A Guardian Angel. Oscar Wilde Award. Playing Another Reality

T. Troubnikova, “Guardian Angels do exist!”

“A Guardian Angel” by Alexandra Kryuchkova, winner of the awards: “Wings of the 21st Century” of Oscar Wilde (Moscow City Organization of the Union of Writers of Russia, Literary Republic, 2021), “Silver Angel” of Françoise Sagan (Open Literary Club “Response”, 2015), and “Literary Olympus” (League of the Writers of Eurasia, 2014), is a very unusual, stunningly deep and naked novel-revelation, based on real events.

From the first lines you think of Paulo Coelho and Bernard Werber, but reading on, it reminds you of Carlos Castaneda and the dream hackers, and somewhere, of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Vadim Zeland. The real facts of the unique destiny of the writer are so closely interconnected and harmoniously interwoven with Another Reality and the Worlds of Mist and Dreams, as well as their representatives, guardian angels and ghosts, that space-time borders are erased completely and irrevocably, and all the events are wholly and completely perceived by the reader as one and indivisible whole – the only-possible and truly real one.

In the non-linear and non-trivial storyline – about love, of course! – including time pigtails and dizzying, roller-coaster-like journeys in the Space of Options, because the Future is not predetermined and hence can be rewritten, the music of refrains is playing – meetings, feelings, visions and dreams repeat recreating the spiral of existence and lulling the mind, making ripples in the water. But a charade plot with a taste of detective really keeps the readers in suspense till the last, and all their versions fall away as they approach the denouement, and it seems impossible to connect the disparate links into a single chain of events, which leads the main character Alice to her own death in Venice, the puzzle won’t be put together! But… “it only seems that way”!

Venice, the mystical city to which, according to the Italians, a trip together with the loved one threatens eternal separation, appears in the novel as a sinister black city, mourning ghosts. The description of the cardboard Moon in the sky and its cardboard reflection in the cardboard (!) water make a strong impression – like plunging into madness at the moment when, experiencing the main character’s feelings, you become aware of shifting edges in your own head.

However, despite the drama of the events, the writer managed to describe the dark side of her life quite easily and in some moments even ironically and to look at herself from the outside – through the eyes of her Guardian Angel, joking about herself, which is typical of a wise and bright person who has gone through fire, water and cooper pipes, but not embittered by the world.

“Everyone has their own Devil”, but the worst thing is to lose oneself. Wandering in the World of Mist, Alice has to visit the Library of the Universe, get to the right pages in the Tablets of Astral Light, enter the House of Life and find the reason in the Labyrinth of Subconscious for what is happening to rewrite the script.

Unlike other novels by A. Kryuchkova, “A Guardian Angel” is written in Russian in the spirit of script – in the Present Tense, perhaps as a subtle hint to the reader that it’s important to live here and now rather than dwell on the Past and the Future. The prose includes also poems by Kryuchkova, as delightful illustrations, bright flashes of accents like the red poppies on the white dress of the protagonist, who won “The King of Poets” competition (Union of Writers of Russia, 2013) and the imperial “Heritage” competition (Russian Imperial House & RSP, 2014).

The positioning of Alice as a poet is also curious. Referring to the three masters of the Silver Age poets – A. Blok, M. Tsvetaeva and A. Akhmatova – who are inhabitants of the Library of the Universe and characters of the novel, Alice doesn’t compare herself to them, but asks for help and receives it in critical situations. Thus, she comes to Marina Tsvetaeva in Elabuga before a serious surgery, and before the car accident on Anna Akhmatova’s birthday she rereads a volume of poems by Alexander Blok, her favorite book in childhood.

As Sergey Yesenin said, nothing worthwhile can be achieved without a message to Death, and he was right! Alice is not afraid to look into the eyes of her own death, moreover, she looks even through it, and not just believing in the posthumous existence, but exploring it in borderline states. At the same time, Alice has a panicked fear of… life! – Yes, there he is, her Man in Black, known by Esenin, Pushkin and Mozart. Thus, the mysterious death of the protagonist in Venice appears in a completely different light: it’s not the Man in Black who kills Alice, but her own fear of the Future, since it can cause pain.

And here the phrase “we all come from childhood” is confirmed by the writer 100%: in search of strength to overcome the fear of the Future, the wandering soul of Alice the adult, first of all returns to her tragic Past, reliving its most dramatic fragments and turning to Alice the child, to support herself in a hard moment. And this diving headlong down to the bottom of the ocean of Subconscious with memories of the burnt-out house and early dead parents, with conversations with her mother in reality and in dreams is scary and poignant, touching to the point of tears.

