La geologa, il cigno e i Vecchi Credenti

by Irina Zhorov, Massimo Bentini (Translator)

Nell’Unione Sovietica dei primi anni Settanta, Galina è una geologa trentenne, “figlia della propaganda”, cresciuta in una famiglia influente e con un padre che è un inflessibile funzionario del regime. Dopo diverse e importanti spedizioni geologiche nel Paese, Galina è incaricata di guidare una missione di rilevamento in Siberia alla ricerca di un giacimento di ferro in vista dell’apertura di una gigantesca miniera che dovrebbe accelerare lo sviluppo industriale del Paese, nella ostinata competizione con l’Occidente.

Durante un volo di rilevamento sulla taiga siberiana, a bordo di un elicottero guidato da un pilota-geologo con un’aria d’artista (e di dissidente), mentre sorvolano una striscia della foresta in teoria disabitata, vede dall’alto, in mezzo al nulla, una minuscola capanna e un orto, e quando l’indomani, a piedi, raggiungono lo stesso luogo, scoprono l’esistenza di una misteriosa famiglia, i Kol, composta dal patriarca Hugo e i suoi tre figli, Agafia, Dima e Natalia. Ma chi sono veramente? Come sono finiti in una terra così estrema e da sempre disabitata, con l’insediamento umano più vicino a quasi trecento chilometri di distanza, senza nessuna delle comodità assicurate dalla tecnologia?

Nell’incontro tra i geologi e la famiglia Kol, che è anche un incredibile e imprevisto incontro tra il Diciassettesimo e il Ventesimo secolo, tra un mondo votato al progresso e un modo votato alla conservazione, ben presto esplodono le molte contraddizioni, incarnate in particolare nel disastroso progetto di una miniera che potrebbe guastare definitivamente quel tratto di natura incontaminata.

(Dal sito dell'editore)

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Russia, Audiobook, Historical, Adult

300 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2023

Reviews

[Chrissie Whitley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lost Believers is a novel inspired by true events, unfolding in 1970s Soviet Russia, where two women's lives intersect and take unexpected turns. Galina, a young geologist from Moscow, falls in love with her pilot, Snow Crane, during a mineral exploration trip in Siberia. Their discovery of a family living in isolation sets the stage for a life-changing meeting with Agafia, born into a family of Old Believers. As a friendship develops, the two women confront conflicting futures shaped by their backgrounds and the unforgiving forces of Soviet politics. The story delves into fate, ambition, and the impact of choices made in a turbulent era.

Zhorov sets the stage with ease, no doubt aided by her career in journalism. Allowing the introduction of the two characters to unfold, she takes her time and inserts flashbacks to prepare the reader for the gravity of the collision of the two separate worlds with Galina and Agafia's meeting. Agafia's family quickly acclimates to the newcomers, particularly her, as they swiftly adapt and incorporate the outside world into their tiny isolated bubble.

Journalists don't often transition well to writing long-form pieces of fiction — particularly when there seems to be an obligation to tell a story that is based on real events, to whatever degree. The great dupe of fiction is that none of what we read is real, but that it could be. The author must convince the reader that it is life-like and that the characters exist off the page. Zhorov's inability to leave journalism behind and approach her novel with a Svengali air of sanctioned deception is where the shortcomings of this book start.

The pace slows tremendously once Galina and her pilot, Snow Crane leave before the harsh winter. (Snow Crane is a nickname given by Agafia upon meeting him, before which he was simply known as Galina's no-name pilot — and then he is unbelievably called Snow Crane for the remainder of the book, even by Galina — even away from the taiga.) With very little dialogue, and more than an arm's length of removal between the characters and the reader, the remote third-person narrative that switches between Galina and Agafia for the majority of the book is at odd's with the intention of a character study here. There is no intimacy, no internal access to either Agafia or Galina.

This distance and tone, almost disinterested in itself, feels like a news article — maybe a magazine feature, at most. There’s a finality to the passages that makes it feel as though it’s constantly setting up for a scene to open up — something that almost never happens — or is working on wrapping up the story. And, at some random spot like 30% in, it’s hard to imagine what could be written on the intervening pages that warrants such a length.

The exacerbation of the tone is made worse (and quite boring) by Zhorov leaning so heavily into telling rather than showing — it is constant. Which is odd, given the approach to a character study when we should more readily feel what the character is feeling and the choices with which they struggle. This felt more like the outline of a screenplay (sans dialogue) rather than a novel, which underscored that most of this played out in the author's head, rather than it being written to play out properly in mine.

