Curly Braces

Sergey Nosov’s novel “Curly Braces” became the winner of “Natsbest—2015.”

The prose writer and playwright Sergey Nosov is not interested in the ringing of military brass, in the migrations of peoples, or in fiery infernal cracks splitting the tectonic plates of history. Nosov is a quiet writer. What he was— and remains—interested in is “small forms of life”: a private individual with all of his oddities—empty grievances, funny phobias, and meaningless prejudices. Such is also the novel “Curly Braces,” which tells about the founding congress of illusionists who call themselves micromages. A cascade of brilliant nonsense, piercing existential sadness, the clash of the emptiest ambitions and the sudden silence of death—mixed in ideal proportion, these ingredients give an exact snapshot of reality. A magical pharmacopoeia: not a photograph— but a living, breathing canvas. Truly, Nosov knows how to make you laugh so much that you start to fear your own laughter.