They lay quiet, looking up at the sky. "Which do you think is bigger," Misha asked, "the Grand Canyon or the Milky Way?"
"Wrong question, Mishka. The point is not how big they are, it's how small we are."
"But together, you and me," Misha had said, "we're as big and grand as this canyon and all the stars put together."
What a tender book this is. I'm not Russian, I'm not a twin, I'm not especially close to my brother, and I'm not homosexual. But Michael Alenyikov writes with such compassion and eloquence, that these two brothers and their father became instantly endearing to me.
Through a series of separate-but-connected chapters we read of their lives; the way their father has brought them to America, sparing them the full story of their mother's death, but fulfilling his promise to them. Now he is fragile, even dying, but he loves his sons and on this they can rely.
Ivan is manic depressive. When he's "up" he's in a frantic state, once not sleeping for nine days in a row, driving his taxis around New York, talking with his fares, calling his brother with hare-brained schemes or consolations depending on his mood.
Misha is the steadier one, in my opinion, of these twins. The bond between them is flawed but unbreakable. He will set aside everything when Ivan calls, ready to be there for Ivan's needs which in many ways answer his own.
Ivan and Misha is a powerful look at America. At homosexuality. At family. It reads with a lyricism I would have thought impossible given such emotionally laden themes. It touched me quite deeply, especially when Alenyikov wrote of their father, or the way I felt that neither Russia nor America was their home. Aren't many of us 'strangers in this land'?
The author, Micahel Alenyikov, has offered to send a signed copy of this book to one winner (U.S. and Canada only, please). Simply leave a comment to enter the drawing.
Find other reviews here:
Tuesday, September 6th: Take Me Away
Wednesday, September 7th: Unabridged Chick
Thursday, September 8th: A Bookish Affair
Monday, September 12th: Lit Endeavors
Tuesday, September 13th: Stuff as Dreams are Made On
Wednesday, September 14th: Literature and a Lens
Thursday, September 15th: The Reading Life
Monday, September 19th: Wordsmithonia
Tuesday, September 20th: Regular Rumination
Thursday, September 22nd: Bibrary Bookslut
Friday, September 23rd: Ready When You Are, CB
Monday, September 26th: Col Reads
Tuesday, September 27th: Books Are Like Candy Corn
Wednesday, September 28th: The Book Pirate
Thursday, September 29th: Stella Matutina
Winner of the signed copy is Marie of Boston Bibliophile. Congratulations, Marie!
So glad you enjoyed this one Bellezza :) I absolutely loved it!! Agree with all of your thoughts!
ReplyDeleteYour description of how this book made you feel, despite it having no connection with you & your life, defines what it is about literature that makes us hunger for it. thanks, this sounds beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI loved this book so much that I began to worry it might be just me. I'm glad to see that others think as highly of it as I do. I still would have published the gushing review I'm going to, but I won't feel as awkward about it.
ReplyDeleteI don't always do well with inter connected chapters, so I'll have to think about this book.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds fascinating! Thanks for a wonderful review, Bellezza!
ReplyDeleteI am hearing lots of good things about this book. Glad you enjoyed it, too!
ReplyDeleteThis books sounds great, Bellezza. Loved your review of it. Definitely something I'll be adding to my TBR list.
ReplyDeleteYou make this sound so wonderful,Bellezza! And I hadn't even heard of it.
ReplyDeleteI love it when an author can make me identify with characters that are absolutely nothing like me at all - sounds like this is that kind of book!
ReplyDeleteThanks for being on the tour. I'm featuring your review on TLC's Facebook page today
Chris, wasn't the writing special? The author just created such a mood for me and made me look at America/family with new eyes.
ReplyDeleteParrish, I think you've described one of the ways that makes me (and other bibliophiles) love literature so much: that connection with characters, place and events which makes us long for more. Most of the time, that's more important to me than story. (Plot)
ReplyDeleteC.B. James, I love the honesty of your comment. I know there have been times when I've felt self conscious about my thoughts or reviews toward a book, and yet we are amongst friends. I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteBermuda onion, you don't have to worry about missing any 'action' with the interconnected chapters. They're more like a fresh perspective from each character so you get all these wonderful points of view.
ReplyDeleteAndi, Kailana, Nadia, and Bina thanks for reading the review and becoming intrigued.
ReplyDeleteHeather, glad to be on the Facebook page. ;) It's always good to get the word out about wonderful literature. Thanks for offering the opportunity to tour this work.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds very interesting ... I love what you quoted from the book - together we all can see things a bit differently!
ReplyDeleteThe book sounds very good. Don't count me in though (overseas)
ReplyDeleteAdrienne, when I typed the quote I was thinking of it more in terms of the two brothers, but now I realize that we as readers can see things differently through the author's expertise. Of course, but still...it's one of the great joys of reading to have my horizons expanded through another's perspective.
ReplyDeleteMystica, I'm sorry there were limitations on where the book could be sent. I suppose it becomes to expensive for the publisher to send far and wide. :(
i would love to win this! bibliophile at bostonbibliophile.com. sounds right up my alley
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a 'kindly' book. I'm quite interested to read it. Thank you, as always, for such a thoughtful review.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to win this if the giveaway is still open. bibliophile at bostonbibliophile.com. thanks!
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