New Life in Russia’s Celebrated Literary Tradition

ISBN 9781907832215

Russia’s celebrated literary tradition finds new life in “Unburdened by the Soviet baggage younger writers”, says Phoebe Taplin in today’s Telegraph. Download PDF >

Pavel Kostin, one of Russia’s youngest romantic novelists offers international readers a rare opportunity to look into lives of young people in contemporary Russia. Today’s review describes Pavel’s style as “appealing particularly to the booming young-adult market, imaginative, gripping, original and lyrical”. This is the exact impression Pavel left on those who meet him during his visit to London this year.

“I met Pavel Kostin on a rooftop”, says James Rann, the translator of Pavel’s latest novel It’s Time. “Bored by the party around him, he had gone off to watch the sunset over London. I went with him. Pavel likes to sit on roofs and see the city unfold beneath him. So do I. So does Max, the hero of Pavel’s new story, It’s Time.”

Set on the shores of the Baltic Sea, on rooftops lit with mesmerizing orange sunset and in the darkest corners of urban night. We find real characters there with depth and ideas searching for direction in their fragile lives and learning to express their ideas through art.

Pavel’s latest novel is more than just a product of his own imagination. According to his introduction, the book is written on the walls of his home city, Kaliningrad, by the city itself and by the street-artists living there. His new heroes are extraordinary young romantics, using their art to express ideas, not unlike our home grown talent in London including Banksy, Ben Eine, Cityzen Kane, C215, Roa. These characters are secretive. They live in their own world with their own philosophy and outlook on life. But how does one become such urban romantic? We see a freedom seeking artist in Pavel’s new novel, we see his journey, his adventures, his dilemmas and his choices. What would you choose? The comfort of daily routine or the free spirit of art? For Pavel’s characters this becomes a question of life and death.

Pavel’s new novel IT’S TIME is available to pre-order in Russian and English languages from all good bookshops. For more information visit. www.urban-romantics.com

Pavel Kostin About His Novel

"IT’S TIME” is a book which has been written by the city. Not me. Not a man. The book appeared on the walls of the city itself, has grown along with structures and buildings over time. So I can say that the novel is written on the walls of my city. This relates directly to the plot ... but I am not going to spoil the fun for you here, I will just say that the secret is hidden in the urban art, street art, and my book about this partly.

There are many mysteries there, but what is mysticism? Who can reveal, where it ends and begins? Is magic real? I believe that magic exists and always existed, that it is present in each of us, lives in every moment of our lives, and it is is hidden from everyday sight, and only occasionally, sometimes, for one sparkling moment - she shows us her radiant self. I believe everyone experienced those moments at some point in their life. Do you remember one of your magic moments? My book is about this.

The city is inhabited by different people. Strange and funny. Ordinary and extraordinary. By those who make you want to yawn with boredom, and those that capture your imagination. People who cannot imagine how to break free from comfortable, warm and unbearably dull routine, and people who cannot imagine a day in it. People who repeat only what has been taught to them, and people who are always doing something new and want to build for themselves another life. Ordinary people and ... not so ordinary. Where would you place yourself? My book is about this, too.

The city has a surface and a bottom. The city has a day and a night. Bright day, tense, full of dust and bustle; night - dark and mysterious, full of beauty and charm. Day comes with work, rush and routine – it is time for business people.  Nigh brings opportunities for creation and the unknown – it is time to discover the unknown, time for artists and explorers. But beware, the seeker! At the depths of the night, there at the bottom, unchartered waters await with surprises and danger. Is it worth risking the dusty bustle of the day for the sake of coolness and beauty of the night? What would you personally choose? Predictability and comfort of routine or dangers of discovering the unknown? My book is about this.

There is noise and there is peace in the city. A continuous struggle and the romantic beauty, there is boredom and there is magic in the city. It’s a place to escape and a place where danger awaits. There is endless traffic and eternal peace. There are enemies and friends there. The city is you and there is street art in the city. That's what my book is all about.

Order It's Time by Pavel Kostin in Russian

 Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com |  Waterstone’s | The Book Depository | Lehmanns  | Blackwell’s |  WHSmith | 

Order It's Time by Pavel Kostin in English

| Amazon.co.uk  | Amazon.com |  Waterstone’s | The Book Depository | Lehmanns  |  Blackwell’s |  WHSmith |