Golden Heart

They say water isn’t judged by face. But people do it anyway. Quiet and kind by nature, but ugly by human standards, Malasha is shunned and hurt even within her own family: her face isn’t pretty, troubles attract her, and she scares off good people from home. Cursed even before birth, Malasha was born and lives under an unhappy star—she doesn’t see affection or goodness. But everyone envies her quiet nature and golden hands. A bright, engaging, lyrical fairy tale written by Elena Musatova—at once resembling a philosophical parable and an adventurous novel. Its characters will face sharp turns of fate, countless misfortunes, and unexpected rescue in hopeless situations. But a good ending will come only to those who haven’t wasted their inner warmth and have understood that you can’t build happiness on someone else’s misfortune.

Illustrations by Ekaterina Volzhina.

This simultaneously philosophical and adventure story, told in the melodic language of folk fairy tales, will pull readers into a whirlpool of amazing events that rapidly follow one another—yet lead inevitably to a happy ending, where each hero will receive from fair fate exactly as much happiness as they earned by their actions.

In the family of a prosperous peasant was born a girl with a defect. Malasha’s heart was kind, and her hands were skilled, her character compliant. But she didn’t have outward beauty: she was mocked by her strange, odd-looking appearance like a trick of her sisters, driving away suitors, upsetting her parents with her “unfortunate” fate, and frightening the villagers of her native hamlet. Even after marriage she never knew tenderness and care—one day she was left alone in the forest, forgotten by God, holding a newborn infant. She was all by herself. But no misfortune broke the girl, hardened her heart, or changed her bright outlook on life. Without betraying herself, Malasha gradually changed everyone around her and found her own happiness. And all those who made her suffer, one way or another, repented for what they had done—after all, as they say “God sees a little.”

Elena Musatova wrote a children’s book that will fascinate adults as well. Stylistically impeccable tone, a non-linear plot with numerous twists, ambiguous characters—except for the most notorious villains, most are living people mixed with both bad and good. This is also a philosophical reflection that everyone will receive their due. And an adventurous escapade too—there will be dangers and unexpected twists. And a lyrical story of unconditional, all-consuming love. © Storyside