I loved The White Guard, so when I found that Black Snow was tucked into the library copy, I decided to read it — and it turned out to be absolutely brilliant.
Part of the novel reflects what happened to the stage adaptation of The White Guard, so the story clearly draws on Bulgakov’s own experiences with theatrical bureaucracy — the baffling rules, strange processes, office politics, and the all-powerful secretaries anyone who has worked in a large institution will recognize.
I also loved the other thread: the portrait of an artist who cannot acknowledge his own talent while others envy him. This is wonderfully depicted.
The abrupt ending made me think. The novel may indeed be unfinished, but it’s also possible that the sudden stop is intentional: the whole story follows the chaos around a play and the writer’s search for direction, and by the end he is irreversibly pulled into the world of theatre.
Thank you Cams so much for leading our slow-read of The White Guard. Without your guidance I very likely wouldn’t have picked it up - and I’m really glad I did.
One thing I kept thinking about is the role of the colour white. I’m still exploring it.
White often brings to mind the “good” side - light, purity, warmth even something divine.
In the book the snow - it’s described multiple times as beautiful and soft. To me that suggests white as a kind of gentle blanket, a soothing covering of the world.
Then there’s the white stove - it gives physical warmth, but because it’s white it also seems to deliver a kind of spiritual warmth: the written words and sentences on it become a source of warmth not only for the body but for the spirit.
Also, the cream-coloured curtain - a shade of white - behind which the apartment lies: the home, the shelter, the family place, where the members belong together, unaffected by the changing outside.
Thank you for your participation, Christina. You added a lot to the reading and I'm very glad you came along! I hope you will consider joining my next one once I've decided what it's going to be.
Cams, thanks for leading us through The White Guard. Your insights, commentary and observations have definitely enhanced my own 'slow read' of the book. Like you, I read it twice and was surprised how much more I got out of the book second time round... Having said that, I did the same thing with The Master and Margarita which is still my favourite Bulgakov novel.
I loved The White Guard, so when I found that Black Snow was tucked into the library copy, I decided to read it — and it turned out to be absolutely brilliant.
Part of the novel reflects what happened to the stage adaptation of The White Guard, so the story clearly draws on Bulgakov’s own experiences with theatrical bureaucracy — the baffling rules, strange processes, office politics, and the all-powerful secretaries anyone who has worked in a large institution will recognize.
I also loved the other thread: the portrait of an artist who cannot acknowledge his own talent while others envy him. This is wonderfully depicted.
The abrupt ending made me think. The novel may indeed be unfinished, but it’s also possible that the sudden stop is intentional: the whole story follows the chaos around a play and the writer’s search for direction, and by the end he is irreversibly pulled into the world of theatre.
Thank you Cams so much for leading our slow-read of The White Guard. Without your guidance I very likely wouldn’t have picked it up - and I’m really glad I did.
One thing I kept thinking about is the role of the colour white. I’m still exploring it.
White often brings to mind the “good” side - light, purity, warmth even something divine.
In the book the snow - it’s described multiple times as beautiful and soft. To me that suggests white as a kind of gentle blanket, a soothing covering of the world.
Then there’s the white stove - it gives physical warmth, but because it’s white it also seems to deliver a kind of spiritual warmth: the written words and sentences on it become a source of warmth not only for the body but for the spirit.
Also, the cream-coloured curtain - a shade of white - behind which the apartment lies: the home, the shelter, the family place, where the members belong together, unaffected by the changing outside.
Thanks again for shepherding the group.
Thank you for your participation, Christina. You added a lot to the reading and I'm very glad you came along! I hope you will consider joining my next one once I've decided what it's going to be.
Really appreciated the insights and observations. Wouldn’t have picked it up without your suggestion and glad I did. Thanks for all the effort.
Thanks, John. I'm glad you enjoyed the book.
Cams, thanks for leading us through The White Guard. Your insights, commentary and observations have definitely enhanced my own 'slow read' of the book. Like you, I read it twice and was surprised how much more I got out of the book second time round... Having said that, I did the same thing with The Master and Margarita which is still my favourite Bulgakov novel.