I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.

[Andrea Gagne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm usually hesitant to read slow-paced character studies without much plot, but the blurb for Lost Believers drew me in. I'm glad I took the chance!

This is a rich, immersive ode to the harsh but beautiful Siberian taiga. To the mountains that are ancient, steadfast, and oblivious to the human dramas that unfold on their crust, to the hopes and struggles of the tiny people who revere them; yet that very earth is, at the same time, utterly vulnerable to the advances of human industry.

There are a few POVs but the two most central characters are Agafia and Galina - each embodying different worlds within the same Soviet-era Russia. Agafia came from a lineage of Old Believers who rejected the church reforms of Peter the "Great" and secluded themselves in exile in Siberia to protect the old customs, beliefs, and ways of worship. Agafia was born in the taiga and knows nothing of the outside world. She has never even met someone she wasn't related to. That changes when Galina, a geologist scouting iron deposits in the mountains, and her partner who comes to be known as Snow Crane come across her tiny homestead. Bit-by-bit over the coming years, Agafia's world expands in ways that would seem utterly mundane to Galina and the crew, but shake the foundation of everything Agafia knows.

First and foremost: the prose! The descriptions of the mountains, the taiga, the woods - nature was painted as beautiful to the point of near-divinity. Agafia grew up deeply religious, and yet in her mountain homestead she had never stepped foot inside a church. For her, the trees and mountains stretching towards the heavens were her literal place of worship. But for the other "worldly" characters too, nature spoke to something deep inside them in a way that healed old woulds and restored them. Even the scenes that took place in cityscapes and industrial factories had the same immersive quality to their descriptions, which juxtaposed human "progress" against the purity of the taiga.

While the taiga brought these characters together, we got to see how unique each of the paths they took to get there was. Galina came to love the mountains through her love of geology, which she found despite - and also because of - her father's political influence; Snow Crane came to geology from his love of the mountains, embracing the exile that had been imposed upon him. The earth, too, is a character in this story - ancient, immovable, and unchanging as humans scurry across its surface, and yet at the same time so vulnerable to becoming a casualty of human advancement.

For readers who enjoy plot-driven books with faster pacing, this has the potential to feel slow and meandering. I do generally fall into this category of reader. However, the uniqueness of the Siberian setting and of Agafia's perspective did hook me. I will admit though that the scenes with Galina and Snow Crane wintering in Moscow did bog me down a bit, and I found myself getting antsy for them to get back to Siberia.

For readers who love a slow character study with rich and immersive "vibes" this is definitely one to pick up!

Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for this ARC to read and review.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This beautiful novel traces the interaction of Agafia, a devout Christian living an isolated life in Siberia, with Galina, a geologist and strong supporter of the Soviet government. Agafia’s family is part of a group known as the Old Believers, members of the Russian Orthodox Church who refused to accept certain (mostly liturgical) changes which were (brutally) enforced in the 17th century. They walked to western Siberia in search of others having their beliefs, but wound up living in a sole family unit in the Siberian taiga. Their life was completely without modern or “worldly” items or interaction of any kind.
Galina is a modern Soviet woman, who comes to survey the part of the taiga in which Agafia lives in connection with the development of a large iron mine. She and her pilot/significant other meet Agafia and her family, and a unique bond develops between the two women who come to their friendship from completely different worlds. As Agafia is exposed to “worldliness” and Galina is exposed to the natural power of the taiga, both likely and unexpected events and results occur. I found the juxtaposition of the two women to be very interesting.
However, what moved me most was the description of the taiga. The effect of the seasons - from the bitter cold and resulting hibernation of winter, to the first buds of spring, to the fully melted river were all wonderfully and tangibly described. The animal life in the taiga was well portrayed. The beauty and power of nature are pitted against destruction and devastation to be caused by the mine. As a result, the reader experiences not only the old/new relationship between the women, but also between nature and industrialization. (For me, this was another novel in which nature became a character. This is something I deeply enjoy, but I recognize that others may not.)
There are also some very nicely written scenes of everyday life in the Soviet Union. This quiet but powerful novel that will remain with me.

