Larionov. A general of the Imperial Russian Army who mysteriously avoided execution by the Bolsheviks when they swept to power and went on to live a long life in Yalta, leaving behind a vast heritage of memoirs.
Solovyov. The young history student who travels to Crimea, determined to find out how Larionov evaded capture after the 1917 revolution.
With wry humor, Eugene Vodolazkin, one of Russia’s foremost contemporary writers, takes listeners on a fascinating journey through a momentous period of Russian history, interweaving the intriguing story of two men from very different backgrounds that ultimately asks whether we can really understand the present without first understanding the past.
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“Stefan Rudnicki narrates this satire in his splendid stentorian voice. Rudnicki’s delivery is rather deadpan, a tone that is perfect for this work. He affects a subtle yet distinct voice for quotes. His gravelly voice enunciates splendidly and adds an air of authority to the production.”
— AudioFile
"[A] wry and whimsically humorous historical detective story.”
— Times Literary Supplement (London)“[A] beguiling work that engages the reader on several levels, encompassing a detective story, historical events, and even a little romance.”
— The Herald (Scotland)“One of the finest novels I have read in years.”
— World Literature Today“Seamlessly weaves together the lives of his two heroes… [but] this coming-of-age story offers the reader a much richer experience than mere biography.”
— Historical Novel Society“Third-person narration, circular structure, and archetypal characters lend this beautifully written literary mystery the feel of a modern fable.”
— Booklist“Ultimately absorbing, darkly witty, history-soaked pages for literary and historical fiction fans.”
— Library Journal“Part academic satire, part military history, part philosophical meditation, part detective tale, part rollicking caper…[A] funny satire here and, beneath it, a surprising vein of poignancy.”
— Kirkus ReviewsBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Eugene Vodolazkin was born in Kiev and has worked in the department of old Russian literature at Pushkin House since 1990. He is an expert in medieval Russian history and folklore. His debut novel, Solovyov and Larionov, was shortlisted for Russia’s National Big Book Award and the Andrei Bely Prize. Laurus, his second novel but the first to be translated into English, won the National Big Book Award and the Yasnaya Polyana Award, was shortlisted for the National Bestseller Prize, the Russian Booker Prize, and the New Literature Award, and has been translated into eighteen languages. His third novel, The Aviator, was also shortlisted for the Russian Booker Prize and the Big Book Award.
Stefan Rudnicki first became involved with audiobooks in 1994. Now a Grammy-winning audiobook producer, he has worked on more than five thousand audiobooks as a narrator, writer, producer, or director. He has narrated more than nine hundred audiobooks. A recipient of multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards, he was presented the coveted Audie Award for solo narration in 2005, 2007, and 2014, and was named one of AudioFile’s Golden Voices in 2012.