Genre: Historical Fiction
Author: Andrei Volos
Translator: Arch Tait
Year published: 2000
TWs: War, Death, Violence
Rating: 3/5
Tajikistan isn’t a place you often hear about, being one of the least talked about countries in Asia. It took some serious hunting to find a book from Tajikistan but I finally found ‘Hurramabad’ by Andrei Volos. This collection of seven stories takes a close look at Russians living in Tajikistan after the country gained independence and during the civil war that followed in the 1990s.
Synopsis (spoiler-free, always)
Set during Tajikistan’s turbulent years after the fall of the Soviet Union, this book is all about the struggles of Russians who stayed behind, trying to find their place in a country that was no longer their home. Each novella shares a different slice of life from this uncertain time, painting a vivid picture of how people dealt with the civil war, changing governments, and the feeling of not belonging. I’ve written about the stories I enjoyed the most from this collection.
The first story, ‘The Ascent’, follows a grandson and his grandmother on a steep climb to his grandfather’s grave. It’s more than just a physical journey, reflecting the tough path Russian families in Tajikistan had to walk. Another story that stood out to me was ‘A Local Man’, where a Russian scientist falls in love with Tajikistan, but no one – neither Russians nor Tajiks – accepts him. The stories continue with tales of loss, like in ‘The House by the River’, where a man fights to keep the house he built himself, even as war looms and outside forces try to take it away from him.
My Thoughts
Volos’s writing really stuck with me. His stories feel personal and real, making the loss and confusion of the characters hit hard. What I liked most was that even though the stories deal with serious topics like war and displacement, Volos also shows moments of hope and beauty. For example, in ‘The House by the River‘, even though the protagonist knows he’s probably going to lose everything, he still fights for what he loves. It’s that tension between giving up and holding on that made the book so powerful for me.
One thing that stands out in ‘Hurramabad‘ is the way Volos writes about the relationship between Russians and Tajiks. Even with all the struggles, there’s a deep love for the country and its culture in these stories. But at the same time, there’s also a feeling of alienation, like these characters don’t fully belong anymore.
But despite its strengths, this book didn’t fully work for me. Some parts of the book felt too slow, and certain stories dragged on longer than they needed to. The pacing sometimes made it difficult to stay engaged, especially when the emotional tension fizzled out in parts. I also found that, while the feelings of nostalgia and longing were well-written, the repetition of these themes across the stories became a little boring as it has very little variation.
The book’s focus on the Russian community in Tajikistan was interesting, but I wished there had been more depth given to the Tajik characters. They often felt like side characters rather than fully developed people in their own stories. Lastly, although the plot lines themselves were interesting, I didn’t like the writing style much which is why, as you’ve probably noticed, I haven’t included any quotes from the book.
But, if you’re a history buff interested in exploring the history of Tajikistan through fiction, this book is for you!
Happy Reading!
About the Author
Andrei Volos was born in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, in 1955. After studying geophysics in Moscow, he returned to Tajikistan, where his experiences in both places greatly influenced his writing. Volos won the prestigious Anti-Booker Prize in 1998 for ‘Hurramabad’. (Photo credits- Bazar Kustannus)
See more on his Goodreads page!
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Thanks for the review