Beautiful, though tragic. One of the finest pieces of literature I have read.
The Tsar of Love and Techno is a series of short stories, intertwined to create an extraordinary whole. The prose, though sometimes heavy-handed, is amazing. Here is a sampling of some of my favorite lines:
- "her head rested beneath the parenthesis of her arms";
- "Galina had been as vivid as stained glass, but we hadn't imagined that Kolya might have been the sunlight that saturated her.";
- "Because you need a soul the devil wants before you can begin bargaining with him."
It also gives insight into Russian/Chechnyan culture which doesn't happen a lot of in literature popular in US culture (which tends to be American- or Euro-centric). It's a nice, appreciated change of pace. The characters are multifaceted and unique and don't follow usually tropes. For example, the story begins with the tale of a Soviet censor who would later add his deceased brother's image to the artwork he censored.
I strongly recommend this book with the encouragement to give yourself time to read it and breath in and mull over the words and the story.
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