Victor Pelevin is a writer whose life is shrouded in mystery. The name and creativity of this person is fascinating and causes constant interest. Despite the fact that his first novel was published in 1996, the authorās non-standard prose still causes heated debate. And the most amazing thing is that Victor Pelevin, whose books beat sales records, remains one of the most mysterious figures in modern literature.
Mysterious person
Pelevin is a writer of whom little is known. Few journalists can boast of personal acquaintance with him. At one time, television people made unthinkable efforts to invite the writer to a program or talk shows, but could not even get through to him.
Victor Pelevin, whose books have been translated into many European languages, is reluctant to interview Russian journalists. And when he appears in public, which he does infrequently, appears before the fans exclusively in black glasses. Publishers, whose interests include the promotion of Pelevin's books, at the suggestion of the press to organize an interview with the mysterious author, offer to send questions by e-mail. The author of sensational novels from personal meetings, as a rule, refuses.
Several years ago there were even rumors that Pelevin Viktor Olegovich was a non-existent person. And books published under this name are the fruits of the works of the so-called literary ghosts. And yet, who is Victor Pelevin? What is known about him from official sources?
short biography
Pelevin Victor Olegovich was born in Moscow in 1962. The future writer spent his childhood in a communal apartment in the very center of the capital. In the seventies, the family moved to Chertanovo, where, according to some reports, Victor Pelevin lives today. After graduating from a prestigious school located in Leontief Lane, he entered the Energy Institute. Then there were graduate school and several years of work in the department. In 1987, the writer, like his famous hero Tatar, entered the Literary Institute. Gorky.
Victor Pelevin, whose biography cannot be fully represented due to the large number of white spots, according to some sources, served in the army, was never married, worked as a correspondent for several years in one of Moscow magazines. A large Russian publishing house published its first storybook in 1992. The novel that made him famous was published in 1991. But before we get down to the topic of Pelevinās work, itās worth saying a few words about what else has become known to inquisitive members of the press about the life of the author of the acclaimed novel āChapaev and Voidā.
School and Institute
Former classmates and teachers of Pelevin remember him as a closed teenager. Among his peers, he was distinguished by high erudition, but always kept aloof.
Pelevin was expelled from the famous university graduating with certified poets and prose writers. At the Literary Institute there were many legends about him. In his student years, Pelevin did not stand out. At least that's what literary teachers thought. Soon after his expulsion, he became famous. This professor could not forgive a former student for a long time. There was a time when an applicant seen with this authorās book had every chance of failing the entrance exams.
First novel
The work "Omon Ra" was published in 1991. By genre, it is close to the thriller, but it is a parody of the educational novel of the Soviet years. The main feature of "OMON Ra" is grotesque. The heroes of the novel are cadets of the flight school named after Maresyeva. After admission, each of them amputated legs. And this is done in the name of the motherland. Then the cadets learn the Kalinka dance. In passing, this fantastic and philosophical work also mentions Pavel Korchagin's military school, whose graduates, without exception, are blind people with disabilities. For the first novel, Pelevin was awarded two prestigious literary prizes.
A novel whose action takes place in the void
Pelevin is a writer who occupied in Russian literature, according to critics, the niche of Castaneda, Borges and Cortazar. The author of the novel "Chapaev and the Void" is the first representative of modern philosophical prose in Russia. The action of this work takes place two years after the revolution. The main character - Peter Void - serves in the division of Chapaev. This work was perceived by critics ambiguously, but in most cases positively. The novel was included in the list of applicants for the Booker Prize.
"Generation P"
The novel about the Russians, whose views were formed during the era of change, was published in 1999. The action of the work, which has become a cult, takes place in the early nineties. The hero of the novel is a graduate of the Literary Institute, forced to work in a stall selling cigarettes and beer. But thanks to chance, he becomes one of the representatives of the profession, the existence of which in the early nineties in Russia, few knew. Tatar (and this is exactly the name of the hero Pelevin) becomes a copywriter.
Before the novel appeared on the shelves of bookstores, some fragments of it were able to read by Internet users. Critics are interested in a non-standard storyline. Pelevin got even more fans. The publication of the novel Generation P was a long-awaited event.
"DPP"
In 2003, a collection was published, which included the stories and the novel "Numbers". Before this event, a short break was observed in the work of the author. Pelevin is a writer whose books are in the foreground criticism of the Soviet consciousness. The satire of this author is peculiar. It is not expressed in the authorās position expressed in the text itself. It is rather a feeling of the ugliness of modern life, which, however, cannot be otherwise. Similar ideas and moods are present in the "DPP".
Prose Features
Pelevin is a writer whose books are a kind of encyclopedia of spiritual and intellectual literature. Any of his works can be considered as a guide to mythology. But in order to understand the meaning of Pelevin's ideas, it is necessary to possess sufficient information from the field of the history of religion and philosophy. Not every educated reader can decipher the intertextual references that are present in his books.
In the texts of this author there are religious and philosophical treatises. Reading Pelevin's books is like solving a crossword puzzle. Some literary scholars and admirers of Pelevin's work believe that his prose is a fascinating textbook of religious studies.
What is the reason for popularity?
The author, which is discussed in this article, differs from many of his colleagues in a subtle artistic taste and unusually developed imagination. At least that's what most Russian critics think. Pelevin manages to find a new perspective and an original approach in every book. He often surprises, and sometimes even shocks. Pelevinās books contain complex philosophical constructions, but due to the lightness of the language, reading does not become tedious.
The images of the characters in the novels of this writer are memorable and vivid. And Pelevin's literary style is a mixture of forms and genres. In one book you can find several genres - and science fiction, and detective story, and mysticism, and drug addiction. By the way, despite the fact that Pelevin's heroes abuse illicit drugs, the author claims that he is not aware of such weakness. He is able to expand his consciousness without the use of narcotic drugs.
Criticism
Of course, not all readers are delighted with Pelevin's prose. But even fans notice that the skill of this writer does not develop progressively. The novel, which was published more than twenty years ago, according to critics, is still not surpassed. Pelevin's prose is distinguished by the presence of different styles that may be present in one work. In the book you can find episodes that do not play any role in the plot. All these features of prose cause both positive and negative reactions among critics and readers.
Pelevin and classic
One literary critic once said that Pelevin was trying to build a bridge between youth subculture and cultural heritage. The author of fashionable intellectual prose is called the follower of Bulgakov and Gogol. Indeed, in the books of Pelevin there is also a social satire, and mystical plots.
The question of whether Pelevin's work relates to art and real literature remains a moot point. And today there are critics who respond negatively to him. However, poor prose, as you know, needs promotion and intrusive advertising. Pelevin's books became popular without a special advertising campaign.