20 most readable books in Russia

Reading has always been a special mystery, immersing the reader in a parallel book world with whose characters one can travel, fall in love, investigate crimes, empathize with their emotions and follow the dashingly twisted plot. Despite the change of generations, times and attitudes, the classics of the 20th century are still in demand – their works are occasionally favored even by lovers of tabloid literature. EXPERTOLOGY experts studied the ratings of book sales in Russia in recent years and made a rating with 20 most read books of different genres and years.

Rating of the most read books in Russia

The Master and Margarita

Rating: 5.0

The controversial author Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov created in the early and mid-twentieth century, and was unpublished for a long time because of Soviet censorship. His novel “The Master and Margarita” gained popularity with the reading public in the latter half of the last century and still stirs the imagination of readers. The mystical plot, the travels of the characters through time and fantasy images, the unification of good, love, the otherworldly and evil in one work – this is what makes you plunge into reading with undying interest. The work has been translated into many languages and is known all over the world, not only for the books, but also for theatrical and television productions.

“The Master and Margarita” is a true bestseller, inspiring photographers, poets, filmmakers and musicians. The work has become an integral part of world culture, so every self-respecting Russian must have a volume of this novel in the home library.

Advantages

• World-famous work;
• Unusual interweaving of different characters from Pontius Pilate to Moscow townspeople into one plot;
• The work provokes an explosion of fantasy and contradictory emotions at the same time.

Flaws

• It doesn’t always “catch on” the first time; it requires an adult approach.

The Dark Tower

Rating: 4.9

The legendary fiction writer from the United States, Stephen King, a master of the horrors of the modern world, worked from 1982 to 2004 to create the Dark Tower series of books, which included 8 works. The author made the novels independent, but at the same time united in one über-novel, the actions are intertwined between the different volumes of the series, which makes reading the books even more interesting.

The Dark Tower is a kind of central universe or axis of time, which Roland, the shooter and the main character, seeks through which he wants to return the events of his life to his places. As the plot unfolds, the reader is introduced to ordinary people and representatives of the otherworldly forces, magicians and talking animals, artificial intelligence, all actively interacting with each other in the most unexpected ways in the tradition of intricate detectives and drama. The action takes place in fictional cities and countries. The novels are written in the manner of fairy tales, but with a fantasy twist by the author.

Advantages

• A universal pitch for all generations in the tradition of Stephen King;
• A multi-volume novel consisting of separate plot pieces;
• A suspenseful plot with an unexpected denouement in each novel.

Flaws

• According to some readers, certain scenes are drawn out and can be boring to read.

All the same me

Rating: 4.9

In third place in the ranking of the modern romance novel from the British writer Jojo Moyes, “All the same me”, which is sure not to leave the reader indifferent. The book is about an optimistic girl named Lou, trying to escape her past life in the ever-moving and glowing lights of New York City. In the metropolis, she tries to forget the hard moments of personal drama she has lived through and start anew, but the storyline pulls her inexorably into the abyss of mysterious and seemingly mystical events. Problems snowball onto Louise, and throughout the course of reading the novel, the reader is left in the dark about the novel’s ending, and whether the heroine has the strength to cope with all the situations and maintain the self she wanted to be or is in reality?

The book will be of interest mainly to women and girls who see their own reflection in the main character. Part of the author’s idea was just to show that everything in life can be solved, all you need to do is not despair and to listen to your own heart.

Advantages

• A fascinating novel with an entertaining plot;
• The characters make you empathize with them;
• An opportunity to see yourself in the main characters and rethink your views.

Flaws

• A One-Time Book.

Shantaram

Rating: 4.8

In a two-volume novel, Australian novelist Gregory Roberts intertwines the fates of many characters. The city of Bombay became the place where Lindsay Ford (aka the protagonist Shantaram) hides from the law and the maximum security prison cell from which he managed to escape his second year of a nineteen-year sentence. Trying to start a peaceful life away from his native Australia and New Zealand, the hero makes a living as a counterfeiter and robber, and heals ordinary people from the slums. After spending 4 months in jail, where he was imprisoned by a snitch, Shantaram takes root in the Indian mafia, where he continues to sell fake passports, precious metals, and money. After losing two friends, he seeks relief from his suffering in the heroine. Will Lindsay Ford be able to break out of a vicious cycle? The plot also includes a love line – the hero finds his “destiny” in the person of a beautiful Swiss woman. The characters reflect on their lives, sometimes looking at it from an unexpected angle.

