The Man with the Embarrassed Face

Ksenia Shelko works in the fantasy genre. Most of the action in her works takes place in Russia in the 18th–19th centuries, but the historical fabric of the era is woven with fantastical elements. The novel “The Man with the Bewildered Face” is aimed at children and teenagers, and its heroes are also children. Liza and Boris are young residents of 19th-century St. Petersburg. They walk in the Summer Garden, play pranks, and have a terrible fondness for all kinds of secrets and riddles. One day, while taking a walk, the children notice a strange man who looks harmless—even ridiculous—but for some reason he triggers negative emotions in everyone, sometimes leading to the most tragic consequences. The only one the aura of “the man with the bewildered face” doesn’t affect is a strange old man who often likes to sit on a bench during Liza and Boris’s walks. The kids decide to unravel the mystery, which leads them to discover a magical world unknown to everyone else. In this world there is room for miracles, evil witches, dangers, magical creatures, flights over St. Petersburg on a giant swan, and secrets from history. Listen to this magical fantasy tale and experience adventures together with its heroes!

“Territory F” is a series of audiobooks introducing listeners to new names in children’s and teen science fiction. The series is based on the shortlist of the eponymous literary contest held by “1C-Publishing” together with the Author.Today portal.