A review by joaniemaloney
Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk by Nikolai Leskov

4.0

'Now and again in these parts you come across people so remarkable that, no matter how much time has passed since you met them, it is impossible to recall them without your heart trembling. One such person was Katerina Lvovna Izmailova, a merchant's wife who was once the centre of a drama so terrible that our local gentry, taking their cue from someone's light-hearted quip, took to calling her 'Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk.''

what a dark little tale of desire and murder. very pleased to have found this because of the 2017 film adaptation, which is worth checking out on all its own, though it's extra pleasurable to compare and contrast the two. a part of me undeniably wishes this was longer but it's so effective in its brevity as it is that I couldn't bear to add more to it.