01/15/2024
The act of becoming, in Howse’s accomplished debut, is set against a vividly evoked collapse, as sisters Nadia and Nastya must discover their place as the world in which they were raised, the Soviet Union of the parents and grandparents, lurches toward its end. Howse brings urgent life to the 1980s era of Gorbachev, of a rumored disaster at what Russians then knew as the Ilyich Lenin Nuclear Power Plant, and of Russian soldiers like the girls’ friend Johnny, who deserts the failed Afghanistan war, shoves a gun into his mouth and poses questions like “Do you feel, like in a nightmare, that all our suffering is a form of mockery?”
So it goes for this lost generation in Howse’s sweeping novel, an incisive slice of life whose slices are wide-ranging and generously proportioned—even if the lives itself, for those living them, too often feel fraught and small. As Nadia and co. face upheaval but still strive to “to patch a happy ending on a dubious beginning, to make a quilt from rags” and seize those moments when “the wager seemed a relatively cheerful proposition”—usually with family, friends, a cat named Cosmos, or for pregnant Nastya, the possibilities of a “home-in-the-making” with Girogi, a police detective who volunteers amid the horrors of the Chrernobyl evacuation zone.
Fascinating characters like that populate Howse’s story, though its heart is Nadia, yearning to go to Moscow and college, and enduring disasters, both incidental—a car accident, “blowup”s that occur “on a geographic scale”—and world-shaking. Howse’s novel is dense and detailed but alive with feeling, insight, and Nadia’s stirring, stinging, poetic thoughts. It juxtaposes in-depth, almost reportorial portraiture of a society’s decline with the fresh exuberance of youth, plus the terror and possibility of what might come next, when history itself—Nadia often notes the sites of massacres and tragedies—offers little reason for optimism. Still, Nadia offers reason for hope.
Takeaway: Intimate epic of coming of age as the Soviet Union collapses.
Comparable Titles: Kristina Gorcheva-Newberry’s The Orchard, Artem Mozgovoy’s Spring in Siberia.
Production grades Cover: B+ Design and typography: A Illustrations: N/A Editing: A Marketing copy: A
"a captivating story that sheds light on the complexities of human nature in times of great change ... A must-read for anyone interested in the impact of historical events and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity." -Benji Allen, Waikato Independent
"Joseph Howse evokes the literary styles of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky ... Howse's novel feels Russian, from its ornate structure to its social commentary to its wry humor. The author has composed a book like Tchaikovsky would a symphony; tight, disciplined, yet bubbling with unspoken passion and near-magical allegory." -Rob Errera, IndieReader
"[The characters'] caring for one another and the people around them in need was quite lovely. Those values of family and support remain strong even in quite a bleak time." -Nicky Walker, Radio New Zealand Nine To Noon
"Howse's prose is wonderfully written. Through the narrative he is able to create realism in the descriptions and authentic moments between people. ... Centering on the dialogue, Howse uses language well and is able to present the vocabulary of each of the characters with a sense of authenticity. ... [The novel] demonstrates more than just the vivid description of a time in our world's history where oppressed people overcame incredible obstacles. It also celebrates life, and all that is to be gained through the experiences of togetherness and connection." -Chris Reed, NZ Booklovers
"A resilient coming-of-age story ... The author includes emotional, compelling scenes with every character, as each one has been dealt a vastly different hand of cards. ... It feels very down-to-Earth and includes necessary comical moments throughout. I did not know much about the events or places in this book before, but after finishing it and doing a little extra curiosity research, I'm thankful to have learned something new in such an engaging way." -Audrey Davis, Independent Book Review
"A coming of age narrative held against the backdrop of the last days of the Soviet Union ... This setting and context of the book feels authentic and it is clear that a lot of research has been carried out in order to add dimension to the story. The sense of change in the setting reflects the coming-of-age themes in the characters' narratives. ... I think that this book would appeal to those interested in character driven family dramas and relationship stories, and may appeal to those interested in modern Eastern European history." -LoveReading Ambassador
