First published 1860
Vladimir Petrovich lives comfortably on his family's country estate when the impoverished Princess Zasyekin arrives next door with her daughter Zinaida. Vladimir immediately becomes infatuated with the captivating young woman. Zinaida attracts multiple suitors and delights in manipulating their affections, pitting them against each other in elaborate games of courtship. Vladimir suffers as his intense feelings go unreciprocated, watching helplessly as Zinaida toys with her various admirers. His youthful passion transforms into anguish as he realizes he cannot compete for her attention. Yet Vladimir remains blind to the identity of his most formidable rival, the man who truly holds Zinaida's heart. Through this painful experience, the boy begins to understand the complicated realities of adult relationships and learns to govern his own emotions in a world where love rarely follows simple or fair rules.
Genres: drama, romance, historical-fiction, coming-of-age, adult-fiction, 19th-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Russia
Period: 19th-century
107 pages · Paperback · Penguin Classics