The story of a young woman's heady encounter with Russia - and a society in collapse. In 1991, Charlotte Hobson went to study for a year in the provincial town of Voronezh. She captures the lives of her young contemporaries as the Soviet Union breaks up around them: Viktor, and his brutal memories of military service; Lola who sleeps with her fellow students for a share of their dinner; Yakov, blowing a million roubles of the Salvation Army's money on a taxi to Minsk to see a girl. Here too is the author's story and Mitya's. Their love affair begins in a mood of wild optimism. Anything, it seems, is possible. Until in spring the snow thaws, and reveals the black earth beneath.
- ISBN10 0312420617
- ISBN13 9780312420611
- Publish Date 1 March 2003 (first published 21 June 2001)
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 22 July 2015
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Picador USA
- Format Paperback (US Trade)
- Pages 224
- Language English