In 2009, a new novel by the famous Russian writer Andrei Rubanov appeared - “Chlorophilia”. The intriguing title and catchy cover immediately attracted the attention of avid sci-fi lovers, and the book became very popular. But is it worth reading this work? According to the annotation to the novel, the reader is promised a “brain explosion”, but how much is this statement true?
Andrey Rubanov
Andrei Rubanov is a Russian writer and film playwright. Born in the village of Uzunovo (07/25/1969), the Moscow region. According to other sources? place of birth is the city of Elektrostal. Immediately after school, he joined the army, where from 1987 to 1989 he served in the air defense units of the Russian Federation. He entered and studied at the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University. In his youth, Andrei Rubanov changed many jobs: he was a correspondent in the newspaper, a laborer at a construction site, a driver, a bodyguard, and also tried his hand at small business, in the field of private entrepreneurship. In 1996, Andrei Rubanov was under investigation on charges of fraud. He was detained, but in 1999 the writer was acquitted.
In 1999 and 2000, he lived and worked in the Chechen Republic. In 2001, Andrei Viktorovich returned to Moscow and again took up private business.
In 2005, the author’s first novel appeared - “Plant, and grow.” The work is largely biographical, as it describes the difficult life of illegal businessmen of the difficult 90s. The writer published his debut novel on his own, that is, at his own expense. But already in 2006, the book was included in the National Bestseller list.
Since then, Andrei Rubanov has written several novels and released two collections of short stories. The writer is married to Aglaya Kurnosenko. There are two children - son Anton (1995) and daughter Ariadne (2012).
Creation
The novel “Plant and Grow” became the starting point of Andrei Rubanov's literary career. The work was so successful that they became interested abroad, it was published in English under the name Do Time Get Time.
The next books of the writer are “The Great Dream” (2007), “Life Failed” (2008) and “Get Ready for War” (2009).
In 2009, Andrei Rubanov’s most famous novel, Chlorophilia, was born. The best-selling book, which immediately appeared a sea of ​​admirers. And they demanded a continuation from the writer, moreover, the author himself was not against developing the idea of ​​the book a little further. So the novel “Living Earth” (2010) appeared - the second part of the series “Chlorophilia”, where you can find out what happened next with the characters.
Then in 2011, Andrei Rubanov wrote Psychedelic and Gods of the Gods, and then, after a significant break, the book Patriot appeared (2017). Partly, “Patriot” is a continuation of “Get Ready for War,” but the plot stories are little connected, the action takes place a considerable time after the events described in the book.
Awards of the novel "Chlorophilia"
Chlorophilia by Andrei Rubanov became a diploma winner of the Strugatsky Brothers Prize (ABS Prize) in 2010, a year later the continuation of the series, Living Earth, was awarded the same honor. In 2013, the book also reached the finals of the Spanish Literary Prize in the nomination “Best Translated Novel”. The novel City and the City by China Mievil won, so the writer had very serious rivals.
Genre
Andrei Rubanov’s book “Chlorophilia” refers to one of the branches of cyberpunk - bio-punk. This is a special area of ​​science fiction devoted to various aspects of the use of genetic engineering, in particular the consequences of the thoughtless use of the latest and biological weapons. But one genre is not enough to characterize a book. “Chlorophilia” is, rather, a mixture of biopunk and dystopia, gloomy and viscous, but at the same time very attractive.
annotation
Chlorophilia Andrei Viktorovich Rubanov has an excellent annotation. It looks like this:
This book will blow your brain. This book tells about how Moscow was overgrown with grass the height of a TV tower. This book tells how the Russians leased Siberia to the Chinese. This book talks about how people turn into plants. This book talks about the times that will come if everyone thinks only about their appetites. Welcome to Moscow. Welcome to Chlorophilia.
The text worked just fine as an ad. The book became interested in fans of the Stalker and Metro 2033 series, who clearly expected something from the work in the same vein: anomalous zones, post-apocalypse, the search for valuable things or just items for survival, and more. But they got a completely different one - social science fiction, anti-utopia, where the elements of biopunk are just a means of putting the heroes in one position or another and speculating on the nature of man and the fate of all mankind.
While readers who are able to appreciate the book and deeply imbued with it, the advertising text is a little scared. So the annotation of “Chlorophilia” is oriented not to the circle of readers, moreover, it overstates the expectation. The last is nit-picking, since all advertising tests slightly embellish reality.