[Jilly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very excited to receive an ARC of Lost Believers because it explores a unique aspect of Russian culture that isn't really discussed much in the West: Old Believers. There's a lot to like about the book--the descriptions of life in the taiga are beautiful and although the book's pacing is pretty slow, that didn't really bother me because the descriptions were really lovely.

However, what I am exhausted by and what brings my rating of the book down so far is the book's reliance on the tired trope of a woman being sexually assaulted and getting pregnant from the attack. Look, this plot point has been done hundreds of times in books, television shows, and movies. If you cannot think of a better way of creating conflict for your characters, you're just not a very original writer. There are other ways to traumatize your character without relying on something that has been overdone to the point of exhaustion. Once that event occurs, the plot really does seem to jump shark for the character, and her choices become wildly illogical with no resolution. It makes for an all-around dissatisfying read for a book that starts out with a lot of potential.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

[Roxana Sabau · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book is based on a real story, which is exactly why I picked it up to begin with. It's the story of Agafia Lykova, the last surviving member of a family of Russian Old Believers.

Her parents fled their hometown in the 30's due to Soviet persecution. They had four children and remained in the taiga for decades, with no contact to the outside world, completely oblivious to all technological advancements and world events. In 1978, they were discovered by a group of geologists.
The first encounters between the geologists and the Lykov children were akin to European explorers stumbling upon natives of remote islands, Agafia (or her siblings) had never seen airplanes, radios, cars. She had never even seen paper money or horses.

The book depicts a fictional close friendship of Agafia with one of the female geologists, Galina. I was drawn to it because I had seen the documentary on Agafia's life on VICE. I was excited at the prospect of reading a book about Soviet women, especially since the character's lives were so contrasting. The author is an Uzbek expat, which was also another bonus, it basically ticked all the boxes for me.

But it ended up being really underwhelming. The first half was really beautiful, but the slow burn was a bit too slow for me. Disappointed, as I approached it with a lot of enthusiasm.

Cool detail: Agafia is still alive today, lives in the same remote place in Siberia. She is 79 years old.

[Bernice | bernicillin]

Lost Believers mostly follows Agafia, the youngest in a family of Old Believers on self-imposed exile in Siberia, and Galina, a state geologist on a data-gathering mission towards the development of a mining site. A chance meeting changes the trajectory of their lives, their perspectives and their decisions both, and the novel ends with both characters having left an indelible mark in the other’s life.

I was drawn to the premise of the novel, of the promise of it: a poignant exploration of the way female lives intersect and inform each other, set in a very specific period in history. The blurb promised immersion, the sort of tension you’d expect when someone almost cloistered (both in the religious, and the isolated, sense) interacts with a worldly, ambitious person of science. What you get instead is an uneven novel that feels, for most of it, unreachable, very like the distant Belovod’e of its characters’ dreams.

Science—geology—plays a major role in the novel, being Galina’s field of expertise. This aspect of the work is inescapable, because I got the sense, sometimes, that I was reading a report with occasional sections of beautiful language. I don’t mind character-driven narratives—I very often prefer them—but those novels work because I get to luxuriate in the telling, in the interrogation of what drives these characters to do what they do, in the internal musings that enliven them. While this sometimes appears here, it’s very seldom in the perspective of either Agafia or Galina. At its most poetic, it talks of Snow Crane, even his poet friend Marat. For a novel supposedly about Agafia and Galina, Lost Believers shines when it talks of the men in the periphery. (It would make sense for Galina’s parts to read like so, but for it to extend to Agafia, when her internal world—thus, her language—would’ve been so different, seems more like a story-telling failing than anything else.) It became difficult, then, to root for these women. In contrast with the other characters, they were too hard to know.

While the premise was interesting, the writing—which informed the character work—failed to make the most of it. The occasional bouts of beautiful imagery doesn’t make up for over 300 pages of distant prose. A shame, since I really wanted to be invested.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for a review copy!

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5. I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book. It’s very character-driven (but still well paced), and takes you deep into the perspectives of the two main characters, as well as some of the supporting cast. Both Julia and Agafia were sympathetic, well-developed and experienced a lot of character growth. My favorite part is Agafia’s imaginary friend! Such a whimsical addition to an otherwise serious story. Without spoiling the ending, I liked that the book mostly let the reader come to their own conclusions (not preachy) and allowed for multiple perspectives on the central conflict. I also learned a lot. The language and writing were beautiful. I will definitely be recommending this book once it debuts. Thank you for the opportunity to read the ARC!

