Petersburg

by Andrei Bely

Genres: Coming of Age

Synopsis

"One of the four most important works of twentieth century literature." - Vladimir Nabokov

Set in the Russian capital during the Revolution of 1905, this modern classic often draws comparisons to James Joyce’s Ulysses for its display of symbolism and humor

 
After enlisting in a revolutionary terrorist organization, the university student Nikolai Apollonovich Ableukhov is entrusted with a highly dangerous mission: to plant a bomb and assassinate a major government figure.

But the real central character of the novel is the city of Petersburg at the beginning of the twentieth century, caught in the grip of political agitation and social unrest.

Intertwining the worlds of history and myth, and parading a cast of unforgettable characters, Petersburg is a story of apocalypse and redemption played out through family dysfunction, conspiracy and murder.

Winner of the 2009 Rossica Translation Prize

 

Release date: September 7, 2010

Publisher: Pushkin Press

Print pages: 576