Вдовишкият параход

by I. Grekova, Людмила Писарева (Translator)

Истинското име на авт. е Вера С. Вентцел

Genres: Russia, Fiction, Russian Literature, Historical Fiction, School

232 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Pen name of Elena Sergeevna Ventsel, a pun on y in mathematics, which sounds in russian as "igrek".

Reviews

[Sergey Dolgov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Книга, обязательная для всех, кто "можем повторить". Чудовищные последствия войны на самом обычном "бытовом" уровне.

[None Ofyourbusiness Loves Israel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I. Grekova, the pseudonym of Soviet mathematician Elena Ventzel (whose expertise in probability theory intriguingly involves the letter y, "i grec" in French, as a symbol for unknowns), exchanges dry formulas for the realm of heartbreaking fiction in "The Ship of Widows." This 1979 novel spotlights the human cost of war endured by five Soviet widows sharing a cramped Moscow apartment trying to navigate the tempests of their existence.

These women, a microcosm of Soviet society, hail from diverse backgrounds. Olga, a former concert pianist, carries the weight of loss and a war injury. Anfisa, a working-class woman with a hidden past, finds solace in motherhood. Ada, an ostracized ex-opera singer, injects a touch of glamour and gossip into their shared quarters. Each woman grapples with poverty, grief, and the soul-crushing bureaucracy suffocating their daily lives.

Grekova skillfully avoids reducing her characters to mere symbols. Their struggles, dreams, and clashes feel genuine, set against the backdrop of a war-ravaged city and Communist society. Readers aren't just shown the hardships; they're drawn into the fragile camaraderie that blossoms amidst adversity, highlighting the resilience of the human spirit. The raw human drama in "The Ship of Widows" is so intense that readers may not immediately recognize it as a work of literature.

The author vividly depicts the political, social, and moral outrages that have plagued Soviet citizens since World War II. Through the lives of the widows in the communal apartment, she paints a striking picture of postwar hardships. Stalin's Russia makes raising a normal child impossible; poverty and overcrowding provoke daily indignities, while the lack of privacy puts further strain on already disrupted families. Lies, bureaucratic malice, and the prohibition of religion challenge the very fabric of liberal ideals, shaking readers with the harsh realities of social conditions.

[Sergey Dolgov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Книга обязательная к изучению для тех, кто "может повторить". Страшная книга про уничтожение жизни.

[Lisa Hayden Espenschade · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this short novel about widows living in a communal apartment during and after World War 2. Grekova's understanding of psychology and the specific demands of the era make Ship of Widows an absorbing book about interdependence, among other things. (My blog has more here, with general plot information but no specific spoilers.)

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very readable Soviet book about lives in a communal apartment. Compassionate and moving. And very Russian.

[Derek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this quiet, simple but sometimes intense story of ordinary Russian women living in the wake of the Great Patriotic War.

[hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I. Grekova is a pseudonym for Elena Ventsel (to mask her gender), and it is based off of the math symbol igrek (y) for an unknown number, as she was a mathmetician by profession in the Soviet Union. In this (fiction) novel, she beautifully depicts the life of a communal apartment during and after WWII. Creating a world of five widows with vastly different personalities, and Ventsel stunningly details their intertwining yet separate lives. This novel is a page-turning, wonderfully written story that examines the experience of women in the USSR.

[Nicole Mosley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of five women brought together during WWII in Russia. A book about interdependence and the daily life of Soviets during the war. Well informed.

[Homo · Rating 5 out of 5]

sublime. if you ever lived with roommates, youll be larfin allot. the literal translation of the russian title is 'one flew over the cucks nest' and if that dont entice you, go to hell

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Diezgan paredzamas komunālās kaislības.

[aden · Rating 3 out of 5]

$2 from norx goodwill, not bad. what a tough story, anita <3

[Teresa Carreón Granados · Rating 3 out of 5]

En esta parte del mundo, poco se sabe de la vida cotidiana de cualquier habitante en la extinta Unión Soviética. “La nave de las viudas” describe la lucha cotidiana de cinco mujeres que por diferentes razones quedan viudas después de la Segunda Guera Mundial en Moscú y conviven en un departamento en el que cada una tiene su propia habitación y se enfrentan a diversas vicisitudes.

Elena Sergeevna Ventzel (originaria de Estonia, parte del imperio ruso, 1907-2002) utilizó el seudónimo Irina Grekova (I. Grekova, Edivisión, México) para escribir “La nave de las viudas”; de profesión fue matemática pero cuentista de corazón cuya vocación hereda de sus padres ya que su madre enseñaba literatura, mientras que su padre, matemáticas.
Grekova recibió el Doctorado en Ciencias y después de cumplir los 50 años comenzó a escribir adquiriendo el seudónimo Grekova, que es un símbolo matemático que significa ‘cantidad desconocida’.
Durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial se exige la presencia de hombres y mujeres, unos para defender el frente de guerra, ellas realizando diversas tareas de enfermería, logística, mensajería; las ciudades y pueblos se quedan llenos de mujeres que esperan a combatientes que en su mayoría no volverán. La novela de I. Grekova describe la vida de cinco mujeres una vez terminada la guerra: viven en un viejo edificio en el que interactúan y se enfrentan a sus mayores temores y traumas. Algunas son madres con hijos sin padres, otras deben enfrentar al desempleo y la burocracia o el alcoholismo de viejos combatientes. La nada fácil convivencia entre mujeres que dejaron su juventud atrás se muestra en cada página del libro.
Desde hace algunos años se promueve el ‘cohousing’ -vivienda colaborativa en la que se comparten espacios como la cocina o áreas de descanso entre habitantes de edificios o residencias, aunque cada uno posee su espacio porpio- como un gran descubrimiento reciente, cuando ya fue practicado hace décadas en otras zonas del mundo. Grekova lo muestra en su interesante libro, en condiciones de posguerra.

[Grada (BoekenTrol) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this book for my birthday, years ago when I was still in University.
I liked it very much, it gave me more insight in the daily life, struggles and the way of thinking of people in the former USSR. We here had no other way (then) to learn anything about that, but from books, or an occasional movie that was shown on a Slavic night.
This book was an eye opener for me.

[Helen Azar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent post-WWII Soviet fiction. This author has a realistic, yet gripping style, will keep you turning those pages! Depressing subject matter but well worth reading...

[Daisy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started to read this and realized it seemed awfully familiar. Guess I've read it before. 3 stars because of the fact that it wasn't that memorable. But it's not bad.

[Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glimpse into the lives of USSR women before and after WW11, so sad.