The finalists for the National Bestseller Literary Award were announced yesterday. Over the past two months, the literary community has watched with interest the tumultuous life on the award site, where the best (without irony) minds of the grand jury have been sorting out new books with passion. The results were formed in front of everyone. According to the rules, a member of the grand jury, an expert or professional critic, gives a vote for the book on which he wrote the review, so that those who wish can familiarize themselves with his arguments.
After voting and forming a short list, power passes into the hands of a small jury, renowned, but at the same time closer to the ordinary reader.
The title of the Russian intellectual bestseller claim today six books.
Mikhail Trofimenkov “XX century represents. Personnel and cadres ”- it is amazing how exactly our miniature litprocess reflects the world cultural trends. Documentary, or non-fiction, resolutely dominates the fictional worlds of fiction. Today, the author is right, that rides the wave and expresses his original view with actual tools. Trofimenkov analyzes the 20th century, innovatively interlacing wars, revolutions and cultural events. Judging by the record number of points (14 with five passing points) from experts, including the star critics of this season Dmitry Samoilov and Dmitry Olshansky, the book is really fascinating. But can the mundane prose take the place of the classic novel?
Andrei Rubanov “Finist is a clear falcon” (and also a leader 13 points) - folklore explored from the inside, live broadcast from the world of ancestors, the tale of three Ivanov heroes who met an amazing girl who followed her beloved into the heavenly city. The feminist message of the tale looks quite fresh, as well as the presentation of the material through an oral tale - a monologue. Rubanov - scriptwriter of the film "Viking" and the series "Sofia", one of the main experts on Russian antiquity, found an artistic device that gives the effect of complete immersion. You can say this is an application for our "Lord of the Rings." The prefix "national" in the title of the award comes in handy here, the book sales figures are also encouraging (circulation sold out for the first month). Only the readers, aggravated by Russophobia, will have a hard time in this matrix.
Likha's ghoul "Slavic Otaku" - a different look at the Slavs, or rather the most hooligan possible. The author is a girl hiding under the pseudonym of a network troll, he does not take readers into captivity, but strikes away with sexual perversions, incest and cruelty, served easily and picturesquely, with heroes - lovers of drawn porn, who were torn off scraps a little more than completely.
Postmetamodern representative - in the short list. The elect of punks, sharp on the tongue, for example, the poet Natasha Romanova and journalist Igor Maltsev.
Yevgeny Nekrasov "Kalechin-Malechin" - this is not the first short list for either the novel, or the story, the person involved in the "Nose" award. Young favorite Elena Shubina (nominee) wrote a modern urban fairy tale about school baiting and kikimora, with which the unfortunate girl is friends. Something like "Carlson, who lives on the roof," but with a depressive flavor. The theme is fashionable, the author is young and a bit famous - what is needed for the short list of “National Bolsheviks” is easily predicted.
Alexander Etoev “I will always be with you” - as the members of the grand jury write, “the text in Shalamov’s landscapes with Schweik intonations”.
We are talking about Stalin’s camps from the inside, the Russian North with shamans and inmates, but without the “tragedy of the Soviet people.” The main character, as usual, is a creative person, a sculptor who came from capitals. In general, the traditional novel, detracting from the electorate of the famous Alexei Ivanov.
Alexander Pelevin "Four" - so it happened. Victor Pelevin, the author of “Generation“ P ”and“ Chapaev and the Void ”, is not the only one in Russian literature - he has a namesake. Someone resents the arrogance of a novice who did not take a pseudonym (Pelevin is the real name of Alexander), on the other hand, this is not the only cultural event, starting from Alexei and Leo Tolstoy, each taking his place, ending Ryu and Haruki Murakami, who are also manage to not be confused.
It's amazing how powerfully the dark horse Pelevin-2 started, who scored - the chicken by grain - by one point, but by many reputable jury members. Not many young writers can boast the sympathy of Zakhar Prilepin and thoughtful critic Alexei Kolobrodov, who wrote positive reviews to the novel “The Four” even before “National Beast”. Although this, it turns out, is the third novel of the author, we still have not heard about him. Apparently, this time artistic luck. Famously twisted plot with murders and mysticism takes place in three times - past, present and future.
The author gives the impression of esthete. We will get to know Alexander better, we will not laugh at his last name.
The small jury of the National Bolshevist Party, as always, is an entertaining mix of celebrity. Film director Vladimir Bortko (“The Heart of a Dog”, “The Master and Margarita”), Christina Potupchik - former commissar of the Nashi movement, and today the flagship of the “forbidden” Telegram and book blogger with an audience of 25 thousand people, fashionable singer Buckwheat, winner of , poet and prose writer Alexei Salnikov, military reporter Semyon Pegov, director of the book salon Andrei Shamray and chairman - the main financial representative of the Russian Federation Yuri Voronin.
Let's try to guess what chances our candidates have.
The gang of Dashing - punk and pranker - is unlikely to attract the living classic Bortko or the representative of the military fraternity Pegovu.
Here the possibilities are, rather, in Rubanov or Etoyev, who work in the key of tradition.
Pelevin, with her claim to the brand, can cause sarcasm on the part of Christina Potupchik, a famous fan of Viktor O. Christina as an advanced reader will certainly prefer innovators, for example, Trofimenkov.
Melancholic Salnikov, most likely, will fall in love with Nekrasova's gothic story: one can say they represent one direction in art.
It is rather difficult to guess how the Buckwheat card will fall down - musicians rarely cope with longrids. Last year, Husky, who did not appear at the ceremony, recorded a video in which he admitted that he had not mastered any of the five proposed books and “learned many new words.”
The main event of the National Security Day 2019 was a breakthrough of new criticism. The grand jury performed like never before powerful, bright, energetic - faster, higher, stronger! Vladislav Tostov, (unexpectedly) writer Roman Bogoslovsky, Alexey Kolobrodov, Alexander Filippov-Chekhov, Mikhail Faustov, Dmitry Olshansky, Dmitry Samoilov - the death squad. As long as there is criticism, and literature is alive, then a new wave can be expected. The soil is prepared.
The place left by the great Lev Danilkin, overgrown with grass and weeds, comes to life and bears fruit. Thanks to, of course, the National Bestseller, which gathers the right people at the right time, provides a platform and an audience, and even pays.
If you like to read, but did not follow the controversy on the website of the award, you missed everything!
Traditionally, experts (and their hands, fate) brought the most interesting books of the year to the public: to get on the short list more honorable than to become a laureate. Having opened six novels, you can get an idea of all literary trends and nothing more to read this year. So in a sense, the winner is not so important, the main stage is over.
And yes, I almost forgot to remind network trolls: "The National Bestseller" is not about sales results in bookstores. This is the prize of a small, but proud literary elite that chooses the best of the best with the hope of instilling a taste in readers and setting reference points. The general public still prefers Guzel to Yakhin. On the “National BEST” this author flew with a whistle. All clear?
And now - all in the book!
The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editorial board.