Aetherial Worlds

We all have our internal paradoxes. One of mine is the coexistence of a long-standing disconnect with blood relatives and a fascination with my cultural heritage. Both sides of my family have extensive roots in Eastern Europe, so, while perusing a list of women authors of weird short fiction, I happened upon Tatyana Tolstaya, a marvelous Russian writer whose Russianness is an intimate part of her work. Her stories are the sort where I can never tell if she’s writing about actual experiences or artfully weaving herself into her aetherial fiction. Perhaps both. There’s a wonder, a melancholy, and an edge to all of these stories, even the most mundane has an otherworldly feel, that tastes distinctly Russian to me. I loved them and will be seeking out more of her work.