[Geonn Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an odd one, because I REALLY enjoyed it, but I'm not sure who I would recommend it to. If the premise sounds interesting, give it a shot because the story definitely lives up to it. The setting and the characters and the description of the Russian wilderness... and both characters were given strong voices so it wasn't just "Person from the 'real' world meets strange savages." I particularly enjoyed the bit about space junk falling to Earth, and the different reactions of both women.

[Jon Panetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book to remind you progress isn't all it's cracked up to be, and that the future can always be ripped away.

[Holly Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vivid and beautifully written.

[Tasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slow paced story set in the 1970s about an interaction between two women living very different and very challenging lives in the Soviet Union. The sense of depression of living during that time in that area of the world was delivered well but the story moved along very slowly.

Thank you to Netgalley and Scribner for an eARC of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A woman whom time forgot and a modern woman from a modern age meet each other in the Soviet Union during the 1970s. One has a strong belief in her Christian faith and the other a strong belief in the State. As unlikely as it seems, they form a friendship over the course of two summers in Siberia. They influence each other as the Old Believer sees the outside world for the first time and the career woman sees - really sees - the outside for the first time.

Haunting and sad, bittersweet and poetic, the story of these women and their lives and loves unfolds amid the difficulties of life in Siberia, in Moscow, and in the world. Agafia's fantasies are delightful and a good contrast to Galina's practicality. Other characters share their interesting lives with the women, and in the end, you are left wondering about what could have been and what should have been.

[Lorin (paperbackbish) · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the 1970s, two Russian women will meet and change each other's lives forever. Galina is a successful young geologist leading mining projects, while Agafia leads a secluded life in the Siberian wilderness, following the Old Believer ways. The two could truly not be more different on the surface, but the ways in which they interact and show their love ring out in such similar tones.

I adored this story, and these characters. It's a slow burn novel for sure, but it's delicious in its detail. I am, admittedly, a sucker for what I've come to recognize as an Eastern European writing style: staccato prose interlaced with exquisite metaphor. The writing itself is stunning, and the addition of two beautiful female characters makes the read that much better.

The ending is somehow deeply satisfying in its unsatisfactoriness? Does that make sense? It's ambiguous, but not in a flip-the-table sense. More that it gives you the freedom to imagine whatever paths you want these characters to travel next. It's been a while since I finished the book, and the stories of Galina and Agafia still loom large in my thoughts.

Thank you so much to Irina Zhorov, Scribner, and NetGalley for my advance digital copy.

[SydneysBookNook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lost Believers is such an amazing story. I did not know that geology and the 1970s Soviet mining industry could be so interesting! The stories of Agafia and Galina highlight the importance and purity of nature, while shining a light on the industries that do great harm to it. Agafia is an innocent soul who cares greatly for the taiga in Siberia where she lives, accompanied by only her close family and the land around her. Galina comes into her life, intent on finding iron and mining the land, but Agafia shows her just how beautiful nature is and can be. Their story of friendship, as well as Galina's and Snow Crane's relationship were wonderful to read. I only wish that Agafia's point of view was shown more!

[Mitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Geological metaphor meets the ghost of Peter the Great in Siberian isolation.

This is an introspective story about two women whose lives cross in the 1970s soviet union. One is a state geologist. The other has lived in isolation with her family for 40 years; they are part of a christian sect persecuted and chased since the 1660's. It's inspired by the true story of the Lykov family.

I think what hooked me the most about this story, aside from Peter's ghost, was the outlook of disaffected soviet citizens and the surrounding 1970s world. It's one thing to know facts about history, and another to see the emotional detail of people living it.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hauntingly beautiful and evocative tale. The Siberian taiga itself is perhaps the strongest "character" in the novel. Like the book itself, it is sensitive but merciless, leaving a profound impact on the characters (and readers) who tread its trackless depths. I also enjoyed the exploration of the central relationships in the book: Galina and Agafia, and Galina and Snow Crane. Another fascinating inclusion was the character of Peter--we're never quite sure whether he's entirely imaginary or whether there's something of the supernatural there (I think the text suggests one interpretation more than the other, but I'll let you form your own conclusion). The characters' perspectives were unique and it was interesting to see the world through their eyes.