Content
The contents of Andrei Rubanov’s book “Chlorophilia” can be described in a few simple theses:
- Of all the Russian cities, only Moscow remains - a huge metropolis with skyscrapers and a multimillion population. Just like now.
- Most of Russia has been leased to the Chinese, who are the main suppliers of all goods.
- Moscow is overgrown with giant weeds - plants 300 meters tall, and no one knows how and where they came from.
- Muscovites live off rents from the Chinese. But inside the city there is a social stratification of the very rich and the very poor.
- Giant plants are a drug. Poor people consume fresh greens; the rich consume multiple purification substances. But everyone feels the consequences.
- Due to drug use, people cannot tolerate meat, so addicts are calculated on forced vegetarianism.
- People are gradually mutating. Especially unlucky are newborns whose parents used drugs.
The protagonist of the novel is an ordinary office worker with his problems and soul-throwing in the best traditions of Russian literature. It seems that it is not necessary to work, but at least some activity and the illusion of the meaning of life appear. The main character is a secret addict who carefully conceals this fact. He knows that people who use grass give birth to green babies. And the spouse informs him of the pregnancy.
Decor
Among the reviews of Andrei Rubanov’s Chlorophilia, one can find comments of the following kind: “the book is so-so, but the cover is valid,” “bought because of the cover,” and so on. The design really pleased: the man-tree in a toxic green color as a reflection of one of the main story lines. Readers have long been tired of colorful popular prints on the covers, where all heroes have faces without a glimpse of intelligence. Also, buyers do not like minimalistic covers - with the name of the book and the name of the author. So this design was to my taste, played a role in sales.
Originality of the idea
The content of Andrei Rubanov’s “Chlorophilia” is quite original, which is a huge plus for the fantasy world. To date, so much has been invented and written that it is almost impossible to create something completely different from others. There will certainly be experts who will find 1-2, or even a dozen, of similar stories. In the literary world, accusations of plagiarism and theft of other people's ideas often flash.
But Chlorophilia is free from such attacks. It is really difficult to confuse with any other novel.
Review of the novel "Chlorophilia" by Andrei Rubanov
Starting to read the novel, you are waiting for something really stunning - the annotation did its best and strengthened in the minds of the fact that now the “brain will explode”. To be honest, I wanted something in the spirit of Zotov, but not humorous, but more gloomy and sinister.
But from the first pages it became clear that there would be nothing of the kind here. It was a complete impression that you read modern prose. The world is very similar to our reality: a millionaire city with skyscrapers, the eternal dream of Russians that they will become carefree rentiers, social stratification and at the same time problems of the same kind - that of the rich, of the poor. They are all equally unhappy there, hostages of the metropolis, drug addicts hiding their vices. Unhappy people with common problems.
Giant plants are entourage, scenery, against the background of which a wide range of social and psychological problems of the individual and society is shown. Instead, they could have anything - aliens, invisible radiation, harmful impurities in the water, terrible parasites. Throughout the book, one thought runs through the red line: people stopped working and began to turn into plants. And although these events seem to be unrelated, you still catch yourself thinking that laziness and idleness harm people.
The dynamics of the book let us down. The plot moves smoothly, begins to slip in the middle, then the same unhurried denouement follows. To be honest, for many, the novel may seem tedious, boring, moralizing.
The novelty of the author’s ideas is definitely worth praising. But it could be implemented much better. This can be judged by the continuation: if Chlorophilia, with all its ambiguity, is still worth reading, then Living Earth does not cause such a desire. The impression is that the idea did not “lay down” properly, and the book is rather crude - interesting, with complex characters and social problems, deep thoughts and thoughts on what makes a person human.
Reader Reviews
Reviews of the book "Chlorophilia" by Andrei Rubanov divided the readers into two large groups. Some either were delighted with the work, or expressed less enthusiastic, but positive assessments. The novel clearly impressed. He is called the ultramodern masterpiece of domestic fiction.
But some reviews of the book "Chlorophilia" is negative. The novel was criticized for being dull, for the death of a great idea, which could be expressed more colorful and juicy, for general tediousness.
Where is the truth? In fact, "Chlorophilia" can be read to a wide range of readers. Is it necessary, this is another question. The original idea definitely deserves attention, and after reading the book, it will not be forgotten soon. But you should not raise your expectations: “Chlorophilia” is a good novel in the spirit of the Strugatsky, you understand this after reading it, but there will definitely not be a “brain explosion”.