Book Review: Sisters of the Cross by Alexei Remizov

Title: Sisters of the Cross
Author: Alexei Remizov
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Publication Date: 26 December 2017
Pages: 194
Format: eBook - PDF
Genre: Literary Fiction

Source: ARC via NetGalley



Thirty-year-old Piotr Alekseevich Marakulin lives a contented, if humdrum life as a financial clerk in a Petersburg trading company. He is jolted out of his daily routine when, quite unexpectedly, he is accused of embezzlement and loses his job. This change of status brings him into contact with a number of women—the titular “sisters of the cross”—whose sufferings will lead him to question the ultimate meaning of the universe. (Goodreads Synopsis)


Sisters of the Cross was a fascinating read. From the start, I found myself swept into Marakulin's world and experienced his highs and lows, gaining insight into his mind. This story put me in mind of two other works. Firstly, Kafka's The Trial, as there was that same sense of non-understanding about his situation as the story began. Secondly, Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, as there is something of Raskolnikov about Marakulin. The book is very atmospheric, and it draws you into the lower spaces of Petersburg and those who occupy them. Every character came across as complete and interesting, and I loved the feeling of non-reality at times, when you weren't certain if what Marakulin was describing was real or a figment of his imagination. If you enjoy works by writers like Kafka, Camus and Kundera, then this is a book for you!