The beautiful, poetic descriptions of the setting and characters' lives held my interest, even in places where the plot moved slowly. Zhorov doesn't always adhere to the adage to "show, don't tell," and writes well enough to get away with it.

Lost Believers also contains a wealth of detail about geology, theology, history, ecology, and daily life in the Soviet Union. This necessary exposition never overwhelms the story (though in a couple of places it threatens to). I found these details to be convincing and believable--the author has clearly done her research, and I feel I learned quite a bit as a result.

Without giving too much away, as the plot progresses, the characters move from being relatively sure of their place in the world to a place of uncertainty and insecurity, and then on to a new resolution. This transition wasn't entirely satisfying to me; it seemed that the book struggled to find its footing at the same time the characters did. But despite this, overall, I found it to be an enjoyable read and an impressive debut novel.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounding up for the lovely writing and descriptions of the taiga.

This is a slow, narrative driven book without a ton of plot. The main issue is how Galina, a Soviet geologist, will reconcile her friendship and career with Agafia, a woman who lives in a remote homestead in Siberia where Galina has been sent to survey for a new mine. Her partner and pilot, Snow Crane (I never understood why we never got his name), also comes to know Agafia and her family, as they spend two summers in Siberia, returning to Moscow for the winter. Agafia and her family are "Old Believers," pre-schism Eastern Orthodox Christians, who fled for Siberia during the religious persecution of Stalin's reign. Agafia has never met anyone outside her immediate family. This whole story eventually creates a tension between progress and conservation, Western vs Soviet values, religion vs atheism, and every other possible tension you can imagine between these two groups, who nonetheless come to care for each other very much.

I enjoyed this book, and while there were lines where the author felt she needed to tell in addition to show, the prose was mostly lovely and very evocative of the landscape. I learned more about industrialization during the Soviet era, and with today's headlines, it's useful history to know.

I echo another reviewer about a tired trope used on a female character, because it was so obvious while I was reading and I'm certain I actually rolled my eyes. It didn't add anything, though I guess it created a reason for the dramatic final chapter to occur.

Overall, an enjoyable, slow-paced look at Soviet life in Siberia.

[Phillip Hardy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Based on the blurb, I went into Lost Believers thinking it would be like a cross cultural exchange between Christian fundamentalists and secular Soviets. They'd both come away with something. That's true, but it wasn't a satisfying read for me.

It's a character study, and boy is it bleak. Perhaps what you expect from the Soviet Union in the 1970s. I didn't find the journey or destination to be for me. It was just bleak for everyone involved and went on. I felt that the narratives weren't balanced; we got a lot more from the secular Soviet side. And there wasn't much in depth about the religious views of the Old Believers.

I did find this paragraph to be excellent though: "[He] could see now what lay ahead for him. He would live an ordinary life, of average precarity. The fortune-teller had nothing to say about his future because it would be unremarkable. He'd toil perfunctorily, he'd love a woman, perhaps more than one, he'd walk the streets and drink in the company of strangers and friends, and there'd be flashes of joy, like fireworks in an otherwise unlit night....What was there to complain about? Millions of people managed with less. It was just that he was a poet. He'd allowed himself to imagine something divine. Perhaps he'd been an amateur. A better use of one's imagination would be to create the divine out of the mundane. On good, days he promised himself he'd try."

I received the book for free as part of a Goodreads promotion. In this early version, the chapter spacing is very inconsistent. Some chapters are extremely long and others extremely short. It's jarring.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished Irina Zhorov 's "Lost Believers" set in Soviet Russia in the late 60's and follows the collision of Geologists seeking the iron ore that was the beating heart of the USSR's push for Industrialization, and a family of Old World Believers, chased into the isolation of the pristine tiaga by the Soviet State some 40 years earlier. Its also the story of state-manufactured orphans who spend their lives trying to escape prisons within prisons, while others feast, and still others starve for their beliefs, as industrialization devours nature. And even in its freest moments, when you allow yourself to experience the characters' joy and hopes, there is something greater at-stake on the page, the threat amplified by the joy and possibilities you allowed your own heart, as you're rooting for these characters and place. Hoping against hope the closer they get to the gate.

The prose glides, it's economy and timing on the better side of perfect to be as playful and lush and brutal as it feels. And if you might believe a humble redneck reader, it's a banger of a love story. You really want to see them get to keep it. If this isn't on HBO or Netflix in a couple years, I'll be astonished.

