Femeile lui Lazăr

Lazăr Lindt is a gifted Soviet scientist of Jewish descent. He does not embrace that part of his identity. His story unfolds through the women who shape his life. It spans almost a century of Russian history.

Marina Stepnova’s novel links family life with questions about genius. It asks how a scientist deals with love and power. Does his talent let him shape the struggles around him? Or does it make him a tool for others?

Lazăr loves Marusia, the wife of his mentor. She gives him lasting care that resembles a mother’s love. His wife, Galina Petrovna, gives up her hopes for domestic joy. That loss turns into hatred within their marriage. His orphaned granddaughter, Lidocika, grows up with a grandmother who withholds love. Unlike the others, she has a chance to choose.

The settings range from a Jewish settlement to wartime Siberia. The novel shows refugees’ lives during the Second World War. It also explores the world of the Soviet ruling elite. A Russian ballet school reveals another harsh system of control. These settings frame a historical family novel about love, power, and choice. The book has twice won the Bolshaia Kniga literary prize.