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albertomdh's review against another edition
4.0
Recopilatorio de cuentos breves inspirado por la participación de Babel en la guerra polaco-soviética con personajes y situaciones muy bien descritos en unas pocas frases.
Aunque el tono es claramente pro-soviético, está claro que el realismo y la crudeza de lo narrado no debió agradar mucho a la censura comunista (Por más que fuera probable que en en asesinato del autor influyeran otros motivos)
Aunque el tono es claramente pro-soviético, está claro que el realismo y la crudeza de lo narrado no debió agradar mucho a la censura comunista (Por más que fuera probable que en en asesinato del autor influyeran otros motivos)
cody240fc's review against another edition
2.0
I was anticipating this one ever since I read an essay from Salter in which he mentions 'Red Cavalry' as one of his all time favorite books (he has a blurb on the back of this edition as well). Consider me disappointed. The subtleties and the comic aspects of these stories might have been lost in translation, or maybe the potency (or poignancy) has simply faded over the last nine decades. Or maybe I'm not a sufficient enough reader to grasp those nuances. Most likely the latter. Either way, this was just okay. Moments of impressive prose, to be sure, but I never felt the writing made up for the flat story telling.
These stories are famous for their truthful portrayal of an ugly conflict. I'll go ahead and make a pointed statement on that; 'Red Cavalry' is famous for its honesty and for the fact that the author died because of that honesty. If Stalin's goons hadn't cut Babel's life tragically short, these stories would be largely forgotten today. They certainly would not be read as widely as they are today anyway. Two stars for the occasionally impressive prose, but overall a collection of forgettable vignettes. I think I will revisit this one at some point though; you can't help but question yourself when a highly regarded "classic" comes up short for you.
These stories are famous for their truthful portrayal of an ugly conflict. I'll go ahead and make a pointed statement on that; 'Red Cavalry' is famous for its honesty and for the fact that the author died because of that honesty. If Stalin's goons hadn't cut Babel's life tragically short, these stories would be largely forgotten today. They certainly would not be read as widely as they are today anyway. Two stars for the occasionally impressive prose, but overall a collection of forgettable vignettes. I think I will revisit this one at some point though; you can't help but question yourself when a highly regarded "classic" comes up short for you.
ttovarischh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
madigreta7's review against another edition
4.0
Amazing work, so wonderfully written, as much as I tried to read it in the original, i’m afraid my Russian just isn’t good enough.
Highlights from the collection would be ‘Rabbi’s Son’ and ‘Gedali’, but be warned, every story in this collection contains graphic and violent reference.
Highlights from the collection would be ‘Rabbi’s Son’ and ‘Gedali’, but be warned, every story in this collection contains graphic and violent reference.
katelyn220's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
sh00's review against another edition
4.0
У Бабеля своеобразный язык, завораживающий, местечковый - глубокая образность рождает картины, чего выписанные в сознании красным - как флаги и кровь, и чёрным - как порох и ночные тени. Мастерство короткого рассказа - как блеск извлечённого в атаке клинка. На секунду завораживает, спустя секунду - пугает.
c_daddy_reads's review against another edition
5.0
Cool as fuck historical document.
The author is a Soviet Jew in the Red Army fictionalized his experiences from the Polish-Soviet war.
The casual, matter-of-fact brutality of the revolutionary period is interspersed with vivid imagery of Poland and Ukraine to create compelling vignettes that hint towards the tumult of the war without really needing to explain it.
The author is a Soviet Jew in the Red Army fictionalized his experiences from the Polish-Soviet war.
The casual, matter-of-fact brutality of the revolutionary period is interspersed with vivid imagery of Poland and Ukraine to create compelling vignettes that hint towards the tumult of the war without really needing to explain it.
dycook's review against another edition
5.0
This was one of the most surprising things I've read all year. I had never heard of this collection or even Babel until it came up on a class syllabus. These stories are sometimes disturbing, but they are filled with some of the most interesting language I have ever read. There is a very visceral quality to Babel's descriptions that is very poignant.
peter_fischer's review against another edition
2.0
Series of short stories set in the Polish-Soviet War of 1920. Babel writes the most astoundingly inventive and beautiful descriptions of situations and landscapes, including some grotesque horror-of-war scenes. However, the collected short stories don’t really make up one unified and consistent whole. I read the Dralyuk translation, one of several English translations from the original Russian, probably not one of the better ones. Something of the atmosphere about the scenes described is missing. I could be wrong but I’m pretty sure the original Russian is much better. Unfortunately I have no Russian although I once tried to learn it. It took me ages just to memorise the Cyrillic alphabet and I gave up pretty soon. It would be great though to read the many terrific Russian writers in the original!
braxwall's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Första världskrigets är slut i väst men pågår alltjämt i öst. Året är 1920 och det Polsk-sovjetiska kriget pågår ännu i Galizien. Berättaren är krigskorrespondenten Ljutyj i röda armén. Berättelsen består av fragmentariska iakttagelser som är både vackert formulerade men samtidigt otroligt brutala. Detta är på det hela en mycket skicklig gestaltning och en bitvis fantastisk läsupplevelse.