Wound

A young queer poet returns her mother's ashes to their working-class hometown in Siberia, navigating the raw emotions of grief and finding acceptance of the wound that death leaves behind. The novel blurs the line between reality and creation, exploring grief and the journey towards love, happiness, and creative fulfillment.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 09 May 2024
Publisher: Quercus Publishing

A captivating novel that delves into the depths of grief, love, creativity, and the queer and artistic awakening of a young woman. In the aftermath of her mother's tragic death from breast cancer, Oksana, a young queer poet, embarks on a journey to return her mother's ashes to their working-class hometown in Siberia. This profound expedition takes her through a range of raw and almost dreamlike emotions, from the initial stages of grief to a gradual acceptance of the wound that death leaves behind.

As Oksana navigates the rituals of parting, she grapples with her complex relationship with her mother and explores her own experiences of love, loss, sexuality, and the quest for a sense of home. With a wry humor and a keen insight, she reflects on the intricacies of her mother-daughter bond and her own journey of self-discovery.

Wound is a remarkable debut that blurs the line between reality and creation. It is a powerful exploration of grief that also serves as a journey toward love, happiness, and creative fulfillment. Translated from the Russian by Elina Alter, this novel is not just an exceptional work of literature, but a profound and captivating exploration of the human experience.

In addition to its literary merits, Wound has received critical acclaim for its frankness, accuracy, and addictiveness. It has been described as a poet's novel, offering a primer on feminist thought for readers with a taste for Russian literature. The European Review of Books praised it as a "primer on feminist thought for readers with Pushkin in their veins."

Overall, Wound is a must-read for anyone who appreciates a well-crafted novel that delves into the complexities of the human heart and soul. It is a testament to the power of storytelling and the ability of literature to touch our lives and inspire us to explore new perspectives.

Weight: 214g
Dimension: 128 x 198 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781529429725