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Friday, September 25, 2015

150. Spring Torrents

Spring Torrents
Ivan Turgenev
1872
Around 175 pages












I read this in a couple hours this morning as a means of procrastination from my real work.  I am still procrastinating by writing this review.  I suppose there are worse ways of wasting your time than reading and discussing Russian literature.  That might be the most pretentious thing I have ever said.

A Russian landowner named Dmitri Sanin falls in love with Gemma after saving her brother from a fainting fit.  Apparently, he did this by brushing the boy's clothes?  Who knew dry cleaning could save lives?  Anyway, Gemma is already betrothed to a boring German shopkeeper.  Gemma might also have a rival for his affections in Maria Nikolaevna Polozov.  I personally feel like Gemma should win, because her name confuses me less.

I was certain from the very beginning that I knew exactly how the story was going to go, but I will admit, Turgenev threw me for a loop with the introduction of Maria's character.  I really wish Turgenev had elaborated more on her character; she seemed like she belonged in Dangerous Liaisons.  This is definitely my favorite of the author's works so far; I just wish he had gone into more detail.  Did I seriously just wish that a Russian novel was longer?  Okay, that might be the most pretentious thing I have ever said.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Ivan Turgenev claimed this novel was autobiographical.

UP NEXT: Erewhon by Samuel Butler.  Never heard of it.  I'm worried.

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