By the way, all the characters in the novel are fictional and the locations are real. You can book a tour of the places where the main character lived at the Prabhacker’s Office. Popularity is due to the wide distribution of the novel around the world. The work has been compared to the work of such “sharks” of literature as Hemingway and Melville. Perhaps because the manner of narration in the form of a confessional is identical in these authors.

Advantages

• An emotion-rich bestseller of the early twenty-first century;
• The text is full of aphorisms expressed by the characters’ thoughts;
• There are many quotes that have gone out into the world in the two volumes;
• A fascinating novel in two volumes.

Flaws

• The plot is convoluted, not everyone is able to follow it, hence the fading interest in reading;
• Vague multiple reasoning that doesn’t always coincide with the reader’s opinion.

Running for the Wind

Rating: 4.8

Judging by the reviews, American novelist Khaled Hosseini’s novel “Running for the Wind” not only bursts a sea of emotions and makes you empathize with the characters, but also brings especially sentimental readers to tears.

Friendship, betrayal, resentment, loyalty in spite of circumstances, deaths of loved ones and war, hope for a brighter future – the reader will really enjoy reading the novel to the end.

Advantages

• Vivid descriptions;
• Lots of emotional colors;
• Comprehensible plot.

Disadvantages

• A heavy story at the heart of the narrative;
• More of a sad emotion emerges.

Stigmalion

Rating: 4.7

The novel “Stigmalion” saw the light of day in 2018, but within a couple of months the book had sold out in huge numbers around the world. What Causes Such Demand? The thing about Christina Stark’s ability to write is not just heartfelt – she knows how to find the key to each reader. Thus, in the work “Stigmalion,” at the same time as the story develops, the author gives clues to action in various difficult life situations.

At the center of the story is Dolores, a girl who suffers from a real autoimmune disease, an allergy to people. The girl can only interact peacefully with her brother; Dolores gets painful burns from touching other people’s skin. The heroine throughout the novel learns to accept herself through her own, special vision of the world; she dreams of meeting love, having a child, and experiencing the ordinary joys of life.

The emphasis of the novel is made on the inner state of the person, different from society, his experiences and feelings, because not everyone is ready to understand and accept the heroine such as she is.

Advantages

• An opportunity to understand how to find the strength to act in difficult situations;
• Beautiful language;
• A gripping plot;
• The author’s unconventional plotting.

Shortcomings

• Lots of bed scenes (confusing to readers);
• Aimed mainly at female audience.

My children

Rating: 4.7

The editors included in the rating another fascinating novel by Russian writer Guzel Yakhina about German colonists who lived in the 20s and 30s of the last century on the banks of the Volga. The story centers on the meek Jacob Bach, a thin-bodied German who prefers communion with nature to human society. He writes fairy tales and shares pure German culture with those around him. The quiet and measured life is interrupted by a wealthy gentleman’s request for an apprenticeship for his daughter, whose face Jakob could not see from behind a screen, but even so he falls in love with his pupil, and she is destined to return to Germany and get married.

The work interweaves people’s fates, politics, the history of Russia before the war, emotional and artistic torment. The novel “My Children” is very atmospheric, the author thoroughly, almost to the sense and smell conveys the beauty of the village and wildlife on the banks of the Volga.

Merits

• Bright and atmospheric historical novel;
• Subtle and captivating to the reader is the relationship of the characters;
• Beautiful literary language.

Disadvantages

• A lot of lyrical digressions in an essentially compact plot.

Not Goodbye. Erast Fandorin’s adventures in the twentieth century

Rating: 4.7

The cycle of novels about the famous detective ends with the work “I do not say goodbye. The Adventures of Erast Fandorin in the Twentieth Century”. The action takes place in post-revolutionary Russia and in 1918, when the country was feverish from hunger, devastation, and the new system had not yet been consolidated. Characters from the novel “Death on the brotherhood” and other works about Fandorin have returned to the plot, their lives are intertwined in a sharp storyline, which traces the path of the protagonist from the unusual exit from the coma to the investigation and the final farewell. A detective spy story from the life of a detective created in the best traditions of Boris Akunin.

