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A review by dejnozkova
Vita Nostra by Sergey Dyachenko, Marina Dyachenko
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This book was a truly different experience from other fantasy/sci-fi type books I’ve read. “Vita Nostra” is a very thoughtful book that marries magical romanticism and scientific theory, perceiving the world and the self through layers of lenses that are compressed together to create a new view entirely. It has become a trend in recent decades that we often divorce The Sciences from The Arts and Humanities —considering them as two entirely separate worlds. But in this novel the Dyachenkos join them and observe how these relationships bind our universe together. How laws of physics dictate the nature of our material world, a relationship that dictates our every day experiences throughout time and space, which affects the essence of our being as we develop, our Selves, which we then express by way of language, which mirrors the nature of the universe in which we exist and also defines the nature of our existence; every concept is flipped in on itself and feeds into the next. As Sasha grows so does our understanding of her world —and perhaps our own.
I have two complaints with this book despite having thoroughly enjoyed it. Firstly I did not feel very moved about the protagonist when shit happens to her? When she experiences betrayals or fears I don’t feel very put in the moment due to a lack of description about her feelings or what is happening to her internally. In some areas horror or desperation is expressed, but in other areas where I would’ve expected anger or sadness I didn’t really feel much for her or I couldn’t get a grasp for how she’s feeling. A lot spent on Sasha’s studies and discoveries, and not enough spent showcasing her emotional and mental transformation as she makes her metaphysical and physical transformation.
Secondly my favorite part of this whole books was the philosophy of it. The romantic view of how science and language stitches us together in beauty and harmony, and also this recurring theme of projection which permeates every aspect of our reality. In the beginning the authors do apply some philosophy, like referencing Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, which made me believe this would be a highly philosophical book later on. And yes while the novel definitely held to its philosophical essence I felt they didn’t go quite deep enough. I would’ve liked to see deeper references to philosophy, physics, literature, music, etc to really solidify this premise of a gorgeously interlaced world that we don’t typically comprehend. I would blame this partially on the pacing. One novel encompasses three school years of instruction, and yet not enough detail of these lessons were present. The book focuses on her mental exercises and on the whimsy and magical elements (which is what held my attention throughout), but half the time the thought and heart of the work takes a backseat. A longer novel or perhaps three smaller books would’ve been more appropriate for the scale of this story, to account for the complexity of the subjects contributing to the work. ALTHOUGH I WILL SAY THIS: I am aware there is a second book and perhaps that book will offer more of this by design. So take this with a grain of salt.
Overall I would say this is a very fascinating read that was quite different from other school-set fantasies/sci-fis, and it was the plot and the concept as a whole that kept me engaged. The overall vibe reminds me of books like “The Golden Compass” or “The Blazing World”, for walking the fine-line between the scientific and the fantastic, and for also engaging in a conversation about our place in the universe and transformation. This is a good book for those who enjoy fantasies and sci-fis as doors to new thought and toying with abstract concepts. It’s not an adventurous, escapist novel, but a thoughtful and introspective one (albeit still with dramatic flair and shrouded in mystery).
I have two complaints with this book despite having thoroughly enjoyed it. Firstly I did not feel very moved about the protagonist when shit happens to her? When she experiences betrayals or fears I don’t feel very put in the moment due to a lack of description about her feelings or what is happening to her internally. In some areas horror or desperation is expressed, but in other areas where I would’ve expected anger or sadness I didn’t really feel much for her or I couldn’t get a grasp for how she’s feeling. A lot spent on Sasha’s studies and discoveries, and not enough spent showcasing her emotional and mental transformation as she makes her metaphysical and physical transformation.
Secondly my favorite part of this whole books was the philosophy of it. The romantic view of how science and language stitches us together in beauty and harmony, and also this recurring theme of projection which permeates every aspect of our reality. In the beginning the authors do apply some philosophy, like referencing Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, which made me believe this would be a highly philosophical book later on. And yes while the novel definitely held to its philosophical essence I felt they didn’t go quite deep enough. I would’ve liked to see deeper references to philosophy, physics, literature, music, etc to really solidify this premise of a gorgeously interlaced world that we don’t typically comprehend. I would blame this partially on the pacing. One novel encompasses three school years of instruction, and yet not enough detail of these lessons were present. The book focuses on her mental exercises and on the whimsy and magical elements (which is what held my attention throughout), but half the time the thought and heart of the work takes a backseat. A longer novel or perhaps three smaller books would’ve been more appropriate for the scale of this story, to account for the complexity of the subjects contributing to the work. ALTHOUGH I WILL SAY THIS: I am aware there is a second book and perhaps that book will offer more of this by design. So take this with a grain of salt.
Overall I would say this is a very fascinating read that was quite different from other school-set fantasies/sci-fis, and it was the plot and the concept as a whole that kept me engaged. The overall vibe reminds me of books like “The Golden Compass” or “The Blazing World”, for walking the fine-line between the scientific and the fantastic, and for also engaging in a conversation about our place in the universe and transformation. This is a good book for those who enjoy fantasies and sci-fis as doors to new thought and toying with abstract concepts. It’s not an adventurous, escapist novel, but a thoughtful and introspective one (albeit still with dramatic flair and shrouded in mystery).