The Secret History of Moscow

This is not not a typical urban fantasy book, and in many ways it's closer to the magical realism of Gabriel Garcia Marquez or Catherynne M. Valente. What shined the most for me are the small vignettes that Sedia writes when a new character is introduced, explaining their history and how they came to be in the underground. Those were the most important part of this book to me; they are the secret histories that the title refers to. If history is written by the victors, these were the secret histories of those who lost, who were defeated and downtrodden and forgotten.

This has an unmistakably Russian sensibility; it's very stark. I bought this on Gaiman's recommendation. I think he liked it because it successfully creates an alternate city, like London in Gaiman's Neverwhere, and yet the writing style is nothing like Gaiman's--you can hear the translation in the phrasing. It's worth reading, and it's neat, for lack of a better word, but the afterimages you are left with are pretty disturbing. In fact, I'm getting uncomfortable just thinking about it. (Which may be the point, but don't buy it if that's not what you are seeking.)

In The Secret History of Moscow, Ekaterina Sedia captures the grey physical and emotional landscape of Moscow in the 90's and infuses it with haunting Russian mythos. The author's exploration of the supernatural clashing with reality creates a backdrop for social and economic commentary on Post-Soviet life. But The Secret History of Moscow has neither bland prose nor flat characters (which is impressive considering the sheer breadth of characters we encounter in the book). These characters are given life by the author's lush, descriptive language. The details bring this world into sharp focus, and some of the imagery is utterly unforgettable. The bear is fantastic, as are the ways of entering the Underworld. The population of Sedia's novel live in the distorted shadows of life--the people are hopeless and weary, and the gods and heroes have been relegated to the Underworld, no longer called upon by the modern folk. Yet it is in the hands of these fading myths and disillusioned antiheroes that the city and her people must ultimately find redemption. Some have commented that they were unable to suspend disbelief as the "real life" characters met the folkloric ones and were not phased by the meeting. Western readers may fail to understand just what kind of presence these archetypes have in Russian (and Eastern European) ethos. They have not all been banished to the realm of children's fairy tales. The mythical characters have a definite presence--an undertow in the murky waters of Russian cosmology. It's really not that hard to believe that they co-exist just out of reach, visible in the ripples of a puddle or in the reflection of a subway window. They should not be forgotten, and thanks to Ekaterina Sedia, I don't think they shall!

I've always been a fan of both novels about hidden or underground cities as well as novels containing those "secret histories" of what really happened in the past to make things how they are today, so it comes as no surprised that I was hooked by Ekaterina Sedia's Secret History of Moscow. Instead of London or New York City, places that have been explored countless times before, the setting of Moscow was a refreshing change of pace. I was fascinated by the fairy tale beings I'd never heard of before, almost as much as I was entranced by the stories of regular Muscovites in the past and present -- people struggling to get by, people without strong voices, people you'd pass on the street or in the subway without giving a second glance. These are the people that, in Sedia's remarkable prose, literally take flight in this novel. If you enjoy fantasy tinged with stark realism and clear-eyed storytelling, you'll love this book.

The book weaves real history and Russian folklore and myth into a dark and mesmerizing story. The bulk of the chapters are stories within stories, like matryoshka (god I hope I'm spelling that right) nesting dolls. The histories within the histories. The writing technique is complex and very well done. There is some truly stunning imagery here, including a Russian "bear" that I wouldn't dream of spoiling. The three main characters are everyday folk (a factory worker, a cop, a street artist), and the other characters they meet along the away are, generally, the discarded, people who have been trampled under the feet of history for centuries, but what makes SECRET HISTORY go is that the characters aren't fatalistic or pushovers. They choose to act despite their incredible vulnerability.