The ironic detective is a genre that appeared in Russia not so long ago - less than a hundred years ago. Compared to others, this area is considered young. Russian ironic detectives arose thanks to the focused efforts of Ioanna Khmelevskaya. She is called the progenitor of the genre - she was the first to pave the way to understanding its essence, and won the interest and recognition of the audience.
If you like such literature, then you probably want to know whose work to pay special attention to. What can an ironic detective have to offer today ? The best authors will be presented in this article. All of them, without a doubt, deserve attention and respect from the public.
Peak of popularity
A female ironic detective became especially fashionable to read in the nineties of the last twentieth century. Then the store shelves were literally strewn with all kinds of paperback books. Especially among them stood out the works of Daria Dontsova. Many are still enthusiastically reading them, and to this day they disperse like hot cakes. The peak of popularity of this genre is due to the need for society to take a break from serious literature, to plunge into the somewhat fabulous world of justice, where good always triumphs over evil. Reading gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in fictional reality, to feel like a participant in amazing adventures and mysterious events.
The question of the seriousness of literature
The ironic detective is a great opportunity to take free time and get new positive emotions that are so lacking in modern life. By experience, you can see that people buy such books with particular pleasure. What drives them when choosing? As a rule, people want to relax, escape from everyday worries and problems. And there is nothing reprehensible in this desire.
It would be a mistake to believe that such literature is not needed or does not have a right to exist, because it allows the soul to relax, at least temporarily free itself from oppressive experiences and intense tension. Someone for the same purpose watching TV shows, others visit all kinds of cafes and restaurants. This is a matter of taste and individual choice.
Features an ironic detective
The ironic detective is built according to a specific scheme. That is, in its structure there are certain components that allow you to form an entertaining and interesting story.
1. A fascinating story. The bottom line is that the reader should not be bored. The author can write about anything, create fictional characters that have never existed in the world, if only to occupy the inquiring mind of modern man. Then the reader will not leave the book in the middle and will look for similar publications on sale.
2. The sound name. The book should be called beautifully or at least somehow unusual to catch the reader. Examples: “This bitter sweet revenge”, “Auntie’s house of lies”, “Walking under the fly”.
3. The image of the main character. As a rule, this is a woman - a little unprepossessing, unlucky, others consider her strange, awkward and incomprehensible. The heroine often gets into ridiculous situations, from which, however, she can get out beautifully. At the end of the story, justice must triumph. This is a prerequisite. The ironic detective is distinguished by the fact that in him all the secrets must ultimately be unraveled, and the criminals found.
Darya Dontsova
It is hard to imagine a modern detective without this famous name. I must say, the fame came to the writer when she was already a little over forty-five years old. The author created her first story in a hospital, where she was given a terrible diagnosis - breast cancer. But Agrippina (the name Daria is a literary pseudonym) Arkadyevna turned out to be a strong woman, able to withstand a painful illness. She was on the verge of a huge chasm, from which she was able to get out on her own, and now she wants the rest. Dontsova’s ironic detectives are filled with incredible optimism, the positive charge you get when the book is open in front of you. Serious intricacies in the novels are accompanied by her humor and persistent love of life. Her characters with honor come out of such predicaments that one can only envy the incredible sense of integrity and harmony with which they are taken for any business.
Along with the growing popularity, a barrage of criticism fell upon Daria Dontsova at one time. The writer was accused of creating substandard, useless literature that would not be read by a serious intellectual reader. Yes, it may very well be that this is not the level of a university teacher. However, even true intellectuals and aesthetes in the field of literature sometimes want to relax and distract from everyday mental exercises. There is nothing shameful and strange about this. The funny thing is that the accusations against the writer sound not at all from the lips of literary scholars and philologists, but from those who are generally far from any reading. Such people are unlikely to be able, in principle, to appreciate the whole laborious process that is the work of creating texts. In addition, Daria Dontsova found her reader - her books are addressed to him.
Tatyana Ustinova
The name of this author is known to society no less than the previous one. The works of Tatyana Ustinova are read in one breath. A distinctive feature of this author is that her characters constantly analyze the situation in order to find the best way out of the situation.
In her books you can find deep thoughts on the search for the meaning of life, accompanied by a reassessment of attitude to reality. Investigations of crimes occur against the background of immersion in thought and analysis of existing prospects.
Galina Kulikova
Perhaps this author is not so loved by readers, but her books also deserve attention. Who is Galina Kulikova? She began writing ironic detectives since she became disillusioned with the desire to achieve success in the poetic field.
Choosing a detective genre for herself, the girl immediately achieved the desired result. We can say that its direction was profitable and brought good luck. Galina Kulikova’s books are very interesting to read, you never know how the killer disguised himself.
Alexandra Marinina
This writer is one of the most popular authors of the country. The secret of her success lies in her great capacity for work and in the fact that she never went in cycles in her own failures. According to the writer, it is only necessary to move forward, overcoming any obstacles with dignity.
Alexandra Marinina is accustomed not to rely on outside inspiration, but to create it herself: if you accustom yourself every day to work in a strictly defined sequence, then luck will surely knock on your home.
Instead of a conclusion
What ironic detective to read? The most exciting novels of Ioanna Khmelevskaya: “Cursed Legacy”, “Runs”, “Crocodile from the Country of Charlotte”. Tatyana Ustinova is famous for her detective-psychological masterpieces: “Chronicle of the vile times”, “Personal angel”, “Special Purpose Friend”.
Fans of Darya Dontsova’s creativity will be interested in books: “Behind all the Hares”, “Tired Toys Sleeping”, “Pool with Crocodiles”, “Lady with Claws”, “Damn from a Snuff Box”. Serious crime investigations are combined here with funny incidents. The humor that is present in the works will certainly cheer you up, help you tune in a positive way. You definitely will not be bored!
Thus, the detective genre can be very exciting. He has a lot to learn, you just need to open your own interest. What is an ironic detective? The best authors have been described in this article. First of all, it is a mixture of optimism and relentless pursuit of new experiences. Open books and be amazed, enjoy reading!