The Works of Nikolai Gogol

A mixed collection of stories. The Cloak and the Mysterious Portrait are the highlights, though neither ironically were on the contents list for the work.

The Government Inspector - a rather unsubtle satire against the Russian bureaucracy, corruption and pokazuka of the early 19th century, very funny, hilariously so in places, but also feeling rather insubstantial to me. It just didn't feel meaty enough for such a well regarded work. The relationship between the Governor's wife and daughter reminded me very much of that between Dickens's Mrs and Kate Nickleby.

Taras Bulba - thought of as a great and heroic Russian epic, I actually found much of this quite unpleasant to read. There was no real sense of adventure, except perhaps at the beginning; thereafter the heroic Cossacks do little else but fight and kill Poles and Jews, who are all lumped together, alongside Mussulmen, i.e. Muslims, as enemies of Russian Orthodox Christianity. The characters seem more like fantasy figures than anything approaching historical reality. This was like a Cossack version of the Iliad, but without the grandeur.

St John's Eve: a story told by the sacristan of the Dikanka Church - not listed in the contents, so this came as a surprise after the sudden end of Taras Bulba 80% of the way through this collection. A rather horrific little fairy tale.

The Cloak - the non listed stories continue. More usually translated as The Overcoat. Just as funny and tragically poignant as on my previous reading.

Two Ivans - didn't reread this

The Mysterious Portrait - very good, haunting story about a painting that has a devastating effect on its owners and transforms their character. A bit over long, but one of his best in my view.

The Calash - mildly humourous but inconsequential story about aristocrats boasting over a new coach.
3.5/5 ( )