But don't wait, read it now. Its too gorgeous not to. Through all of it, you'll be reminded that in life we only get to dine with Angels for but the briefest of moments. And it broke my heart for long ago tables and people that I've known.

Zhorov has written a perfect novel. Your heart will be bruised for days.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lost Believers by Irina Zhorov is a tale of two women, at the same period of time separated by literal time and space. Galina is a geologist heading to Siberia to check for minerals for Russia to mine. She with a young pilot, Snow Crane, should be the only people in this remote part of the world but they what they find is unbelievable. They find a family on a farm, who ran away from religious persecution they found in Russia. They have been here for decades, living off the land and Galina threatens their world. Agathia, is the daughter of this family and she and Galina become friends. They are amazed by each other. How can they not be permanently changed by their chance meeting? How can they come to terms with the fact that their futures aren’t guaranteed? Or for that matter, that they don’t need to change them? If Galina goes back to the Soviet Union and tells the truth about the land, Agathia’s family will be upturned. But if she goes back and says nothing is there, her career will be ruined. Definitely a difficult decision to make.. It seems like either choice is impossible. The author is a wonderful writer but this type of writing is so slow for me. I tend to like a much faster paced book. Nevertheless I did think it was an interesting topic and I did finish it.. so there is something there. I want to thank Netgalley and the author for my copy for an honest review. It is always a pleasure to read and review books of all types. What are your thoughts?

[Jill Geyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It is fiction, but based on real people and events. A family of "Old Believers" leaves the city and moves out to a remote part of the Russian Taiga where they have no contact with society, and can worship freely. The main character in the story is Agafia, a daughter in this family. She is real, and the story of her family is real. A group of geologists searching areas for mining happen to find them and over time develop a relationship. Galina, one of the head geologists, is moved by this family's love for the landscape, and she develops deep guilt and remorse for her job in mining that would destroy it. Galina works for Soviet Russia, and is caught up between her duty, and her personal feelings. My favorite quote from the book is near the end. Galina is looking at the scarred and calloused hand of a friend, due to years in a Soviet labor camp. She says "the markings hide your original lines (on his hand) what could have been." He replies "That's true for everybody, we all shed or obscure the lives we could have lived as we age." The Smithsonian wrote an article about this family and these events. A fascinating story about the land, and people in Soviet Russia trying to live their lives after Stalin.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating. Galina and Agafia could not have been raised in different circumstances and with different expectations but they meet in 1970s Siberia and bond. Galina, the daughter of a powerful Communist party member, defied her father to follow her heart into geology- and now she's looking for iron in the taiga to fuel the Soviet economy. Agafia's family lives so far off the grid that there isn't even a grid, dependent on the land and their faith. Her one outside companion is the spirit of Peter, who speaks to her. And then Galina and her helicopter pilot Snow Crane arrive and change everything. Agafia and Galina alternately tell the story, with input from Snow Crane, who has his own tragic past that will echo into the future. All three of them experience revelations about their place in the world and all three pulled me into their orbit. This might seem slow and a tad mystic at first, but stick with it. It's a compelling portrait not only of these people but also of the taiga and the Soviet Union. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Terrific and self assured debut that I very much enjoyed.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. The premise is incredibly unique and definitely peaked my interest. But the storytelling falls flat.

This is more of a character study than a novel. To be honest, there is very little plot to speak of. The characters are well written, and the juxtaposition of the lives of Galina and Agafia was the most interesting draw of the book.

The prose and narrative beautifully depicts the Siberian taiga, where Agafia has spent most of her life, secluded from the rest of the modern world. Her family has very strong religious view, which clashed with the rise of the Soviet way of life in Russia. They built their own life away from the "worldly" influence of outsiders. But when city-born Galina and her team of geologists come upon Agafia's family hidden in the wilderness, an inevitable cultural exchange causes both women to reevaluate their lives.

If you are drawn to the history of Soviet-era Russia, you might enjoy this. I loved the descriptions
3/5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

[Alyson Hagy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book for several reasons. First, the settings are rendered beautifully, especially the taiga, and I'm a fan of fiction where landscape is also character. Second, the human characters are remarkable--and remarkably rendered. The deep faith and isolated existence of the Old Believers is vividly depicted; the patient textures of their lives are so evocative. The restless intelligence of the scientists Galina and Snow Crane, young explorers trying to make meaningful lives in the wake of Stalinism, galvanizes the novel and sows seeds of both hope and disappointment. I was gripped by the contrasts between these entangled sets of "believers." Last, but not least, I learned so much from the novel--historically, culturally, geologically, politically. I prefer character-driven fiction to plot-driven fiction, especially if there's a powerful setting, so this one is very much my cup of tea.

