A review by wshier
Petersburg by Andrei Bely

3.0

I found this very difficult. The basic story is of a young man who is caught up the anarchy swirling through Petersburg at the turn of the century. He unwittingly agrees to assassinate a government official that turns out to be his father. As soon as the plan is put into action, he and his co-conspirators have second thoughts. To really enjoy this book, you will need a fairly extensive understanding of Russian history, familiarity with Russian literature, and an appreciation of modern lit. At times, the famous bronze of Peter the Great comes to life. Circles, spheres, colors, mist, disguises...what it all REALLY means is, unfortunately, beyond my comprehension. If you like James Joyce or Virginia Woolf, it may work for you.

It reminded me of G.K. Chesterton's The Man Who Was Thursday.