Andrei Bely was a seminal figure in Russian symbolism, whose work was characterized by mysticism and a musical quality to his prose. He explored themes such as entropy, delving into philosophical concepts often influenced by his polymathic interests. His novel Petersburg, considered his masterpiece, is noted for its innovative sonic prose that evokes colors and captures the tumultuous atmosphere of its era. Bely's literary influence, compared to that of James Joyce, resonated throughout Russian literature and music.
In this incomparable novel of the seething revolutionary Russia of 1905, Andrey Bely plays ingeniously on the great themes of Russian history and literature as he tells the mesmerizing tale of Apollon Apollonovich Ableukhov, a high-ranking Tsarist official, and his dilettante son, Nikolai, an aspiring terrorist, whose first assignment is to assassinate his father.