10 Comments
User's avatar
Clancy Steadwell's avatar

thanks for introducing me to trilety— also, thanks for complimenting the structure of my novel. it’s an aspect i’m not sure i’m happy with (it was too serial-ish) but glad it worked for you

i’m going to be re-read your review of big t a million times over the coming days so i’m sure i’ll have more to say

Expand full comment
Vanya Bagaev's avatar

I think serial-ish-ness serves it well given it covers a massive amount of time. It was more like "the most important episodes" for me, it does make it move fast with both positives and negatives of such [good]speed.

Expand full comment
Samantha Mozart's avatar

Thanks for these in-depth and insightful reviews. I have just read Trilety's "I Won't Keep You" and, not to keep you, wrote a brief review on Amazon. She's now filed on my library bookshelf next-door to Voltaire. Not a bad location. I am currently reading your "Deleted Scenes," Vanya, along with Thomas J Bevan's "The Soaring Twenties" and loving them both, even as much as they differ from each other. All three of you are brilliant writers, and thinkers. I will write an Amazon review of "Deleted Scenes" when I finish reading it. It helps boost the Amazon algorithms. I'll let you know. Don't know if I'll write reviews on Substack. I may at some point.

Expand full comment
Vanya Bagaev's avatar

Thank you Samantha, glad you're enjoying it! The club we have is really something special, I wouldn't be where I am without it that's for sure

Expand full comment
Samantha Mozart's avatar

I agree with you, Vanya, about the club. It really is something special; it's what drew me in the instant I came upon it. As Thomas J Bevan says, we're leaving the "competition" in the dust. The STSC has helped more people find me, so I'm not just sitting in a room talking to myself. Tom's compliments on my writing have set a standard for me that encourages me to continue to strive to live up to. I hope these extraordinary writings and amazing art will inspire others to read or start reading (and thinking critically) again -- other than scrolling empty-calorie content. I believe if we keep at it, this will happen. What a very special, talented and unique group of artists. I am honored to be a part.

Expand full comment
Larisa Rimerman's avatar

It is a big T for me now, because I haven't read any of these authors, but funny or sad to tell, I read Andrey Bitov, whose "rules" Vania quoted in this review. I remember his Pushkin House, his first novel, which was rather complicated with allusions, different levels, and too verbose, but it was his first novel. Perfect review because now I feel definitely to read all authors. Thank you.

Expand full comment
Larisa Rimerman's avatar

Thank you.

Expand full comment
Trilety Wade's avatar

Ah Vanya, you are a dream. Like Clancy, I too will be re-reading your review for days to come. You have a skill for reviews because you are reviewing based on the meaningfulness to you - I love that as it transcends taste. It's a wet and welcoming way to review, not dry and exclusive. Thank you for making connections, and thank you for seeing me through my words.

Expand full comment
Vanya Bagaev's avatar

You're very welcome! If I have that skill, I imagine it also backfires — if some book means nothing to me, I have nothing to say about it, so writing a review becomes impossible D: But I guess that's normal unless I have an actual task to write it

Expand full comment
Trilety Wade's avatar

Hhaha yea, you are lucky that it isn't your day job! Tho i think you'd surprise yourself at how much you had to say even about something that wasn't meaningful. But again, glad that's not your job - OR MINE!

Expand full comment