Lines of fate

by Mark Kharitonov

A philosophical mystery novel populated with artists, criminals, and drug addicts, Lines of Fate is one of the most extraordinary novels to emerge from the last years of the Soviet Union. Written at the height of Gorbachev's power in 1985 but not published in Russian until 1992, the novel is a profound meditation on Russia's past and present, and a subtle examination of the crippling effects of Soviet power on the nation and on the Russian psyche. The story follows the young researcher Anton Lizavin's efforts to piece together a biography of the provincial writer Simeon Milashevich from the bits of candy wrappers Milashevich wrote on during the early period in Soviet history, when paper was scarce. As Lizavin becomes immersed in Milashevich's life (and presumed death), the two begin a metaphysical conversation across time, and the book becomes a kind of post-modern detective story, painting a broad, fascinating picture of Russian society throughout the century.