Lyudmila Ulitskaya is a critically acclaimed modern Russian novelist and short-story writer. She was born in the town of Davlekanovo in Bashkiria in 1943. She grew up in Moscow where she studied biology at the Moscow State University.
Having worked in the field of genetics and biochemistry, Ulitskaya began her literary career by joining the Jewish drama theatre as a literary consultant. She was the author of two movie scripts produced in the early 1990s 鈥� The Liberty Sisters (小械褋褌褉懈褔泻懈 袥懈斜械褉褌懈, 1990) and A Woman for All (袞械薪褖懈薪邪 写谢褟 胁褋械褏, 1991).
Ulitskaya's first novel Sonechka (小芯薪械褔泻邪) published in Novy Mir in 1992 almost immediately became extremely popular, and was shortlisted for the Russian Booker Award. Nowadays her works are much admired by the reading public and critics in Russia and many other countries. Her works have been translated into several languages and received several international and Russian literary awards, including the Russian Booker for Kukotsky's Case (2001). Lyudmila Ulitskaya currently resides in Moscow. Ulitskaya's works have been translated into many foreign languages. In Germany her novels have been added to bestseller list thanks to features of her works in a television program hosted by literary critic Elke Heidenreich.
Ludmila Uli葲kaia precizeaz膬 c膬 a pornit de la un caz real.
Rudolf Ivanovici Maier, un cercet膬tor care lucra la un vaccin, se 卯mboln膬ve葯te de cium膬. Agen葲ii NKVD adun膬 cu maxim膬 eficien葲膬 (葯i polite葲e) 鈥瀋ontac葲ii鈥� (dar nu 葯i contac葲ii contac葲ilor) 卯ntr-un spital. Fiind vorba de un scenariu, personajele r膬m卯n unidimensionale. Povestea e lipsit膬 de dramatism. E drept c膬 nici oamenii nu 葯tiu exact de ce s卯nt du葯i 卯n spital. Unii afl膬 c膬 sufer膬 de influenza, o boal膬 contagioas膬 minor膬.
Prin compara葲ie cu lag膬rele din Siberia, 卯n 1939, a fi ridicat 葯i 卯nchis 卯ntr-un salon de spital pentru carantin膬 era un necaz minor. De aici titlul c膬r葲ii...
脦n 1939, o epidemie de cium膬 st膬 s膬 izbucneasc膬 la Moscova, dup膬 ce un cercet膬tor se infecteaz膬 卯n laborator, iese 葯i are numero葯i contac葲i, mai apropia葲i 葯i mai 卯ndep膬rta葲i. Numai c膬 aparatul sovietic, de la medici p芒n膬 la comuni葯ti de frunte 葯i NKDV, fac tot posibilul s膬 opreasc膬 posibila epidemie 葯i reu葯esc 卯ntr-un timp record, cu pu葲ine victime, printr-o carantin膬 total膬. Poveste real膬, pe care Ludmila Uli葲kaia o reconstituie fic葲ional, cu personaje imaginare, 卯ntr-un fel de scenariu de teatru sau film, cu pu葲ine cuvinte 葯i 卯n pu葲ine pagini (aprox. 120), sco葲芒nd-o acum din sertar dup膬 30 de ani. Principala sa calitate st膬 卯n observarea puterii aparatului comunist, 卯n organizarea atent膬, 卯n temerile provocate, mai ales 卯ntr-o perioad膬 卯n care o simpl膬 ridicare de acas膬 pentru carantin膬 era considerat膬, 卯n con葯tiin葲a oamenilor, o cel mai probabil膬 trimitere 卯n Gulag sau 卯n 卯nchisorile comuniste.
Diese Geschichte der Autorin basiert auf einer wahren Begebenheit. Ein Wissenschaftler infiziert sich versehentlich bei der Forschung nach einem Pest- Impfstoff selbst mit den Pest- Viren. Der damalige Geheimdienst k眉mmert sich um die Nachverfolgung der Kontakte. Keine Seltenheit, dass es damals (ca. 1939 ) zu n盲chtlichen Verhaftungen kam. Die Kontaktpersonen erfahren nicht, warum sie mitgenommen werden鈥�. Dies hat f眉r manche verheerende Konsequenzen. Als Drehbuch angelegt -niemals verfilmt- schreibt Ulitzkaja in ziemlich kurzen, knappen S盲tzen. Das Gef眉hl beim Lesen ist d眉ster. Jedoch kennen wir als Leser:innen den Grund f眉r die Aktionen des Geheimdienstes. Manchmal waren es mir zu viele Protagonist:innen und zu sachliche Beschreibungen der Situationen. Daher nur 4 Sterne.
