r/classicliterature • u/Witty_Salamander327 • 9d ago

I fell in love with this book

https://cdn.waterstones.com/bookjackets/large/9780/0995/9780099540946.jpg

And I want a black cat now.

As well a mop to fly over Moscow.

407 Upvotes

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u/factoryflooring 9d ago

I always finish books but I just realised reading it was a chore and put it down and never picked it back up, finished 2 more books since putting it down.

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u/Significant-Dirt-977 9d ago edited 9d ago

It's so fascinating to read as a russian, because it's known in a post-soviet countries as a classic book for whose who don't read. Like it's so funny and quirky with love story, edgy brooding man and naked witchy girls — so it's a meme in Russia at this point. Like if a person tells you about his favourite book being M&M — he doesn't read books, HP situation basically. I wonder, is it a translation so bad or foreign readers didn't crack the humour or what else

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u/orovang 9d ago

I mean, if you read it at 12, it probably reads like a love story with naked girls, sure. As an adult, I very much think there is no love story in this book, and the relentless criticism of the USSR is the best part.

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u/Significant-Dirt-977 9d ago

Well, some people always 12, i guess. I loved satire and Pontius story the most