A Dragonfly Enlarged to the Size of a Dog

In Russia, where men from generation to generation died in wars, disappeared in exile and in prisons, getting drunk became common, an all-female family is an ordinary thing—but no less tragic for that. The novel by Olga Slavnikova is devoted to the story of relationships between a mother and daughter who live together. Step by step, the narration draws us into the “quiet horror” of everyday coexisting of people who at the same time love and hate each other. And it’s not only—and not primarily—about the household circumstances that make it hard for two women to arrange their personal lives. Fatal contradiction enters into a clash of thoughts and feelings, but this struggle is cleverly disguised by the veil of outward propriety. Only a close, attentive look can reveal the true state of affairs. And under an impartial lens, this pretty harmless dragonfly turns into a frightening, voracious predator…