Denkt man sich jedoch tiefer in die damalige Zeit hinein und auch in die betreffenden Charaktere, nimmt das Drama seinen Lauf. Zumindest drehte sich bei mir das Gedankenkarussell ganz sch枚n schnell.
Autorii ru葯i au ceva aparte, trebuie s膬 citesc mai multe c膬r葲i scrise de ei!
Mi-a pl膬cut aceast膬 poveste; comicul de situ葲ie, umorul grotesc, inspira葲ia din fapte reale, interviul de la final, scriitura bun膬, toate au f膬cut experien葲膬 de citire pl膬cut膬, dar am fost pu葲in derutat膬 de multitudinea de personaje.
"Acas膬 la Kossiol. So牛ia lui st膬 卯n fotoliu. 脦n fa牛a ei pe mas膬 se afl膬 portretul fiului mort. Femeia 卯艧i acoper膬 fa牛a cu m芒na. 鈥� Serioja? Am crezut c膬 nu te mai 卯ntorci. Ce-a fost asta, Serioja? 脦l prive艧te atent膬, concentrat膬. 鈥� Cium膬, Dina. A fost doar cium膬! spune z芒mbind Kossiol 艧i-i ia m芒na osoas膬 卯ntre palmele lui. 鈥� Cium膬, at芒ta tot? 卯l 卯ntreab膬 insistent Dina. El d膬 din cap. 鈥� 艦i eu care credeam鈥�"
Od Ulicke pro膷itao sam jo拧 i Sonje膷ku. Ta knjiga mi je dospela ruku kao nenamenjeni novogodi拧nji poklon, preno膰io sam negde neplanirano i gostoprimstvo je nalagalo da se ne拧to na膽e i za one koji su zalutali. Ostao mi je samo bled utisak, ali tu je. Od 膷itanja nosim samo to, trag uznemirenosti.听
A kad je o uznemirenosti re膷, knjiga o epidemiji kuge u XX veku, ne mo啪e da ne izazove strepnju. Opet, suprotno onome kako se ina膷e gleda na te probleme, epidemije nikad nisu isklju膷ivo biolo拧ko-medicinski fenomeni, nego i dru拧tveni, a odgovor dru拧tva i pojedinca znak je zdravlja dru拧tva. To je poznata teza, potvr膽ena tokom korone, koju smo, nekim 膷udom, polako krenuli da potiskujemo. Do拧le su neke ve膰e teme.
S tim u vezi, ova knjiga nije donela ni拧ta novo, preobra啪uju膰e ili provokativno. Ona je korekta, Ulicka ima talenta i ose膰aja i to je to. Mo啪ete projuriti kroz tekst.
O lectur膬 rapid膬 卯n care, surprinz膬tor 葯i aproape greu de crezut, autorit膬葲ile au salvat situa葲ia 葯i au 卯mpiedicat r膬sp芒ndirea unui virus at芒t de periculos precum ciuma.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Po 膷emu prepoznati genijalnog pisca? Po tome 拧to nakon 40 godina iz ladice izvu膷e scenarij koji danas, u vrijeme objavljivanja, ima jo拧 dublje i jo拧 拧ire zna膷enje nego onda kad je bio napisan. Ljudmila Ulicka je ovaj tekst napisala kako bi se prijavila na scenaristi膷ki te膷aj. Voditelj te膷aja ju je odbio s rije膷ima da je on nema 膷emu nau膷iti, da sve ve膰 zna. Tekst o kratkotrajnoj, ali dramati膷noj epidemiji kuge u Moskvi 1939. godine, u jeku staljinisti膷kih 膷istki, ostao je tako u ladici do 2020., kad ga je izvadila i tek malo doradila da vi拧e li膷i na roman. Opisana zbivanja su dramati膷na, roman je brzog tempa, s velikim brojem likova (pomalo ih je te拧ko sve pratiti jer se vrlo brzo izmjenjuju), a zbog svoje teme nu啪no ima i tragi膷nu crtu, ali kraj ipak nosi odre膽eni obrat u raspolo啪enju (s neizbje啪nom ironi膷no-grotesknom notom). Prava je 拧teta da taj zami拧ljeni scenarij vjerojatno nikad ne膰e biti ekraniziran.
