Aleksandra Mironova
asked
Jonathan L. Howard:
Some of your heroines have Russian (or at least Slavic) names - in Goon Squad and in Russalka Chronicles. How come?
Jonathan L. Howard
The planet Russalka was populated by Russians from around a single area in an attempt to head off one potential source of tension in the colony, thereby making racism moot. When I was coming up with the background for the story, I took it as read that the colony would be founded by either the US, Russia, or China. I didn't want it to be the US, because it seemed too obvious. I very much doubted I could get a convincing handle on Chinese culture, so that left Russia.
As for Nadiya Kysla I wanted a character who wasn't British, but was European; she used to be a member of the Mischief, and that's a very continental sort of organisation. I settled on Ukraine as somewhere a little underrepresented in fiction, perhaps.
As for Nadiya Kysla I wanted a character who wasn't British, but was European; she used to be a member of the Mischief, and that's a very continental sort of organisation. I settled on Ukraine as somewhere a little underrepresented in fiction, perhaps.
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