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Jacob's Ladder

A Novel
By Ludmila Ulitskaya
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4.26 goodreads logo

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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Jacob's Ladder by Ludmila Ulitskaya is a sweeping family saga that spans a century of Russian history, from the prerevolutionary years through the Stalinist era and into the present day. The novel explores themes of romance, betrayal, memory, and the impact of historical forces on individual lives, questioning the extent of control we have over our fate versus the influence of history, chance, and inherited genetics.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3799
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for readers who appreciate epic family sagas, Russian literature, and historical fiction with deep exploration of personal and political legacies.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

The modern Tolstoy presents a family saga spanning a century of Russian history.

The modern Tolstoy presents a family saga spanning a century of Russian history.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

One of Russia's most renowned literary figures and a Man Booker International Prize nominee, Ludmila Ulitskaya presents what may be her final novel. Jacob's Ladder is a family saga spanning a century of recent Russian history and represents the summation of the author's career, which has been devoted to sharing the absurd and tragic tales of twentieth-century life in her nation.

Spanning the seeming promise of the prerevolutionary years, to the dark Stalinist era, to the corruption and confusion of the present day, Jacob's Ladder is a pageant of romance, betrayal, and memory. With a scale worthy of Tolstoy, it asks how much control any of us have over our lives—and how much is in fact determined by history, by chance, or indeed by the genes passed down by the generations that have preceded us into the world.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Publishers Weekly praises the novel as a "mesmerizing" and "challenging yet rewarding epic" that highlights humanity's limited control over life amidst political turmoil and mortality. Booklist highlights the story's focus on generational patterns uncovered through family correspondence, recommending it to fans of Russian literature and epic narratives.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781250619563

Publisher: St Martin's Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 22 September 2020

Country: United States

Imprint: Picador USA

Illustration: Includes one family tree

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 40.0mm

Width: 141.0mm

Height: 221.0mm

Weight: 643g

Pages: 560

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Crime & Thriller Fiction General Fiction Ludmila Ulitskaya

About the Author

Ludmila Ulitskaya is one of Russia's most popular and renowned literary figures. A former scientist and the director of Moscow's Hebrew Repertory Theater, she is the author of more than a dozen works of fiction, including The Big Green Tent; several tales for children; and multiple plays that have been staged by a number of theaters in Russia and Germany. She has won Russia's Man Booker Prize and twice won its Big Book Prize, and has been nominated for the Man Booker International Prize. Polly Gannon is the director of cultural studies at the New York-St. Petersburg Institute of Linguistics, Cognition and Culture. She holds a PhD in Russian literature from Cornell University. She lives, teaches, and translates in St. Petersburg, Russia.

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