kad sam na prvoj stranici knjige pro膷itala izjavu autorice da je ovaj tekst -scenarij koji je 1978. bio prijavljen za upis na scenaristi膷ki te膷aj- odbijen jer "autorica ve膰 sve zna i nema je se 膷emu nau膷iti", samo su me trnci pro拧li. od te re膷enice eti膷ki upitne vrijednosti u startu sam osjetila odbojnost. odbojnost je samo bujala stranicu za stranicom. lo拧 tekst, vrlo lo拧. pretpostavljam da je ko拧aricu dobila ne jer je njen tekst presavr拧en, nego jer je jedva 膷itljiv. pro啪et je kvrgavim, besmislenim, krutim dijalozima (koji 膷ine cca 90% teksta), likovi jedva da imaju lica -o osobnostima da i ne govorim- i ono 拧to je ulitskaya vjerojatno zamislila kao dramati膷an film, okrenuo se u rad osobe koja je pobacala rije膷i na papir da se slo啪e same od sebe, pustila ih da divljaju po papiru kao dokona deri拧ta. na kraju knjige je intervju ("razgovor") christine links s ulitskayom, a na pitanje "jesi li 拧to mijenjala u scenariju prije objave?", ova bahato i samodostatno odgovara: "nekoliko rije膷i i nekoliko zareza." hej, 啪eno, 42 godine si imala vremena za pretresti tekst. mogla si zareze ostaviti, a sve ostalo pobacati.
"A fost doar cium膬 " a fost o carte ciudat膬 pentru mine, abia dup膬 ce am terminat de citit am v膬zut c膬 este de fapt un scenariu scris de autoare, 卯n anul 1988, pentru a se 卯nscrie la un curs despre arta scenariului 葯i a regiei. Privind-o astfel s-a mai diminuat ciud膬葲enia pe care o sim葲eam deoarece chiar m-a dus cu g芒ndul la un film , cu multe personaje , replici rapide... 脦n final am 卯n葲eles ideea acestui titlu, c膬ci atunci c芒nd mi-am dorit cartea titlul a fost cel care m-a atras, u葯urin葲a cu care este spus :" a fost doar cium膬 " m-a facut s膬 o citesc. Ini葲ial am crezut c膬 a fost scris膬 f膬c芒nd referire la actuala pandemie, dar nu, cartea este inspirat膬 din realitatea anului 1939, c芒nd, 卯n Moscova izbucne葯te epidemia de cium膬. Rudolf Ivanovici Maier, personajul central, un cercet膬tor care lucreaz膬 la crearea unui vaccin 卯mpotriva ciumei , se infecteaz膬 accidental 卯n timpul experimentelor. F膬r膬 s膬 b膬nuiasc膬 acest lucru pleac膬 la Moscova, unde a fost chemat s膬-葯i prezinte rezultatele. C芒nd i s-a declan葯at boala a venit r芒ndul agen葲ilor NKVD s膬 intre 卯n scen膬. Ace葯tia au primit sarcina s膬 g膬seasc膬 葯i s膬 izoleze persoanele cu care Maier a intrat 卯n contact. Multitudinea personajelor m-a 卯ncurcat teribil, la fel 葯i trecerea rapid膬 de la un pasaj la altul. 脦nceputul mi s-a parut 葯i el brusc 卯n schimb finalul a fost fantastic . "Cium膬, at芒ta tot?" este semnul c膬 oamenii tr膬iau 卯n teroare 卯n timpul regimului stalinist a葯a c膬 ciuma a fost v膬zut膬 ca o u葯urare. Cartea nu este rea, dac膬 prive葯ti dincolo de cuvinte ai o alt膬 imagine 卯n minte . 3馃専 脦mi dau seama c膬 prezentarea f膬cut膬 de mine nu este cea mai bun膬 dar o s膬 p膬strez cartea, poate o s-o recitesc, c芒ndva.
