Summing up the results of the hot literary season
Viktor Pelevin, "ART OF LIGHT TOUCHING"
The publication of a new book by Viktor Pelevin in August-September each year has become a kind of literary tradition: since there are not so many authors of this scale in Russia, each time it becomes an event for the world of culture. Even if the novel itself is not as outstanding as one would like it to be.
The "Art of light touching" is best described as Pelevin's "quintessence". Many people love his texts for their infinite number of allusions, hidden quotes, juggling by philosophical systems and great names, and even for their topicality. And in the new book of all this is more than enough: there are more conversations than actions so that sometimes multi-page dialogues begin to sickness you. As for form, the book is divided into three separate parts, which are linked only at the level of the topic, and then implicitly. In the first episode, four friends go on vacation, where they meet a mysterious old man. They talk to him about ancient bloody religions. In the second part, Pelevin retells the story of a book by a certain K.P. Golgofsky, who is engaged in research of the cult connected with chimeras. Finally, in the last novel, which became a kind of continuation of Pelevin's previous novel "Secret views of Mount Fuji", we find ourselves in a prison car, where we meet with the oligarchs.
The book lacks dynamics, but this is partly compensated by the fact that the reader constantly has to follow the difficult course of thought of the author. In the dialogues, he manages to retell almost everything that is known about demonology and occultism, and at the same time to reflect on the fate of the homeland. In general, Pelevin's fans should read the book exactly - they will enjoy it 100% - and everyone else can get acquainted with it to be aware of cultural trends.
Haruki Murakami "KILLING THE COMMANDER"
This summer, after a long wait in Russian, a book by another heavyweight of modern literature - Haruki Murakami - was published. The seventy-year-old classic, who was repeatedly asked to become a Nobel Prize winner, wrote an excellent two-volume novel in fine form.
At the heart of history is a 36-year-old artist. After the betrayal of his wife, his marriage breaks up, and he leaves the city's apartment for his wife and goes to live in the mountains, in the empty house of his friend. Before, by the way, there also lived an artist - a classic of Japanese painting. He quickly gets used to it in the house, but then strange events begin to happen to him. The protagonist finds a mysterious picture of "The Killing of the Commander", which blows the otherworldly force, and at night in the bedroom can be heard a strange ringing bell. In addition, a mysterious stranger orders him a picture for unheard-of money.
As always in Murakami, the line between the world of spirits and the world of people in the novel is extremely thin, and, of course, the hero will make a difficult mystical journey in search of himself. The story in the book is conducted slowly, but it drags from the first pages of the recognizable melancholic atmosphere. As it should be, here will be all that is peculiar to the stories of Murakami: strange sex with a stranger, disappearing cats, and rhythms of jazz music.
Kristen Rupenyan "You Know What You Want"
Kristen Rupenyan's storybook needs to be run to the store right now - and the sooner you do that, the better.
She made a name for herself in 2017 when The New Yorker magazine published her story "The Catman". He went online in a matter of days, and the girl woke up famous. After that, the publishers lined up for her, Rupenyan signed a million-dollar contract and HBO bought her the right to screen any text she would write in the foreseeable future.
Finally, in 2019, her debut book was published. The moment was exciting because such literary sensations are often empty and profanation. But fortunately, the case of Rupenyan is quite different, and the collection - albeit uneven in terms of the level of the texts - will certainly not be a waste of time. Stories are different in theme and plot and connect them only the ability of the author to "turn" everyday situations inside out. Runyan knows how to surprise - to frighten, to make fun of, to amaze imagination with unexpected moves. And this skill she demonstrates in her texts, whether it's a Gothic fairy tale, a story about a weakly characterized guy who ruins the lives of women, or a hideous in the spirit of Stephen King.
Each time you finish reading the story, you want to take up the next one - to be surprised again and try to guess what Rupenyan has stashed up her sleeve this time.