Soviet Land by by Pierre-Henry Gomont (Abrams Books) REVIEW COMING LATER IN THE WEEK

A must-read thriller at turns madcap and melancholy, about a down-on-their-luck duo of swindlers looting their way through the decaying remains of the USSR

"A rich and humane story of ordinary people navigating extraordinary historical upheaval in this tragicomic tale that will have strong appeal for readers of literary or international graphic fiction." (starred review, Library Journal)

1990s. Russia. The USSR has ceased to exist. Its dimly remembered promises of utopia have dried up, and amongst the rubble, scavengers and looters abound.

Amongst the vast Russian tundra and decaying Soviet buildings, two such scavengers engage in a rather dubious pastime—getting their hands on all sorts of trinkets that might interest wealthy investors.

Slava, once a promising young painter, has abandoned his career and ideals to scrounge around with a pal from his school days, the consummate conman Lavrin. The future is up for grabs, and in this anything-goes, dog-eat-dog new world order, Lavrin assures Slava anything and everything can be bought and sold.

In this tragicomic thriller, author Pierre-Henry Gomont tells a gripping tale of average people caught up in the turmoil of history in the making. His deeply human characters fumble through a disorienting world—one where the promise of tomorrow has evaporated. They aspire to nothing more than to continue: to continue living, loving, and maybe someday even painting again.