Twist in the tale?!
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Having seen these stories recommended elsewhere, I decided to buy this short collection as a taster of Pushkin's prose work; unfortunately, I was very disappointed. The leading story of this collection "The Queen of Spades" is celebrated as a classic example of the short story form, with a stinging twist in its tale (tail?) - but the ending is painfully obvious pages from the end. These stories simply did not grip me: the characters did not seem that well defined, and the writing is fussy and obtuse. I suppose I might have "missed the point", but I just couldn't recommend these stories - things don't improve with the others in this collection. I am a huge fan of short stories from a range of times and places, but I don't think these compare with some of the others I have read - the stories of Kate Chopin, for example, are infinitely more satisfying than these (Chopin is my favourite writer). The only real bonus about this collection is the price: if you're not sure whether Pushkin would be your cup of tea, this budget sampling is probably the best starting point from which to test the waters.
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A worthy introduction to the work of this celebrated writer
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Don't expect a collection of complete stories when opening this book. Instead, there is one very short story - the celebrated "Queen of Spades", one long story - the Captain's Daughter, and two uncompleted works. Nonetheless, this is a worthy introduction to the work of this celebrated writer. Pushkin was deeply moved by Russian history and depicts vividly various strata of seventeenth and eighteenth century Russian society in this collection: from the Imperial Court to the landowners; from the swashbulkling military men to the peasantry. The writing - enhanced by a spirited translation - is accessible and Pushkin is particularly strong on conjuring up the right atmosphere. "The Captain's Daughter" stands out as the masterpiece of this collection. Purporting to be edited memoirs, it is set in the heart of the Pugachev rebellion against Catherine the Great. It is a stirring tale of battles, betrayal and the twists of circumstance. How the hero gets out of various scrapes with the rebels is mind-boggling but very exciting. There is also real sympathy for Pugachev. It would have taken great courage for Pushkin to display this not many years later and it is little wonder that he was persecuted by the authorities. For this and the justly famous "Queen of Spades", a reader new to this writer will not be disappointed.
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