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mattlaff's review against another edition
4.0
I just put this down, and my goodness, I'll admit I'm feeling pretty gutted. It's equal parts disturbing and defiant, somehow both despairing and hopeful, and the grit of it is absolutely palpable. Definitely give this book a shot, but brace yourself for it to knock the wind right out of you.
augmentedaugust's review against another edition
5.0
Ksenia Anske has this power where she reaches through her books into your gut and rips them to shreds in the most wonderful way.
Irkadura hurts. It's not for the faint hearted. It's raw and sticky and bloody and beautiful. You will never read anything like it ever.
Irkadura hurts. It's not for the faint hearted. It's raw and sticky and bloody and beautiful. You will never read anything like it ever.
harukacrush's review against another edition
5.0
I bought a signed copy of this book on a whim from Anske's website and was delighted to discover that it would not disappoint me. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a book this much or this intensely. Had to stop several times to remember to breathe.
Irkadura had me hooked from the very first chapter. Irina's story, the characters, the love hate fear and sacrifice with just the right balance of darkness & light was truly an amazing reading experience. It made me uncomfortable, frustrated, terrified and angry while simultaneously delivering just enough satisfaction and happiness - in short, an emotional roller-coaster.
One of my favorite aspects of this book were all the now-obsolete Soviet references. Things/ideas that people from the Soviet era now tend to regard with nostalgia Anske puts into objective and sometimes criticizing light.
Basically I can't think of a single thing I didn't like about this book.
Irkadura had me hooked from the very first chapter. Irina's story, the characters, the love hate fear and sacrifice with just the right balance of darkness & light was truly an amazing reading experience. It made me uncomfortable, frustrated, terrified and angry while simultaneously delivering just enough satisfaction and happiness - in short, an emotional roller-coaster.
One of my favorite aspects of this book were all the now-obsolete Soviet references. Things/ideas that people from the Soviet era now tend to regard with nostalgia Anske puts into objective and sometimes criticizing light.
Basically I can't think of a single thing I didn't like about this book.
love_aud's review against another edition
5.0
This book seriously grabs ahold of you and never ever lets go. It has a story and it screams at you to listen. Anske makes you think with ever word she writes, in every book she writes and this is no different. I will never see people the same way again. I don't know what animal I am but I am excited to find out
brianamorganbooks's review against another edition
4.0
This review first appeared on my website.
Why did I wait so long to dive into this book? I held onto it for month before cracking it open to reveal the decadent darkness inside. All that time wasted. I could’ve loved this book sooner.
Let’s get one thing straight: Ksenia Anske is brilliant. Really, she is. I read her novel ROSEHEAD in one sitting over the summer, and I read IRKADURA without stopping, too. I couldn’t put it down. Anske’s prose is dark and dreamy. She evokes a mood that is haunting yet real; scary yet sublime.
And I loved every minute of it.
This review is going to be short and sweet in an effort to avoid gushing.
Plot Summary: Irina Myshko is a sixteen-year-old Soviet girl who doesn’t speak. Why? She’s suffered decades of abuse at the hands (and other parts) of her mother’s boyfriends, and she’s been coping by escaping to an alternate reality. In this world, people’s true natures are revealed and they manifest themselves as animals.
When Irina becomes pregnant, homeless, and penniless, she must figure out a way to survive in the world long enough to keep the impending madness at bay.
The chapters are composed of short scenes that jump from one event to the next without wasting time. The pacing is fast, but not too fast. Also, there are no digressions. There weren’t any sections I wanted to skip. That’s the mark of an excellent story right there.
My Thoughts: This book unnerved me in the best way possible. I’ve heard a lot of good things about IRKADURA. All of them are true. The story is told from Irina’s POV, in first-person present tense. This style makes the plot much more immediate – as a reader, it felt like everything were actually happening to me.
The events of the novel stick in your mind, as does the imagery Anske evokes. After finishing IRKADURA, I dreamed I was pregnant with a boar. Weird stuff, people. Weird, but good.
It’s darker than my usual reading fare, believe it or not, but it’s an incredible novel. If you want to read something that will stay with you long after you’ve put it away, you might want to go out and buy IRKADURA.
Why did I wait so long to dive into this book? I held onto it for month before cracking it open to reveal the decadent darkness inside. All that time wasted. I could’ve loved this book sooner.
Let’s get one thing straight: Ksenia Anske is brilliant. Really, she is. I read her novel ROSEHEAD in one sitting over the summer, and I read IRKADURA without stopping, too. I couldn’t put it down. Anske’s prose is dark and dreamy. She evokes a mood that is haunting yet real; scary yet sublime.
And I loved every minute of it.
This review is going to be short and sweet in an effort to avoid gushing.
Plot Summary: Irina Myshko is a sixteen-year-old Soviet girl who doesn’t speak. Why? She’s suffered decades of abuse at the hands (and other parts) of her mother’s boyfriends, and she’s been coping by escaping to an alternate reality. In this world, people’s true natures are revealed and they manifest themselves as animals.
When Irina becomes pregnant, homeless, and penniless, she must figure out a way to survive in the world long enough to keep the impending madness at bay.
The chapters are composed of short scenes that jump from one event to the next without wasting time. The pacing is fast, but not too fast. Also, there are no digressions. There weren’t any sections I wanted to skip. That’s the mark of an excellent story right there.
My Thoughts: This book unnerved me in the best way possible. I’ve heard a lot of good things about IRKADURA. All of them are true. The story is told from Irina’s POV, in first-person present tense. This style makes the plot much more immediate – as a reader, it felt like everything were actually happening to me.
The events of the novel stick in your mind, as does the imagery Anske evokes. After finishing IRKADURA, I dreamed I was pregnant with a boar. Weird stuff, people. Weird, but good.
It’s darker than my usual reading fare, believe it or not, but it’s an incredible novel. If you want to read something that will stay with you long after you’ve put it away, you might want to go out and buy IRKADURA.
lunalyssable's review against another edition
4.0
Book #1 in my Book Riot 2015 Read Harder Challenge:
A book published by an indie press.
Thought provoking and filled with vibrant, often disturbing imagery, Ksenia Anske's "Irkadura" keeps the reader on edge until the very end.
A book published by an indie press.
Thought provoking and filled with vibrant, often disturbing imagery, Ksenia Anske's "Irkadura" keeps the reader on edge until the very end.
indiefaerie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
4.0
Oh, Ksenia. Dark and lovely siren.
I have no words.
I have no words.
asbookreviewsforfun_alicia's review against another edition
4.0
[a:Ksenia Anske|7111759|Ksenia Anske|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1537411450p2/7111759.jpg] doesn't sugar coat anything. if you are looking for brutally honest fiction i highly recommend reading her books. Irina is mute and goes through horrible abuse but she still has a i'll show you all strength about her. she finds something out that drives her to leave home so she starts working as a janitor at a theater company. she meets some shady people there but she also meets Pavlik who has worries of his own and they form quite a bond. The end is unexpected. I was stunned. Great writing it feels like you are right there as things are happening which is the mark of a good writer. I truly believe that Ksenia will be a very successful famous author one day.
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