Reviewers and readers are unanimous in their opinion: the novel, which completes the “New Detective” cycle with Erast Fandorin as its main character, is somewhat watered down and not as vivid and clear as the earlier stories. In any case, to understand the work, one should read the previous novels of the cycle. And the reader’s disappointment or satisfaction at the end is purely an individual matter.

Merits

• The novel completes a series of stories about the famous detective Akunin;
• A carefully crafted story with an unusual plot.

Flawed

• Remains an understatement;
• The novel was weak compared to the previous stories in the series.

Immortals

Rating: 4.7

The book “Immortals” will be a great tool for relaxation and immersion into the inner world and reflection on the eternal. The novel is especially recommended to read in a state of depression and life’s “trap” situations, when there seems to be no way out. Relaxation and immersion is facilitated by a surprisingly even narrative without emotional outbursts, like a confession in private.

The Gold family has a measured and quiet life, until the children are sent to a fortune teller who, as the rumor has it, accurately predicts the date of death. Idle childhood curiosity is satisfied, but it brings no joy, and the fates of the members of a once friendly family diverge in an attempt to cheat fate or change it.

The Immortals” novel opens the question of predestination, whether there is one? Or it’s up to us? The answers are to be found by the reader in the pages of the book or in his pondering of what he has read.

Dignity

• The narrative delves into the thoughts and inner world of the reader;
• An interesting story with a logical development;
• The book can become a kind of home therapist.

Flaws

• The book contains some strange and not pleasant comparisons and expressions.

The Moth

Rating: 4.6

Henri Charriere’s autobiographical novel, The Moth, saw the light of day back in 1969, and it sold huge copies. The film adaptation of the book was later released in 1973, and today it is ranked among the classics of cinema.

The story of the protagonist Henri Chartres, nicknamed Papillon, begins with his being accused of murder at the age of fifteen and sentenced to life imprisonment, but by the will of fate, after passing various tests, the guy still finds himself free. The plot intrigues with its plausibility and brevity. The novel does contain a bit of fiction, though – Henri Charrière was actually accused of murder. But in later years.

Strengths

• The author’s true story, which has become a classic of literature;
• Universal narrative language;
• Interesting descriptions of countries, characters and everyday life.

Flawed

• A little bit prolonged plot.

The Alchemist

Rating: 4.6

Paulo Coelho’s novel The Alchemist is the narrative of a shepherd Santiago’s search for treasure, they were foretold to him by a gypsy woman in exchange for a tenth of a treasure. The storyline leads the hero through losses, wanderings, and the search for himself. An encounter with the Alchemist in the oasis of El Fayum changes Santiago’s life and overall perception of the world – he now learns to know the “Soul of the World”, communicate with phenomena and manipulate space at his discretion. The alchemist helps the shepherd follow his destiny and listen to his inner world in search of the treasure. The encounter with Fatima, the finding of happiness, becomes another key moment in the novel. Will Santiago find the treasure??

“The Alchemist” is the kind of novel that will help the reader look at his own life from a different angle and realize how close sometimes what we have been searching for so long is.

Advantages

• World bestseller;
• A book that can be reread more than once by people of all ages;
• Understandable literary language;
• Unexpected ending.

Flaws

• No.

The Mysterious Story of Billy Milligan

Rating: 4.6

The novel “The Mysterious Story of Billy Milligan” is based on the real story of a man suffering from dissociative identity disorder, which the author managed to describe very authentically. Keys has conveyed the depths of human tragedy in accessible language, explaining even complex medical and legal terms. The reader learns the complexity of the situation in first person, immersed in the atmospheric setting of the novel.

Bill was born a normal child, raised in a normal family. Everything was changed by his father’s suicide; that’s when the boy’s first “personalities” emerged in the background of what had happened. Memory lapses, difficulty understanding the situation, accusations of crime, and a psychologist-identified dissociative disorder (multiple personalities). Until the end of the reading, the intrigue lingers as to whether Billy will be able to cope with his illness and return to a normal life. What did happen to Billy Milligan and why?

