Discovering Russian Literature discussion

Hello readers! Welcome to the first reading of Contemporary Russian readings. Our pick is Andreï Makine's Dreams Of My Russian Summers: A Novel.

Use this thread for all the discussions and please mark spoilers either by warning the other readers with ***spoilers included**** OR by simply using the formatting tips in Goodreads,(some html is ok)

ENJOY!!!

I started this book yesterday and so am glad that the thread had gone up. I am really enjoying it so far. I will be glad to see what other members think. Question; is this book a continuation of the Russian tradition we have been exploring? Does it expand this tradition? Or, is it part of another tradition (French literature for instance)? What do you think of the main characters?

Andreï Makine has a Wikipedia page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre%C3...

Vikz wrote: "I started this book yesterday and so am glad that the thread had gone up. I am really enjoying it so far. I will be glad to see what other members think. Question; is this book a continuation of ..."

I just finished reading the book (in French). I enjoyed it very much. There is a lot about history seen and retold from a very personal point of view: French history before WW1 and Russian and Soviet history mostly afterwards (Revolution, Stalinian Period...)It is undoubtedly well written.

It has been years since I read this book, so I will enjoy 'looking in' on the discussions here. I have recall of some parts, some images and the flavor of the story in my mind, but not enough to participate in the thread here.
From the wiki link above, the author seems very mysterious. Makes me want to know more about him...

Christi wrote: "I have recall of some parts, some images and the flavor of the story in my mind, but not enough to participate in the thread here..."

Christi I do wonder what happened to the voters. I hope the other new readers will continue.

Vikz wrote: "is this book a continuation of the Russian tradition we have been exploring? Does it expand this tradition? Or, is it part of another tradition (French literature for instance)? What do you think of the main characters? ..."

Well, I didn't vote. By the time I checked it. It was closed but to answer your question, I don't know if we can categorize it to French or Russian literature, it's the love for one's homeland, through the eyes of his grandmother's memories, the boy becomes a part of it, a part of a history he didn't know. So the the story is of a person caught between two cultures and the battle that ensues to find his own identity somewhere between them.

I love the language, it's very poetic, magical and beautiful. and I Loved the relationship between the grandmother and the protagonist.

Shanez wrote: "Vikz wrote: "is this book a continuation of the Russian tradition we have been exploring? Does it expand this tradition? Or, is it part of another tradition (French literature for instance)? What d..."

I have just read a French magazine about Russsian litterature and although some Russian contemporary authors are mentioned, Makine is not. I guess it is so because he wrote in French and received prestigious French literary prizes which were an acknowledgment of his mastery of French langage.
As for tradition, I wonder.... Which tradition could this book relate to?

Danielle wrote: "Shanez wrote: "Vikz wrote: "is this book a continuation of the Russian tradition we have been exploring? Does it expand this tradition? Or, is it part of another tradition (French literature for in..."

It's a good question. I think it's a mixture of the two. It plays with both traditions. That's what makes it so exciting.

Danielle wrote: "I guess it is so because he wrote in French and received prestigious French literary prizes which were an acknowledgment of his mastery of French langage. As for tradition, I wonder.... Which tradition could this book relate to? ..."

I didn't know that. I read the English one. As for which tradition it belongs to, does it really matter? It's a going between a French past and a Russian present, between the languages.

For me it's not really about that, although it's a big part in the novel, I enjoyed it as a growth novel and a search for an identity and a life between two cultures.