In the beginning of the novel, we clearly hear the voices of the invisible Guardians of people – the Angels who agree with each other to help their wards make the right step in one direction or another. However, chapter by chapter, their speech becomes weaker and weaker, giving way to the power of the human Spirit. And finally, on the background of exciting ordinary and completely unbelievable events, the most important actor appears, that’s Divine Love, reaching its climax in the finale: at the last second of a terrible car crash Alice is given the right to choose… But should she return from Another World to become a Guardian of the man who betrayed her and because of whom she wished to die in that crash?

Like all novels by A. Kryuchkova, “A Guardian Angel” is worthy of a luxury movie! Well, a sequel to the story follows! “Confession of a Ghost”, a new philosophical-mystical novel in the “Playing Another Reality” series, has already been awarded the prizes of D.L. Andreev “Creator of Worlds” (Open Literary Club “Response”, 2019) and F. M. Dostoevsky “Life suffocates without purpose” (Union of Writers of Russia, 2021). I sincerely join in congratulations to the writer and look forward to read her next novels!

Tatiana Troubnikova,

writer and screenwriter,

member of the Union of Writers of Russia

“Literary News” No. 11—12 (197—198), November-December 2021

B. Mikhin, “Angels and stars. Marina Tzvetaeva, Evgeny Rein and Alexandra Kryuchkova”

The novel “A Guardian Angel” by Alexandra Kryuchkova is a multifaceted work in which everyone will see something different. For me personally, it’s not just an unusual novel about the search for earthly love and the passions of a love triangle with a detective flare, astrological handwriting and charming self-irony of the writer. By the way, as Peter Guldedava, the honored writer of the Union of Writers of Russia, remarked in a review (hereafter I quote the preface to the previous edition of the novel in “RIPOL Classic”, 2015), “For my taste, there’s too little earthly. By extolling the idealized image of the beloved half-ghost, the protagonist seems to emphasize her own inaccessibility, while the average reader aims for the accessible.”

Celestial aftertaste from reading the novel was also left by the Orthodox writer-publicist Inna Butorina, “A real diary of an angel! An exclusive rarity, fragile jewel. A breath of pure spring water for each wayfarer exhausted by life. A book you will remember forever…”

“A Guardian Angel” for me is not even so much a fascinating and enlightening “Playing Another Reality” (as the title of the series suggests), due to which the reader certainly penetrates the Subtle Spheres, including the worlds of angels, ghosts and dreams, to overcome their own fears and complexes and rewrite a multi-variant Future, what is legitimately admired by Irina Lejava, a science fiction writer, “By no means a trivial plot! Beyond the love triangle there is the abyss of Subconscious, the world of Dreams, the Valley of Mist, the endless halls of the Library of the Universe, the pages of Astral Tablets, the rustling wings of ironic Guardians and the cosmic Soul of the writer, whose mission on Earth is to bring Light to people!”

For me, “A Guardian Angel” by A. Kryuchkova, on the one hand, is a splendid novel about a lady with strong Spirit (obviously not the iron lady), who is balancing, like a circus performer, on a thin thread, stretched over the abyss of Non-existence, and dancing with Death. Death either retreats, taking a step back, or pounces on Alice suffocating her in its passionate embrace. This novel is about the struggle with Death in its different guises, not even of a particular person, but of Life itself.

Almost the same was said by the writer Elena Gramenitskaya, “The power of Love of the main character, mesmerized by Death, but insanely eager to live, is able to destroy and revive worlds, it creates a powerful vortex flow, which takes your breath away! I missed my underground stop, reading the novel, having completely fallen into Another Reality.”

And for me, reading Kryuchkova’s books is like meditating. Both Alexandra’s poetry and her prose – no less poetic! – have an inexplicable magic effect, as noted in the reviews by Elena Tallenika (“The Island of Charon”), by Konstantin Bely (“A Trap for a Thought-Form”), by Peter Guldedava (“The Moon Cat” and “A Guardian Angel”). This magic, quite unobtrusively, but persistently and powerfully influences the reader, making him think not only about mortal things, while every novel by Kryuchkova is a discovery, a clear non-standard, a break of the patterns, a puzzle, a charade, something unusual.