The merits

• Psychological novel for a wide range of readers;
• The author’s lighthearted syllable with an accessible presentation of complex terms;
• Intrigue persists until the end of the novel – what the ending will be?

Flaws

• Reality of the situation is questioned in many situations.

Back to You

Rating: 4.5

An atmospheric novel that will brighten up a gloomy day off and be read in the same breath is “Back to You” by American writer Sarah Gio. The story unfolds on an island in Bermuda, where a dutifully lonely young Charlotte lives out her age alone. She reminisces about her time on a desert island with Gray, who saved her life. One day a woman gets her hands on a bottle with a message from him. Is Gray Alive? How to find it? The reader will find the answers to these questions in Sarah Gio’s book.

The work is atmospheric, so if you want to go to the sea but vacation is still a long way off, you are highly recommended to read it.

The merits

• An easy syllable and a quick read;
• Beautiful plot;
• Atmospheric work.

Flawed

• For a work of light genre, the flaws are not defined.

The Woman in the Window

Rating: 4.5

Our rating is impossible without a sharp detective, which is the novel “The Woman in the Window. Anna lives alone in her house in a New York City neighborhood, rarely going outdoors because of the stress she endured a year ago. Communication – only with loved ones on the phone, but the desire to return to normal life is not alien to her.

Anna’s entertainment is watching movies, reminiscing, creating, and peeking at her neighbors–a real reality show from the comfort of her own home. The plot begins to escalate when a new family moves in next door to what seems at first glance to be a perfect family: husband, wife, teenage son, peace and idyll. All was well until the heroine witnesses a brutal murder, peeking once again at her neighbors through the lens of a camera. But how do you get the word out that a crime has been committed nearby if there are no alarming signs from neighbors, and there are simply no witnesses?? Anna begins her own investigation.

The novel has been translated into many languages and is popular in many parts of the world. a. J. Finn knows how to serve stories with spice so bright that it is impossible to tear yourself away from them, and thick books are read in the same breath.

Highlights

• A suspenseful detective with an unpredictable ending;
• Accessible manner of presentation of the text.

Flaws

• The plot echoes similar works.

Murder on the Orient Express

Rating: 4.5

The novel “Murder on the Orient Express” from the legendary Agatha Christie does not lose relevance even in the twenty-first century. The famous detective Hercule Poirot investigates a murder on a train with his unique deductive methods, although the trip was supposed to be a break after another completed case. The strange and brutal murder of an American, Poirot unravels step by step, analyzing the conflicting evidence and motives of the alleged killers.

The outcome of the story, as usual with Christie, is unexpected. This is what makes this queen of the detective genre good – she can keep an intrigue and draw the reader into an interesting adventure, from which it is difficult to tear yourself away.

Advantages

• The novel has become a classic of literature, recognized by reviewers;
• An interesting case study by the famous detective Poirot;
• An unexpected denouement.

Flaws

• In Agatha Christie’s novels, they are not.

Three Comrades

Rating: 4.5

Another classic in the ranking is the book “Three Comrades” by Erich Maria Remarque. The action is set in the difficult post-war years, where the characters are fighting for life, while not forgetting the human values: friendship, love, loyalty. Three friends whose destinies crossed during World War I try to escape from the terrible memories and ghosts of the past. One of his friends, Robert Locamp, meets his love in the form of a beautiful girl. The development of their relationship, as well as the interaction of the three friends is shown against the backdrop of the crisis of the post-war years.

The thirst for life no matter what, the craving for feeling and humanity is what united the characters in the novel The Three Comrades.

Dignity

• Revival of human values for the modern reader;
• Strong emotions of the characters;
• Interesting plot with elements of vision of historical events.

Flaws

• Heroes drink a lot, which can cloud the reading experience.

Cheegol

Rating: 4.5

Donna Tartt’s novel, The Petrel, has won prestigious literary awards and received high critical acclaim, which is responsible for the demand among readers.