Scenariu-nuvel膬 scurt膬 scris/膬 卯n anii 鈥�70, exploreaz膬 fragilitatea vie葲ii cotidiene 卯n Uniunea Sovietic膬 a anilor 鈥�30, pornind de la izbucnirea unei posibile epidemii de cium膬 bubonic膬.
Incidentul, declan葯at de un cercet膬tor care intr膬 卯n contact cu bacilul ciumei, exploreaz膬 reac葲ia autorit膬葲ilor totalitare 葯i impactul acestei reac葲ii asupra oamenilor obi葯nui葲i.
Povestea reflecteaz膬 asupra rela葲iei dintre individ 葯i sistem, a interdependen葲ei 葯i a izol膬rii, ciuma servind drept metafor膬 pentru frica, opresiunea 葯i molima ideologic膬 a totalitarismului.
Scris膬 ini葲ial 卯n anii 鈥�80, dar publicat膬 卯n 2020, cartea a c膬p膬tat o relevan葲膬 special膬 卯n contextul pandemiei de COVID-19, oferind o perspectiv膬 subtil膬 asupra modului 卯n care crizele medicale dezv膬luie vulnerabilit膬葲i sociale 葯i politice.
O remarc膬 interesant膬 卯n interviul cu autoarea inclus la finalul c膬r葲ii: 卯n sistemul dictatorial al acelor ani, ciuma a fost oprit膬 imediat 卯nainte de a se r膬sp芒ndi, prin izolarea cu succes a tuturor infecta葲ilor.
鈥濴umea se va schimba 卯n mod imprevizibil, 葯i vreau s膬 sper c膬 noua 卯ncercare prin care trece omenirea nu ne va face s膬 ne izol膬m 葯i mai mult unii de al葲ii, s膬 devenim mai egoi葯ti, ci, dimpotriv膬, ne va face s膬 g芒ndim c膬 lumea e una singur膬, c膬 e destul loc pentru iubire 葯i compasiune. 葮i c膬 asta depinde numai de noi.鈥�
A movie script draft from the late 1970s that had previously been unpublished, but Ulitskaya's publisher thought it would be timely again because of COVID...
It is indeed very timely. It could be described as "COVID, during the Stalin regime" and it does what it's set out to do very exactly and precisely. If someone told me this was written last year, I'd have believed it. Ulitskaya's background as a biologist comes through, she was aware of a lot of details about infectious diseases, pandemics, lab work etc. when writing that I feel are only now becoming common knowledge (again).
The plot starts at a research institute where a scientist gets sloppy with his masking and gets exposed to a strain of pneumonic plague, without realizing. He then travels to Moscow to present the latest results of his research. When he rapidly gets sick and succumbs to the illness, the KGB (of course, who else) begin contact tracing. The proverbial big black cars head out to gather up everyone he traveled with on the train, everyone he met at the hotel, everyone who was at his presentation...
There is a large ensemble cast and we get to see all sorts of different outcomes and reactions to the situation. There is a strong sense of the era, and we even get a cameo appearance by Stalin himself (this was one of my favorite scenes, the dialog was just superb).
It's all written in a more loose prose style than American scripts, so it can be read as a novella if one so desires. One place where I missed the structure (vintage Hungarian scripts also seem to have more structure) was the cast of characters - I would have appreciated a list of dramatis personae, because there were many characters and not a lot of description due to the script format, so I sometimes lost track. This kind of frustrated me in one scene where the big emotional point was (trying to keep it spoiler-free) "this other character died because of me" and I was entirely confused why? I went back and had an OOOOH moment, but it would have worked perfectly onscreen.
My other issue was that I felt that ethnic minority characters were sometimes stereotyped. I got the impression Ulitskaya really wanted to tackle those topics (being an ethnic minority person herself, I understand that - being an ethnic minority person myself :) ) but I felt she didn't really have the range yet at that point to do it without relying on stereotypes in the space of a single movie script.
I want to discuss the ending here a bit, because I have seen some very strange interpretations in other reviews. Or did I misunderstand something?
Source of the book: It was a surprise from my mom! (Hardcover version, but for some reason 欧宝娱乐 seems determined that I have it in ebook)