen: ★★★☆☆
The Murder of Valkovsky, Nina Berberova: ★★★★☆
Requiem, Gaito Gazdanov: ★★★★☆
nagornaya's review against another edition
3.0
A short, eclectic collection of four stories by emigré Russian writers (all of whom were new to me). It's hard to rate this book because the stories were so varied - even though they were all on the same theme, death.
My favourite of the four was Gaito Gazdanov's 'Requiem', a short story about the profiteering Russian emigré community in 1940s Paris. I enjoyed the ways in which Gazdanov addressed the loss of identity that comes with the loss of homeland.
Yury Felsen's 'A Miracle', about a morphine addict in a French hospital, reminded me a lot of the earlier work of Mikhail Bulgakov - and that's always a good thing!
My favourite of the four was Gaito Gazdanov's 'Requiem', a short story about the profiteering Russian emigré community in 1940s Paris. I enjoyed the ways in which Gazdanov addressed the loss of identity that comes with the loss of homeland.
Yury Felsen's 'A Miracle', about a morphine addict in a French hospital, reminded me a lot of the earlier work of Mikhail Bulgakov - and that's always a good thing!