I agree with Vadim Shiltsyn, writer and critic, “Kryuchkova’s prose is as unique as a fingerprint. A rare combination of writing talent and esoteric knowledge. The easiest way is to compare her ‘Guardian’ to Bernard Werber and Paulo Coelho, but Kryuchkova has such a vivid sense of this world that the works of Werber and Coelho cannot even compete with her Another Reality. ‘A Guardian Angel’ is a fascinating reading and a fine script for a stunning film to win at the Venice Film Festival!”

On the other hand, “A Guardian Angel” represents a cross-section of an entire decade, our literary history with the star names of the era, that emerges before the reader’s eyes, since the writer describes real events taking place in the literary circles of the early 21st century. The reader takes part in the Tsvetaeva’s bonfire in Elabuga, wanders through book exhibitions in Paris and London, goes to the seminars of Eugene Rein and Viktor Erofeev at the Booker Laureates’ School in Milan, travels to Venice to the grave of Joseph Brodsky, visits the 3rd International Poetry Festival in Hungary, oversees preparations for and holding “The King of Poets” tournament in the Central House of Writers in Moscow, acquaints with the imperial “Heritage” and plans a trip to the festival “I Love This World!” in Bulgaria.

In my opinion, it’s interesting, because, first of all, these events are not ordinary, but significant for their time, and second, the writer was directly involved in them, so the reader has the opportunity to plunge into the real literary environment and touch the celebrity personalities, which is much nicer than reading dry information from encyclopedic reference books.

What about the writer? What is her role in the events described?

Since 2001 Alexandra Kryuchkova has actively participated in literary events in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and her first performance abroad was on 11 April 2010 at the invitation of Carte Blanche Czech Republic, with pianist Philippe Subbotin, Director of the Gradus ad Parnassum music school at the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Prague (Czech Republic). It was a three-hour musical and poetic concert at the St. Mary’s Church in Prague (Kostel Panny Marie Snezne) with a video broadcast on Russian television in Prague.

In September 2011, thanks to the Union of Writers of the 21st Century and its President Evgeny Stepanov, Alexandra Kryuchkova represented Russia at the 3rd International Poetry Festival in Hungary, organized with the support of the international cultural and creative foundation E.O.S., headed by poet and translator Aron Gaal. After performances in Budapest, Szentendre and Isáseg, she was announced as the winner of the Festival and had her book translated into Hungarian in Budapest published free of charge. Her name was engraved on a memorial stone in the Park of Stars on the Walk of Fame. She was awarded the Order of G.R. Derzhavin by the Union of Writers of Russia. After the publication of her book “Ez a – Szerelem!” (“This is Love!”), a selection of poems translated into Hungarian by A. Gaal, Alexandra was awarded the international Hungarian prize “New Pleiades” 2012 for her merits in the field of literature.

Later Kryuchkova, as a poet and writer, represented Russia as part of the delegation of the Union of Writers of Russia at the book fair in Paris (2012), where indeed, as in the novel, she spoke with the French Minister of Culture. The she was a speaker at the conference “The New Russian Revolution in Literature” organized by Edizioni Spirali Italian Publishers in Milan (2012); held master classes at the Literary Festival in Varna (Bulgary) and read poetry at the Union of Bulgarian Writers, where she met the legendary Bulgarian poet and translator Elka Nyagolova, who had translated Kryuchkova’s poetry into Bulgarian. Alexandra performed at the book fair in London (2013) and led a literary tour in Italy (2014) as the head of the delegation of writers and poets. She was the initiator of the international projects of the Moscow State Organization of the Union of Writers of Russia such as Russia-Czech Republic, Russia-Germany, Russia-Hungary, Russia-Spain, Russia-Italy, Russia-Greece. Each of her foreign performances and international projects were awarded diplomas of the Moscow State Organization of the Union of Writers of Russia, and her works were partially translated into English, German, Italian, Bulgarian and Hungarian. The book “Without a Mask” mentioned in the novel was indeed published in Germany by Stella-Verlag publishing house.

Alexandra Kryuchkova is a three-time winner of the League of Writers of Eurasia “Literary Olympus” in the prose category, including the novel “A Guardian Angel” (2014), but a special role in her creative destiny was played by poets Evgeny Borisovich Rein and Marina Ivanovna Tsvetaeva. It’s no coincidence that in her acknowledgements, she mentions E. B. Rein first. The novel is also dedicated to A. Akhmatova and A. Blok. At the same time, E.B. Rein is a real character of the novel, while Tsvetaeva, Akhmatova and Blok help the main character from a parallel world by meeting her in the Library of the Universe.

