The Russian character, so many, yet so individual. ( )

Anna, whose full name sounds very much like a famous Russian poet (she's practically her namesake!), is trying to make a living as a writer and poet, while keeping her family fed and under control. Her elderly mother is demented or psychotic, her daughter keeps getting pregnant by different men (Anna already looks after six year-old Tima, the oldest of her grandchildren), and her son is just out of prison (and his "friends" are looking for him - the ones that he owes money to).

In an engaging, spirited voice, laced with irony and a dark wit, Anna tells us her story, which is both familiar and foreign. She's tough, fierce, and exhausted. Published in 1992, her tale exposes the (then) contemporary struggle of many Russians, particularly women, in sitcom fashion. Yes, I found it darkly funny, but ultimately heartbreaking. ( )