Title: Pushkin’s Ode to Liberty: The Life and Loves of Alexander Pushkin
Author: M.A. DuVernet
Publisher: XlibrisUS
ISBN: 9781499052930
Pages: 528
Genre: Literature & Fiction
Reviewed by: Allison Walker
Pacific Book Review
Search Russia’s most famous poet and one name appears over and over again: Alexander Pushkin. Exiled by the tsar for his controversial work, Pushkin’s poems were powerfully motivating to his fellow countrymen. But behind every genius must be a little madness. Author M.A. DuVernet captures the heart behind the inspired mind in her novel about the life and work of Alexander Pushkin, “Pushkin’s Ode to Liberty.”
DuVernet offers a creative and imaginative glimpse into what the daily life of Pushkin might have been like. She is attentive to all aspects of the story; describing the political climate in Russia, introducing a wide cast of characters, and of course, examining in detail the writings of this famous poet. Literature is not written in a vacuum, and DuVernet knows this. She explains the history of Russia, showing readers how the political climate would have influenced Pushkin’s writing and helping us to appreciate how daring this poet could be with his work. Many of Pushkin’s poems were love poems, and through his work, as well as DuVernet’s descriptions of Pushkin’s beautiful wife Natalya, we’re able to see the depth of feeling capable by this man.
Pushkin was an ornery, volatile man, but also one of great intelligence and perceptiveness. DuVernet captures this perfectly, offering readers anecdotes and history that slowly piece together this complex character. One great example shared early on in the novel is Pushkin’s unfaltering passion for duels. “It was the quintessential combination of pretention and intellectuality that appealed to his fine sense of formality and amusement,” DuVernet explains. It was, of course, a duel that finally took the poet’s life.
A healthy portion of the novel is dedicated to Pushkin’s poetry. Offered in context to the events of Pushkin’s life, his poetry takes on a new meaning. The most significant of these is “Ode to Liberty,” the inspiration for the title of DuVernet’s novel. “Ode to Liberty” was one of Pushkin’s most controversial, and therefore popularly known, poems. Not only is it suiting to name the novel from the poem, which became synonymous with the name of the man, but also “Ode to Liberty” shows Pushkin’s character and his approach to life so clearly in itself. The poem is strong, opinionated and unapologetic.
For anyone interested in the life of poet Alexander Pushkin, DuVernet’s novel gives readers an option on the bookshelf besides dry biographies. Her novel is captivating and interesting, written as a work of fiction but strongly moored in real life events. Reading it, DuVernet gifts her readers with the appreciation and fascination she herself has for Pushkin. “Pushkin’s Ode to Liberty” should not be missed by anyone studying the life of Russia’s most famous poet.