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book left me thinking, "It's an objectively good book, but I just didn't connect with it." The book was clearly directly inspired by the Lykov family (real Old Believers who lived isolated in the wilderness and were discovered by geologists; their daughter was even named Agafia) and I think it did a good job of humanizing them. But something was missing that kept it from really making an impact on me. Maybe I wanted a little more interiority from Galina. Maybe more of a "proper ending." How frustrating that we never find out what happened to Snow Crane! What happened when mining came to the taiga? The story feels like it's only barely started.
Although I thought the random addition of sexual assault was ugly and unnecessary, I'm just SO RELIEVED that the author went that way instead of an incest situation. SO RELIEVED. Because we all know that's how a lot of these stories end in the real world.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing is lyrical, even poetic in moments, and the story is transporting. That said, having just finished the novel, I am going back to reread the second half as the story moves from a fixed landscape to the wider world and at times, I found myself lost as to which character I was following.

The book synopsis makes it sound as though the story is about the clash and understanding which
arises between two Russian women- a Moscow-based geologist and a woman living with her family in the Siberian wilderness. Yes, they impact each other's lives, but I found the story more about the
preservation of the natural world and the pollical climate in Russia. Maybe my second reading will alter that conclusion.

If you have a chance to hear this work in audio, I highly recommend you do even if you are not an
audiobook listener. The narrator Gilli Messer is equites- bringing out the lyricism in the story and her accents and Russain pronunciations add authenticity.

[Andreea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook before I found out that the story is inspired by true events and that both Agafia and Galina were real. This realization made me like the book even more.
If you're curious about the true Agafia I found this detailed article: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/histor...
I also thought the prose was especially beautiful and I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of the landscapes which doesn't usually happen when I read.
I also loved how Soviet Russia was described, with both poignancy and subtlety. For me it was very easy to imagine, but that may be due to the fact that I was born in an ex-communist country myself. I don't need a lesson in it, and I appreciated the subtlety. I don't know what it is like for those who have not experienced such a regime.
As a conclusion, Lost believers is one of the best books I've read this year.

[A · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mixed feelings about this book because I found both storylines fascinating and was really intrigued when all the characters met in the page.

The stories about the Lost Believers lives in contrast to Galina’s adventure in love and nature was a great exploration into questions such as - how do our cultural beliefs impact the way we see the world and what happens when the world moves on without you.

All of that being said, I found the writing very slow and the narration to be too distant for me to connect with the characters. A lot of the story is narrated by the two main characters and several significant events happen off the page.

The writing was very descriptive and did not balance that with enough dialogue for me.

If a very distant 3rd person POV doesn’t bother you and the plot sounds interesting, you should check this book out!

ARC provided via NetGalley

[Alexandra]

It's difficult to review this book because not that much happens, but what does happen tells the very sad story of intertwined lives in the Soviet Union in the 1960s-70s. The descriptions of nature are very beautiful, and as a Pittsburgh native, I very much appreciated the accuracy of what the city used to be like when steel was king and of the Croatian steelworker Jesus murals at St. Nicholas' Church. I would have liked more resolution at the end of the novel, and would recommend it to those interested in factual historical fiction not revolving around royalty, as well as those with an interest in Eastern European history.
Trigger warnings for a sexual assault, and discussion of religious trauma and mass suicides.
Many thanks to Goodreads First Reads and the publisher for my free copy, which has not affected my honest review!

[Lois Sittu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lost Believers, a debut novel, by Irina Zhorov, was inspired by true events in the Soviet Union during the 1970s. On a mission to find an area rich in minerals to open a new mine, Galina a geologist from Moscow and her pilot Snow Crane discovers a family of Old Believers. They are members of an ancient and persecuted sect who left their community when changes were made that didn't fit with their beliefs. They now live alone in the harsh Siberian wilderness. Galina becomes close with Agafia, the eldest daughter.

The copy of the book I read was an advance readers edition that I received from entering the goodreads givaway.