CHILDREN IN THE CITY OF CZARS
by Irmgarde BrownIrmgarde Brown
Three young siblings fervently cling to the hope of being reunited as they navigate the unforgiving reality of St. Petersburg in the 1990s in Brown’s novel.
In early 1990s, the sudden unraveling of the Soviet Union has left St. Petersburg in tatters. The wealthy continue to profit while the poor continue their descent into starvation, alcoholism, and drug abuse. Against a backdrop of death, economic upheaval, and rising crime, the novel’s protagonists emerge: 12-year-old Fedya, 9-year-old Elena, and 4-year-old Irina are orphaned siblings scrambling to survive. Fedya runs with a gang of pickpockets and thieves to keep his sisters alive; Elena watches over Irina. Soon after the fiercely resilient children are introduced to the reader, they are ripped apart from one another; Fedya is taken in by the mafia, Elena is sent to an orphanage, and Irina is quickly adopted and sent to America. Though thousands of miles away from one another and fighting for their lives in more ways than one, Fedya, Elena, and Irina swear to themselves and each other that they will be united once more, hopefully in a kinder, more just world than the one they know now. This realistic drama is cruel, unforgiving, and indelicate; Brown writes uncomplicated prose that expertly exemplifies the cold brutality of life for those living in St. Petersburg during the era depicted here. The protagonists are treated with an intriguing blend of insight and superficiality as the author directs the reader to focus not on the unique nature of each character but on the cutthroat means of survival that define the children’s lives (“You’re almost ten! How long have we been on the street, and still you don’t know the rules? Maybe I should drop you both off at the police station and be done with you”). Avid readers of historical fiction will appreciate Brown’s unflinching exploration of Russia in turmoil and her sympathy for those experiencing it.
A brutal and thorough exploration of St. Petersburg in the 1990s, seen through the eyes of three young children.