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balancinghistorybooks's review
4.0
Each of the four authors collected together in the twenty-first Penguin Modern, Four Russian Short Stories, were exiles of Revolutionary Russia. Galina Kuznetsova, Yury Felsen, Nina Berberova, and Gaito Gazdanov each 'explore deaths in a world in which old certainties have crumbled' in 'Kunak' (1930), 'A Miracle' (1934), 'The Murder of Valkovsky' (1934), and 'Requiem' (1960) respectively.
I was very excited to get to this volume, as I adore Russian literature, and had not read anything by any of these authors before. The content of these tales is varied and far-reaching, as one might expect; the first is about a horse, the second about hospital patients and addiction, the third deals with a married woman's infatuation with another man, and the fourth, which takes place in wartime Paris, focuses upon the emergence of the black market and artwork. Four Russian Short Stories is fascinating to read, and a real treat for fans of Eastern European literature.
I was very excited to get to this volume, as I adore Russian literature, and had not read anything by any of these authors before. The content of these tales is varied and far-reaching, as one might expect; the first is about a horse, the second about hospital patients and addiction, the third deals with a married woman's infatuation with another man, and the fourth, which takes place in wartime Paris, focuses upon the emergence of the black market and artwork. Four Russian Short Stories is fascinating to read, and a real treat for fans of Eastern European literature.
sparkwood21's review
3.0
'Kunak' by Galina Kuznetsova: 2/5
'A Miracle' by Yury Felsen: 3/5
'The Murder of Valkovsky' by Nina Berberova: 4/5
'Requiem' by Gaito Gazdanov: 3/5
'A Miracle' by Yury Felsen: 3/5
'The Murder of Valkovsky' by Nina Berberova: 4/5
'Requiem' by Gaito Gazdanov: 3/5
annabend's review
4.0
A short little sampler of writing from four Russian exiled revolutionary-era writers. I was pleasantly surprised that 2/4 of the writers featured were women, which is particularly important as Russian literature is eclipsed by such giants like Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky. I also enjoyed that the four tales were tied together by one theme: death.
There is a phrase in the last story that aptly describes the entire selection: "tragic surrealism." All the stories are a bit strange. Their narratives follow traditional writing but somehow skew it so that the characters appear almost absurd and Gothic.
"Kunak" by Galina Kuznetsova was one of the two best stories. Content warning for a cruel animal death, though. Kuznetsova's story is the shortest but expertly creates a sense of suspense and dread from the first sentence. I liked how the shocking events of the story were juxtaposed with the cold, detached description of the landscape.
"A Miracle" by Yury Felsen reminded me of the style of Alexander Kuprin and the memoirs of young Tolstoy. Not much to the story, besides a general disillusionment with the world and a fractured view of humanity.
"The Murder of Valkovsky" by Nina Berberova was an interesting twist both on the story of adultery and a noir murder-mystery. Here the surrealism is particularly palpable, but so is the examination of the wife's internal struggle. It is written in the same manner that literary fiction likes to examine male fidelity and struggle with domesticity.
"Requiem" by Gaito Gazdanov was the strongest story. The writing is particularly striking during the expository passages. For example: "On a rare winter's night did the moon illuminate this frozen, almost spectral city, sprung out of someone's monstrous imagination and forgotten in the apocalyptic depths of time."
The last story takes place in Paris during the German occupation and follows a group of Russian expats who have suddenly found themselves rich from selling ordinary goods to the German army on the black market. It is solemn and lyrical and embodies the "tragic surrealism" mentioned above to the fullest. I also liked the description of the characters as such: "they were in chronic and unconscious revolt against the European reality around them." I like the idea that going about your business as usual is a revolt in itself, without grand gestures.
There is a phrase in the last story that aptly describes the entire selection: "tragic surrealism." All the stories are a bit strange. Their narratives follow traditional writing but somehow skew it so that the characters appear almost absurd and Gothic.