Focuses on a thirteen-year-old boy, Theo Decker, who survives an explosion at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and is given a ring and a painting by Karel Fabritius from a dying old man with instructions to take them to safety. As the reader is introduced to the novel, he will see what hardships the hero experienced, how he had to wander through cities and foreign families in the United States. Relics first drags the boy to the bottom, and then offers hope of salvation and a return to the light. Donna Cartt has managed to combine the incongruous: the novel is classic and modern, which is why the work is receiving recommendation reviews. The author’s work lasted for almost 10 years, the manuscript was repeatedly edited and adjusted to the most demanding reader. A reference to classic authors, subtle descriptions, yet a plain and easy-to-understand syllable – “The Shigel” is a “tasty” literary cocktail.

Merits

• A penetrating novel with an interesting plot;
• A wide range of feelings of the characters, empathy with them;
• Combining different genres in one work.

Flaws

• With a large amount of text, there are many vague fragments, drawn out descriptions.

1984

Rating: 4.4

The novel 1984 became one of the keys to fame for the critic, novelist, and publicist George Orwell, but unfortunately only towards the end of his life. The theme raised, whose plot is set in the middle of the twentieth century, is still relevant today. Focus is on Winston Smith, an employee of the Ministry of Truth, bringing historical documents into line with the political regime. The hero understands: everything he does is necessary for the party, but he himself inwardly rejects the established regime of totalitarianism. Attempts to resist, express his feelings and change his thoughts only worsen the situation, trapping Winston in an unfree.

The novel “1984” was forbidden in the USSR up to the collapse of the country, because the censors saw Big Brother as a match for the ruling leaders of the country. The situation was similar in other countries.

Strengths

• The novel raises the ever-present problems of man in a political regime;
• The hero’s attempt to resist the formation and the possible results of this activity.

Flaws

• A thought-provoking drama that is predominantly sad;
• An ambiguous ending for the reader. We are doomed?

The Idiot

Rating: 4.4

The Idiot” is translated into various languages and to this day is one of the most readable works by Russian classics. True, the audience – mostly students, pupils and students of various courses, as well as readers wishing to refresh their memory of a long-read work. Films have been made based on the book, and plays, ballets, and operas are staged in theaters.

“The Idiot” is a four-part narrative about Russian Prince Lev Nikolayevich Myshkin, who was treated for epilepsy in Switzerland. He is intelligent, kind, but not seen as a normal person by aristocratic society. The hero faces misunderstanding, rejection, contempt, and greed, but still remains true to his open heart. Will he be able to resist the cruel world? In part, he is nicknamed the Idiot because of his sincere belief in people and a bright future, while others see only dark.

The problem posed by Fyodor Dostoevsky is the man in the big world, the thirst for life, new knowledge and bright feelings against the background of difficult human relations and hidden thoughts about his own good.

Merits

• Classic piece of writing;
• Immersing the reader in his own inner world with philosophical questions;
• Partly an immersion in history;
• Interesting storyline.

Flaws

• Requires immersion and deliberation, awareness.

The Da Vinci Code

Rating: 4.4

At the bottom of the list is Dan Brown’s world-famous “The Da Vinci Code,” which has been filmed more than once. The genre of the novel is a detective that begins with the murder of Jacques Saunière, the keeper of the mysteries of the Louvre. A note with a cipher is found next to the body, directing one to look for clues to the crime in the secret signs in the works of Leonardo da Vinci. Robert Langdon, a lecturer at Harvard University, teaming up with the granddaughter of a murdered man, tries to solve an encrypted riddle and find out who and why did the keeper.

As it turns out, the murderer’s main goal is to try to learn from Saunière about the Holy Grail, a Christian shrine that promises its owner limitless power. Da Vinci probably knew where the Grail was hidden, the answer to the mystery he hid in his sculptures, paintings. What secrets Robert will uncover and whether he will find the relic?

Dan Brown’s novel The Da Vinci Code has been translated into 44 languages and sold 88 million books worldwide.

Strengths

• A calm narrative;
• Interesting storyline;
• A detailed acquaintance with the works of the Italian artist;
• Deep enlightenment.

Flaws

• Inconsistency in some religious aspects.