A History of the Island

Tragedy and farce commingle in Vodolazkin’s protracted fable about the uses and abuses of history (after Brisbane). The narrative is framed as a chronicle of a fictitious island nation with annotations from deposed monarchs Parfeny and Ksenia, who, at 347 years old in the present day, have witnessed many of the events described. The chronicle provides an arch recap of regicides, hostilities between nation’s northern and southern regions, various political upheavals, and the island’s lurching entry into modernity, and is populated by a rogue’s gallery of assassins, tyrants, and quacks such as the “Minister of Development and Magic Tricks.” In their commentary, Parfeny and Ksenia reflect on calamities, the efforts to rewrite history for political gain, and the shifting conceptions of history over time. They also detail their experience consulting with the producers of a French film about their lives and homeland, which yields further engaging ruminations about representation and accuracy. However, it can be difficult to get invested in the narrative of the allegorical island or the long, steady march from biblical times to the present. Despite its wit and verve, and in contrast to the numerous power struggles detailed throughout, this ambitious story too often feels bloodless. (May)