Summary from Goodreads: "An unsung gem of nineteenth-century Russian literature, City Folk and Country Folk is a gentle yet devastating satire of Russia's aristocratic and pseudo-intellectual elites in the 1860s. Translated into English for the first time, the novel weaves an engaging tale of manipulation, infatuation, and female assertiveness that takes place one year after the liberation of the empire's serfs. Sofia Khvoshchinskaya centers her story on a commonsense, hardworking noblewoman, Nastasya Ivanovna Chulkova, and her self-assured daughter, Olenka, living on their small rural estate. Seventeen-year-old Olenka, who is unimpressed by class, ultimately helps her mother overcome a sense of duty to her "betters" and leads the two to triumph over their urbanite guests' financial, amorous, and matrimonial machinations."
My thoughts: I first learned about this book from Kathy @ Reading Matters. (And if you want to read a really good review of this book, click on the link and read hers!) And I want to thank Kathy for bringing this Russian novel to my attention, because I quite enjoyed it. While not a lot happens plotwise, the interactions between Nastasya and Olenka and their two uninvited summer guests over the course of the novel are humorous. Nastasya is a bit silly, and worries way too much about offending her guests. Olenka, on the other hand, isn't at all cowed by the guests' station or status in society.
"All of this was quite amusing to Olenka, who assumed that the present situation would not drag on forever and, most likely, would soon come to an end, but for Nastasya Ivanova there was nothing funny about it."
I liked Olenka's youthful candor and outspokenness and the way she makes her mother stand up to their guests at the end. I also thought Khvoshchinskaya did an excellent job contrasting the aristocratic pretentions and quirks of the two Muscovites against their more provincial hosts, while poking gentle fun at each one. Seligman Favorov's translation of this satirical novel is well done and very readable. All in all, this is an amusing novel and I'm glad I read it. Even better? It counts as my "Classic in Translation" for Karen's Back to the Classics Challenge. Only two more classics to go this year and I'll have finished all twelve categories!
Happy Reading!
Thanks so much Lark and I am so glad you enjoyed City Folk and Country Folk. And I agree, Kvoshchinskaya did a very good job creating each of these characters. You get a real sense of who each character is and Olenka sees right through the city folk and it is quite humorous.
ReplyDeleteOlenka is the best! And definitely my favorite part of this novel. :)
DeleteI like a quiet storyline as long as the characters are interesting. This has me curious.
ReplyDeleteAnd the characters in this book are all unique and well-drawn and often very funny.
DeleteI really like the cover of this one!
ReplyDeleteIt's nice, isn't it?
DeleteI've been curious about this one, so thanks for this!
ReplyDeleteIt's good and definitely worth reading.
DeleteThis sounds so interesting- I fear I've read very little Russian lit,
ReplyDeleteI never read Russian lit...the books are too long and too intimidating. This one is much shorter, and I liked that it was written by a woman, which is why I gave it a try. ;D
DeleteThis sounds like a fascinating read. This is an author I would like to get to know. Unfortunately, my knowledge of Russian literature is mostly limited to Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky.
ReplyDeleteThey're the heavyweight Russian authors. Khvoshchinskaya's novel is shorter and much more accessible to readers like me who find the longer Russian tomes intimidating. :D And apparently her two sisters wrote, too, though I don't know if any of their work has been republished lately.
DeleteThis sounds good. I've never read any russian literature, but I could handle something like this.
ReplyDeleteMost Russian literature feels too long and too depressing for me, but this book is neither of those things.
DeleteThis sounds interesting! We had to read Crime and Punishment and Brothers Karamazov in high school and they kind of put me off Russian literature but this sounds completely different.
ReplyDeleteIt is very different! I think it's because it's written by a woman. ;D
DeleteGlad to hear this was a fun one and that you got to check off another classic! :)
ReplyDeleteI only have two more classics to go this year! :D
DeleteThis definitely sounds like a book I'd like to read!
ReplyDeleteIt's set in a very interesting time period in Russia, and the situation between the ladies and their guests is very humorous, just in a quiet way.
DeleteThis sounds really good. I hadn't heard of it before, so thanks for the introduction. :D
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of it before last year when Kathy reviewed it. I don't think this author has gotten much recognition over the years, which is too bad.
DeleteCongrats on almost finishing your classics challenge. This book sounds delightful.
ReplyDeleteI was very happy to get another category checked off!
DeleteThis sounds like a good one, I'm glad you liked it.
ReplyDeleteI did like it.
DeleteGlad you enjoyed it after spotting it on Kathy's blog. This would make a fun classic read, I think. Thanks for putting it on my radar.
ReplyDeleteIt's short, which is nice. And there's a bit of humor in it. And it doesn't end sad. :)
DeleteDoesn't seem like my type of book, but I love the cover!
ReplyDeleteAsh @ Essentially Ash
Thanks for commenting! :)
DeleteGreat job for reading this Russian novel from the 1860s. It's cool it's been translated into English for the first time. You are one of the first readers around .... the U.S.
ReplyDeleteHa. Good point! ;D
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