Description: "From a rising star of Russian literature, a collection of short stories that straddles the line between delight and horror. Twisting the art of the fairytale into something entirely her own, Alla Gorbunova's (Th)ings and (Th)oughts is an endlessly inventive collection thematically-linked short prose. Divided by subject-romance, philosophy, fate-the stories in this collection turn a magical lens to bitter realities"-- Provided by publisher.
Review Quotes:
"These surreal fables feel at once timeless and urgently contemporary." -Kirkus Reviews
"The stories in this razor-sharp collection from Gorbunova evoke the absurdity of everyday life in post-Soviet Russia. A refreshingly sane depiction of an insane world." --Publishers Weekly
"Gorbunova's protean fairy tales examine everything from the religious and political to the personal and the surreal. I loved this eclectic collection. I never knew where the next tale might go, only that it would unsettle and delight." --Lincoln Michel, author of Metallic Realms
"Steeped in a morbid yet jocular sensibility, Alla Gorbunova's (Th)ings and (Th)oughts blends the bleak realities of everyday existence with amusing absurdities." --Open Letters Review
"There is a mischievous thread of linguistic playfulness woven through this collection, yet this lightheartedness is by no means lightweight. A deep understanding of human psychology underpins the pieces so that characters are often at their most relatable when they are behaving most perversely . . . Through it all runs a sense of affectionate cynicism." --A Year of Reading the World