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| Karolina Pavlova |
Karolina Pavlova, a Russian poet, was born in 1807. She moved to Dresden in 1858, abandoning her native country "not because of tsarist oppression but because of hostile criticism of her poetry and her personal life." Her art was everything to her. A Double Life was her first and only novel; it was published in 1848 when she was at the height of her fame as a poet and translator.
At 120 pages, A Double Life is not a long novel. Each of the ten chapters follows the same pattern: the first part is written in prose, the last few pages in verse. It centers around Cecily von Lindenborn, just eighteen, and her mother who desires to see her safely married. They live in the aristocratic world of Moscow that Pavlova describes as decorous, indolent and prescribed.
She has two suitors: Dmitry Ivachinsky and Prince Victor. But the mother of her best friend, Olga, wants Prince Victor for her own daughter, so she manipulates Cecily into believing herself in love with Dmitry, then schemes to get the two of them engaged and married. Dmitry, while good looking, is not wealthy, and not entirely sincere in his proclamations of love, but then he, too, is a product of his society. The book ends with their wedding.
A Double Life is a quiet novel of morning visits, evening gatherings, and conversations. It also shows Pavlova's disdain for the aristocratic world in which she lived and their suppression of women, especially young, marriageable ones. I thought it was an interesting read, even though it wasn't very exciting and I never felt a real connection to any of the characters. Pavlova's poetry at the end of each chapter is lyrical, though at times the use of it to show Cecily's inner feelings felt a bit contrived. I didn't dislike this one, but I can't say I liked it either. But I am glad I read it. And it counts for my Classic by a Woman Author for Karen's Back to the Classics Challenge.
Happy Reading!
You seem to find the most interesting books. I like quiet novels that let me pause and reflect.
ReplyDeleteI ran across this book when I was looking up a different book on my library catalog. It felt like bookish serendipity. :)
DeleteAn unusual book. Glad it had a happy ending.
ReplyDeleteIt was nice that this book wasn't sad or depressing. And I hope Cecily's marriage ends up being a happy ending for her.
DeleteThat time would have been a rough time to be alive. Sounds like it was an ok book though.
ReplyDeleteI like to read about a lot of different time periods in history, but I'm not sure I'd want to live in any of them. Especially as a woman!
DeleteInteresting. Some books are just hard to get into sometimes.
ReplyDeleteAnd this one was pretty readable, it was just hard to connect to any of the characters. It was like you were watching them from a distance.
DeleteI haven't read this book, but I really want to. :) I've read other Classic Russian novels, like Crime and Punishment, so I may decide to pick it up sometime.
ReplyDelete-Quinley
It's a pretty fast read, and much easier than Crime and Punishment! ;D Thanks for commenting.
DeleteIt does sound fascinating (if maybe not rollicking... ;) ) and is totally new to me so interesting for that, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I read it. I thought it was interesting, both for that time period in Russia, and for how she wrote it.
DeleteHmm I have not heard of this classic but I'm glad you explained it. I'm glad the author got out of Russia ... smart move. It's interesting to think of the title in 1848. She probably was before her time!
ReplyDeleteWhat little I've read about her life has been very fascinating. And a little sad, too.
DeleteWhat an interesting book. She sounds like a very forward thinking woman for her time.
ReplyDeleteI think she definitely pushed some boundaries.
DeleteThis sounds really interesting to me, something that I would quite like to read. I had not heard of it before so thank you for bringing it to my attention.
ReplyDeleteThat's what blogging friends are for! ;D
DeleteHi Lark, This book reminds me a bit of City Folk and Country Folk written by Sophia K also a 19th century female Russian novelist. In that book you also had an older woman trying to pressure a younger woman to marry but with ulterior motives. It seems to have been a theme in early 19th century literature, a warning to young women, that female mentors seeking to guide you in your marriage choice may have their own agenda.
ReplyDeleteCity Folk and Country Folk is on my list to read this year! I was actually looking that one up on my library catalog system when I ran across this book and decided to read it, too. Thanks for commenting. :D
DeleteI have never heard of this book. Karolina Pavlova sounds like an interesting author. I like that she makes a statement about the way that women are treated through her writing.
ReplyDeleteYou can tell by reading this one that she had some very strong views. And her poetry is remarkable.
DeleteNow that is an interesting book. New to me and I will keep it in mind for a classics read.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good one because it's short, very readable, and written in an interesting place and time. :)
DeleteI haven't seen this book before, but it sounds really interesting. And the fact that each chapter starts with prose and ends in verse has me intrigued. :)
ReplyDeleteI thought writing it that was was very unique, and a good way to show Cecily's inner thoughts and feelings as opposed to her waking life.
DeleteThis sounds really interesting. Not being able to connect with the characters would bum me out, but I'm glad it was still readable even with that issue.
ReplyDeleteIt is very readable, but I felt like I was watching the characters and their lives from a bit of a distance.
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