Reviews

Telurie by Vladimir Sorokin

aroontcho's review against another edition

second time trying to read this but i don’t find it interesting, enjoyable, or understandable so i’m not sure why i’m wasting my time. this book actively makes me want to read less.

devotio's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Surely an important and pertinent text, but a lot of the context and references went over my head. 

alexmorask's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective relaxing tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

nikolai_k's review against another edition

4.0

By Stalin's mustache, as per usual for Sorokin, this was exhilarating and exhausting - like reading 50 first chapters of 50 speculative fiction novels set in the same post-holy war Eurasia.

Probably more enjoyable if you have read Day of the Oprichnik and have a tellurium nail wedged deep in your brain.

mattbowes's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious relaxing sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

breadandmushrooms's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

audiobook_obsession's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

2.0

captainfez's review against another edition

challenging funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

kateofmind's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

theciz's review against another edition

challenging mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

This was just odd. I read another book that was about Europe fracturing into mini-states a la Holy Roman Empire, but didn’t find it ultimately lived up to the premise. This has a similar concept, but expanded to Russia and China, in a further future, and with more fantastical elements (dwarves, giants, anthropomorphic philosopher dogs, etc.). 

Instead of one narrative, there are essentially fifty short stories based on this world Sorokin has created, usually only marginally related to each other, and linked by the addition of the metallic drug tellurium. 

I don’t know if enjoyed is the right word for this - after my initial bewilderment, I did finish it relatively easily, but was I having fun? No. Was I being intellectually stimulated? Despite not knowing what the characters were talking about half the time, also no. 

Overall, I feel like you need a lot more knowledge of Russian history and culture than I have, because most of the time I felt like I was reading skits based on inside jokes and cultural references that I just didn’t get.