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A review by empressmarsha
Day of the Oprichnik by Vladimir Sorokin
3.0
Russia in the not-so-distant future has restored its monarchy and the Tsar rules as an almost successor of Ivan the Terrible. You need to know a bit of his reign to understand this book and the role of the oprichnik. The oprichnik is a state henchman who rapes, kills, and pillages in the name of his majesty. Parts of this book are brilliant: revisiting the death-squads of the 16th century and Soviet terror of the 1930s but set in 2028. I won't give too much away in this review but expect to be a tad shocked at the violence the women suffer, injecting odd drugs (fish) and an interesting group scene at the end involving the oprichniki and genitalia that glowed in the dark.
One note on the translation: some sections were confusing and unclear. I suspect some of the satire and humour that was supposed to accompany this book was lost in translation. Some words are even italicized for an unknown reason. I would recommend this book but research Ivan IV first and his oprichnina (complicated term but you can start with state terror). This book has its moments.
One note on the translation: some sections were confusing and unclear. I suspect some of the satire and humour that was supposed to accompany this book was lost in translation. Some words are even italicized for an unknown reason. I would recommend this book but research Ivan IV first and his oprichnina (complicated term but you can start with state terror). This book has its moments.