The action of Evgeny Vodolazkin's new novel takes place on an Island that doesn't appear on any map, yet its existence is undeniable. It won't be found in history books, yet its events are painfully familiar. The Middle Ages intertwine with the modern, the universal with the personal, and the tragic with the grotesque. Here, the most illustrious princes and leaders of the Island, chroniclers and prophets, the Lord of the Bees and a talking cat coexist comfortably. According to an ancient prophecy, great trials await the Island. Will he be able to navigate them when the ground begins to slip out from under his feet?..

'While working on the novel 'Laurus,' I was a healer, a holy fool, a pilgrim, and a monk. Now, a decade later, I have dared to become a chronicler—and felt the great burden of responsibility of one who captures the past. History is one of the names of experience. In the end, only history remains of life. The novel 'Justification of the Island' is, of course, dedicated to only a part of the land, but, like a drop of water, it reflects much more...'

Evgeny Vodolazkin

'A conversation with Him—isn't it an attempt to justify the Island?' Leclerc stands up. – If you don't mind, I'll make this conversation the final scene.

Parfeniy looks closely at the director.

– Yes, this scene could very well be the final one.

Quotes

Time, he, is in no hurry.

Author: Evgeny Vodolazkin