Book Review of Iron Curtain by Vesna Goldsworthy

 

Name of Book: Iron Curtain

Author: Vesna Goldsworthy

ISBN: 978-1-324-02172-8

Publisher: W.W. Norton 

Type of book: Iron Curtain, Soviet Union satellite, 1981-1987, marriage, relationships, international wedding, United Kingdom, heritage, ancestry, motherhood, elite, spying,

Year it was published: 2023

Summary:

Milena Urbanska is a red princess living in a Soviet satellite state in the 1980s. She enjoys limitless luxury and limited freedom; the end of the Cold War seems unimaginable. When she meets Jason, a confident but politically naive British poet, they fall into bed together. Before long, Milena is planning her escape. She follows Jason to London, where she’s shocked to find herself living in bohemian poverty. The rented apartment is dingy, the food disgusting, and Jason’s family withholding, but at least there are no hidden cameras recording her every move. As she adjusts to her new life, however, Milena discovers the dark side of Jason’s idea of freedom.

With cool wit and tender precision, Vesna Goldsworthy delivers a razor-sharp vision of two worlds on the brink of change, amidst the failures of family and state. Iron Curtain is a sly, elegant comedy of manners that challenges the myths we tell ourselves.

Characters:

Main character is Milena Urbanskaya,  an only daughter of an elite family in an unnamed Soviet Union satellite. Milena is definitely intelligent, talented, naive and isn't habbit of losing her head or heart to anyone. Despite her sheltered life, she has known some tragedy in terms of losing a loved one as well as going through an abortion. She is also calculating and strikes me as very spoiled, especially prior to moving and living in United Kingdom. She also keeps everything inside, afraid of letting and showing emotions to others. Although not a main character, there is also Jason Connor who is Irish in name only instead of language and traditions to back them up. He is much more naive and spoiled than Milena and is also a dreamer and a talented poet. 

Theme:

We are far more alike than different

Plot:

The story is from first person narrative, namely Milena "Millie, Mimi" Urbanskaya Connor. Milena belongs to the elite of Soviet Union (her country is never stated) but at the same time one senses milieu and tension around her because despite of her rank and name, she seems to be unhappy. Eventually she is asked to become a translator for a poet, Jason Connor who has some Irish ancenstry but doesn't go deeply about it. (I do wonder if now there are comparisons between Milena and Jason in terms of ancestry or lack of ancestry. Soviet Union has pretty much swallowed up all cultures into creating a "homogenous mix" of Eastern Europeans, something England/Great Britain has done over centuries from Welsh to Scots to Irish). Of course there are very frequent references to Jason and Medea myths so I would guess this is a modern day and loose retelling of Jason and Medea as well? Also, is there a possible sequel to the story? 

Author Information:
(From goodreads)

N/A

Opinion:

So far this is perhaps one of the complex stories I have read this year. I really loved the imagery and the deadpan humor within some pages (Fine I loved the comparison between Englishmen and boats.) and I loved the complexity and thought the author put into portraying Soviet Union and Western Europe. Although I lived in Soviet Union for the first eight years of my life, the atmosphere and characters that were captured within the pages were all too real. What I also appreciated is that both England and Soviet Union had very nuanced portrayal instead of the all too typical good vs evil. Considering the climate and ambitions by Russia to either become Soviet Union or Tsarist Russia, I feel its an important story to read to understand the other side instead of falling to propaganda. 

This was given for review

4 out of 5
(0: Stay away unless a masochist 1: Good for insomnia 2: Horrible but readable; 3: Readable and quickly forgettable, 4: Good, enjoyable 5: Buy it, keep it and never let it go.)