The Wake

Balance is a fragile thing; moments of calm are fleeting.

Alexander Melikhov became famous for his “novels of ideas”—only a few dare to work in this genre today… In his new novel, Alexander Melikhov tackles the hardest task of his entire career: he describes the American myth and its influence on Russian life. This book is about many things—but above all, about the mysterious institutions where Soviet power was forged, and about how the last Soviet generation was formed: the most promising, talented, and unlucky. Of all of Melikhov’s books since “Plague,” this one is the most captivating and requires the reader the least preparation—just live in Russia and look around yourself».Dmitry Bykov