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A review by barrettcmyk
Babayaga by Toby Barlow
4.0
in Russian folklore (in case you're not familiar), Baba Yaga is a witch that lives in the woods, in a hut with huge chicken legs. she's one of those witches that children are told about, in an effort to terrify them into good behavior. being the huge Russophile that i am, i pretty much had to read this book.
set in Cold-War era Paris, this is the story of several people and how their lives are affected by two centuries-old witches, both pretty unforgettable in their own rights. then there's a layer of murders. and some enchantments. and jazz musician gangsters. and a front for the CIA. and at least one fairly naive American ex-pat who gets caught up in the middle of it.
just in terms of plot, that's a lot going on. but then you've also got added layers, reflecting on time and love and society. and actually, they're lovely. not heavy handed, not awkward, not forced. they still seem to be a part of the overall narrative, which is a pretty impressive feat.
my only negative is that it took a little longer than usual for me to get into the book. i attribute a large part of that to the sheer number of characters and plot lines going on -- it took a good bit of time for them to start linking up. perhaps half of the book, even. but it was still a clever story, and i particularly liked how the character i thought i'd like least, i ended up liking best. i can't think of the last time that's ever happened.
set in Cold-War era Paris, this is the story of several people and how their lives are affected by two centuries-old witches, both pretty unforgettable in their own rights. then there's a layer of murders. and some enchantments. and jazz musician gangsters. and a front for the CIA. and at least one fairly naive American ex-pat who gets caught up in the middle of it.
just in terms of plot, that's a lot going on. but then you've also got added layers, reflecting on time and love and society. and actually, they're lovely. not heavy handed, not awkward, not forced. they still seem to be a part of the overall narrative, which is a pretty impressive feat.
my only negative is that it took a little longer than usual for me to get into the book. i attribute a large part of that to the sheer number of characters and plot lines going on -- it took a good bit of time for them to start linking up. perhaps half of the book, even. but it was still a clever story, and i particularly liked how the character i thought i'd like least, i ended up liking best. i can't think of the last time that's ever happened.