Surprise! He's back...again!
The Four Deaths and One Resurrection of Fyodor Mikhailovich
is Zoran Živković's twenty-fourth novel containing the Serbian author's
signature Middle-European fantastica in the tradition of Mikhail
Bulgakov's The Head of a Dog and Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis, yet written with the light touch and charm of Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach.
Why the surprise? Here's the skinny: In 2022, after a six-year hiatus since his last novel, Zoran Živković wrote The White Room
where, in the closing pages, his muse tells Zoran (yes, the author has
written himself into his own novel) that she is closing down the white
room, that is, the part of his mind that served as artistic inspiration
for his numerous works of fiction. Consequently, The Write Room was assumed to be his final piece. However, here we are in 2024, and the white room has reopened. Ah, the muse can be fickle.
Some years ago, when I wrote a review of Compartments,
my very first of the author's novels, I enthusiastically proclaimed
that Zoran Živković is a great storyteller — an absolute joy to read,
creating tales that are charming, captivating, beguiling, dazzling,
mesmerizing, and full of surprises at every turn. Having subsequently
written a comprehensive review for each of the other twenty-two Zoran
Živković novels, I can assure you I have not changed my opinion in the
least; if anything, my appreciation for his fiction has soared.
Likewise, with The Four Deaths and One Resurrection of Fyodor Mikhailovich,
a short novel containing all of Zoran's storytelling magic along with
addressing the ultimate questions we face as humans. And why
Dostoyevsky? The reason is simple. For Zoran, Fyodor Dostoyevsky is the
master of the ultimate question — things like: Where did we come from?
Why are we here? Where are we going?
Turning to the story itself, in the first chapter, The Park,
we join none other than Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky as he trudges
through a blizzard to meet a friend when he unexpectedly finds himself
at the edge of a park. In an attempt to save time, Fyodor decides to
cross through the park. He takes a dozen steps and begins to see a point
of light. He walks toward the light and, upon reaching it, discovers
it's a gaslight atop a lamp post, forming a small circle of light on the
snow-covered ground.
The moment Fyodor steps into the circle, a
short, bundled-up older man with tiny eyes behind small, round,
wire-framed glasses appears, huffing and puffing. This older gent
informs Fyodor that it's good he found him. He then asks Fyodor if he's
seen him. Fyodor, in turn, asks, 'Who?' The gent orders Fyodor not to
leave and announces there's a really big disturbance happening, and time
is of the essence. He races off but not before beseeching Fyodor that
if he shows up, he must detain him - and Fyodor will recognize him.
Fyodor
is understandably confused, completely baffled. He reasons any older
man who runs around chasing someone in a blizzard must be with the
secret police. But he soon learns things are not nearly as rational and
straightforward as one would suppose. First off, he hears a voice he
recognizes as his own. Words are exchanged. The older gent reappears but
quickly runs off, still on his manhunt. Then, the truly impossible:
Fyodor sees his perfect double emerge into the lighted area. Here's a
snatch of their conversation at the point where a shocked Fyodor asks:
“Who are you?"
Fyodor Mikhailovich, a writer, just like you.”
“But... but... that is not possible.”
“That's exactly what I said back on the town square. And yet it is.”
“Wait, this is just like my novelette - The Double. But The Double is fantastika. It can't be real. Am I perhaps just dreaming all this?”
“If
you were dreaming, you would wake up after this question. That's the
way it always is. Something else is happening. Reality is more fantastic
than you can ever possibly imagine.”
That last sentence bears
repeating: Reality is more fantastic than you can ever possibly imagine.
Fyodor quickly discovers just how fantastic when his double informs him
that he, Fyodor, is not his only double, but that he has countless
doubles from countless worlds. And, if this shocking revelation isn't
enough for poor Fyodor, when the older gent returns to join the two
Fyodors, he isn't alone. He's brought along a third Fyodor! What happens
in the concluding pages of The Park following this extraordinary
meeting is for each reader to discover. One additional observation:
Reflecting on that older gent with his wire-framed glasses might suggest
that, once again, Zoran Živković wrote himself into his own novel.
As for the next three parts of Zoran's novel - The Restaurant Car, The Psychiatrist's Office, and The Turkish Bath
- I dare not disclose too much. However, I can
say that readers will be charmed and enchanted by actual characters from
the great Russian novelist's masterpieces making a flesh-and-blood
appearance, sophisticated computer simulations, and the presence of AI,
all playing vital roles in the unfolding.
The Four Deaths and One Resurrection of Fyodor Mikhailovich is a sheer joy. I highly recommend to both seasoned fans and those new to the Serbian author.
Serbian author Zoran Živković, born 1948
Comments
Post a Comment