"Kunak" by Galina Kuznetsova was one of the two best stories. Content warning for a cruel animal death, though. Kuznetsova's story is the shortest but expertly creates a sense of suspense and dread from the first sentence. I liked how the shocking events of the story were juxtaposed with the cold, detached description of the landscape.
"A Miracle" by Yury Felsen reminded me of the style of Alexander Kuprin and the memoirs of young Tolstoy. Not much to the story, besides a general disillusionment with the world and a fractured view of humanity.
"The Murder of Valkovsky" by Nina Berberova was an interesting twist both on the story of adultery and a noir murder-mystery. Here the surrealism is particularly palpable, but so is the examination of the wife's internal struggle. It is written in the same manner that literary fiction likes to examine male fidelity and struggle with domesticity.
"Requiem" by Gaito Gazdanov was the strongest story. The writing is particularly striking during the expository passages. For example: "On a rare winter's night did the moon illuminate this frozen, almost spectral city, sprung out of someone's monstrous imagination and forgotten in the apocalyptic depths of time."
The last story takes place in Paris during the German occupation and follows a group of Russian expats who have suddenly found themselves rich from selling ordinary goods to the German army on the black market. It is solemn and lyrical and embodies the "tragic surrealism" mentioned above to the fullest. I also liked the description of the characters as such: "they were in chronic and unconscious revolt against the European reality around them." I like the idea that going about your business as usual is a revolt in itself, without grand gestures.
hzboy's review
2.0
I read in English but this review is written in Indonesia
Seri-seri Penguin Modern yang mini dan hanya seharga GBP 1 ini cukup menggoda untuk dimiliki. Tidak terlalu tebal dan bisa dihabiskan dalam sekali duduk (kalau tidak disambi dengan bekerja). Kali ini, aku membaca Four Russian Short Stories oleh Gazdanov, dkk. Sesuai dengan judulnya, buku ini berisi 4 cerita pendek dari Rusia.
Terdiri dari cerita berjul Kunak, A Miracle, The Murder of Valkovsky, dan Requiem. Masing-masing cerita dibawakan dengan tone yang berbeda. Menjadikan buku ini mengajak pembaca untuk berkenalan sebentar dengan tulisan orang-orang Rusia sebelum memutuskan untuk jatuh cinta, atau mungkin, merasa tidak cocok.
Bagi ku, Four Russian Short Stories punya cerita yang unik. Ada bagian yang membuatku tercengang karena kagum maupun sedikit tersenyum karena konteks di dalamnya masih relevan dalam kehidupan manusia saat ini.
Aku rasa, aku tidak bisa memberikan penilaian yang "bagus" sebab aku tidak terlalu melihat keistimewaan dalam buku ini. Tapi, ide adanya serial Penguin Modern ini sudah cerdas kok dan aku kira, layak koleksi.
Seri-seri Penguin Modern yang mini dan hanya seharga GBP 1 ini cukup menggoda untuk dimiliki. Tidak terlalu tebal dan bisa dihabiskan dalam sekali duduk (kalau tidak disambi dengan bekerja). Kali ini, aku membaca Four Russian Short Stories oleh Gazdanov, dkk. Sesuai dengan judulnya, buku ini berisi 4 cerita pendek dari Rusia.
Terdiri dari cerita berjul Kunak, A Miracle, The Murder of Valkovsky, dan Requiem. Masing-masing cerita dibawakan dengan tone yang berbeda. Menjadikan buku ini mengajak pembaca untuk berkenalan sebentar dengan tulisan orang-orang Rusia sebelum memutuskan untuk jatuh cinta, atau mungkin, merasa tidak cocok.
Bagi ku, Four Russian Short Stories punya cerita yang unik. Ada bagian yang membuatku tercengang karena kagum maupun sedikit tersenyum karena konteks di dalamnya masih relevan dalam kehidupan manusia saat ini.
Aku rasa, aku tidak bisa memberikan penilaian yang "bagus" sebab aku tidak terlalu melihat keistimewaan dalam buku ini. Tapi, ide adanya serial Penguin Modern ini sudah cerdas kok dan aku kira, layak koleksi.
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