Come to Me

by Bogdan B. Rusev, Ekaterina Petrova (Translator)

Come to Me details the experience of coming-of-age in 1990s Bulgaria, in the wake of the Soviet Bloc's collapse and the country's transition to parliamentary democracy.

Rusev's novel delves into the drinking, drugging, partying life of Bulgarian youth of the period, juxtaposing dramatic social and political changes with young Bulgarians' efforts to find distraction, escape, and even salvation in intoxication, frantic activity, love, and emigration.

Genres: Bulgaria

96 pages, Paperback

Published December 31, 2019

About the author

An English transliteration of Богдан Русев.

Reviews

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books that remind people that we are all desperate to live while desperate to escape everything are my bread and butter. While this book details life in Bulgaria during such governmental change, it ignites the ideas of everyday revolution and adapting to survive historical times. The breaks in structure and point of view made this a memorable and enjoyable read. I’m veryyyy happy to have been recommended this book.

[Indre Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sort of strange nostalgia hit me so hard with this one. Potential energy, mixed with a need for pure love and freedom runs deep through the young characters of this novel. Vivid recollections, frantic, drug induced experiences and impromptu sexual encounters glazed over a backdrop of violent social/political revolution. The precipice of adulthood is daunting and oftentimes dangerous, with many hard lessons scratched in its curriculum. The book itself just hums with adolescent angst that we’ve all been stamped with at some point in our lives; what more could I ask for?

[Madison Safer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very quick read- interesting portrait of the time.

[Eloïse · Rating 4 out of 5]

why is everything i read about drugs and sex

[renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

the aimless and hollow days; bulgaria's youth in the beginnings of a painful passage to capitalism

[Michaela Daly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an intense snapshot of young adulthood in Bulgaria. It's desperate and allows the reader to muse, but clear and touches on the larger political and global context of the characters and their lives. The author's writing is descriptive and poetic. Although set in Bulgaria in the 90's, it felt relatable to me and my experience as an early 20-something figuring out how to be.