Alexandra intersects with E.B. Rein three times both in life and in the novel. In March 2012, she attended a course of his poetry seminars at the Booker Laureates’ School in Milan (Italy), and was announced the winner (she was awarded a diploma, the Order of S.A. Yesenin “Golden Autumn” and a publication of her poetry book by the Union of Writers of Russia). Together with a group of seminarians, they travelled to Venice to visit the places of Joseph Brodsky. In autumn 2012, Alexandra performed on TV channel “Culture” (“Aloud. Poems about Myself. How to rise above graphomania?” program), with Alexander Kushner and Evgeny Rein on the jury. Kryuchkova was declared the winner of the program. In April 2013, she took another poetry course of E. B. Rein at the Union of Writers of Russia and received a diploma.

A book of her poems with the provocative title “Marina. Anna. Alexandra”, repeatedly mentioned in the novel and submitted simultaneously with the book “A Scream to the Unanswered” to the judgment of E.B. Rein, was published by “RIPOL Classic” in 2009. It would seem logical to assume that the link between Rein and Kryuchkova is Anna Akhmatova (Rein knew Akhmatova well and is traditionally, along with Brodsky, considered a pupil of Akhmatova), and in the novel (as in real life) the main character Alice is involved in a fatal car crash on Akhamatova’s birthday. However, in a difficult moment of life and on her own birthday Alice (as the writer) goes to Elabuga, and Marina Tsvetaeva, unlike Anna Akhmatova, appears in almost all novels by Kryuchkova.

The protagonist of “A Guardian Angel” tells us a lot of nuances that make her similar to Marina, and in the next novel, “Confession of a Ghost”, periodically repeats the phrase, “I am not Akhmatova”. It’s significant, in my opinion, that despite a lot of opportunities, Kryuchkova has never taken part in Akhmatova’s competitions, but she did win in “The Gallery of Selected Poetry” in the nomination of M. Tsvetaeva “Women’s Cosmos” for the poem “1m and 58 sm” (October 2010), and in the competition “Tsvetaeva’s Bonfire” 2013 (getting the first place with the award of a statuette “M. Tsvetaeva” and a certificate for a free book publishing). On several occasions, Alexandra read poetry and hosted literary evenings at the House Museum of M. Tsvetaeva in Borisoglebsky Lane in Moscow, and with the literary foundation “Svetoch” performed at the School-Gymnasium V.P. von Dervis, where M. Tsvetaeva had studied.

Kryuchkova visited Elabuga three times, two trips are described in “A Guardian Angel”. By decision of the management of Elabuga State Museum-Reserve of M. Tsvetaeva (EGMZ), she received the right to light the 11th Tsvetaeva’s Bonfire in Elabuga on October 5, 2013 and open poetry readings. Her speech and interview for regional TV was widely covered by the mass media (“Tatmedia”, “New Kama”, “Evening of Elabuga”, “Elabuga without format”, “Common Literary Newspaper” and others). In October 2020, Alexandra came to Tsvetaeva’s Bonfire for the second time as the head of the delegation of the Moscow State Organization of the Union of Writers of Russia. She got a diploma signed by the director of the EGMZ and the chairman of the Union of Writers for participation in the Tsvetaeva’ Bonfire and awarded the medal “Tsvetaeva’s Bonfires”.

“A Guardian Angel” includes Kryuchkova’s poems as illustrations, adding the final touch to her portrait: yes, she is a master! As the winner of “The King of Poets” tournament (the Union of Writers of Russia, 2013), she appeared in Dmitry Silkan’s Literary Lounge and Natalia Osipova’s Cultural Layer program on the “Russian World” radio and TV. In 2014, “RIPOL Classic” published her book of poems, “The Queen of Poets”, and then Alexandra, one of the few to be awarded the Order of the Holy Great Martyr Anastasia by the Russian Imperial House of Romanovs for the contribution to Russian culture, became a winner of “Heritage” national literary award. Thus, the last page of “A Guardian Angel” is flooded with spotlight from the “Heritage” Award ceremony in the Great Hall of the Central House of Writers.

As Nadezhda Schlesiger, a writer and a fan of Marina Tsvetaeva, wrote about “A Guardian Angel”, “Kryuchkova is walking on the edge of genius. Her poems sprout in your soul, striking you with sincerity and depth of thought. Her prose surprises both in form and content, and, of course, the Power of the Spirit. Her Another Reality is the truth of life suffered out…”

However, I’d like to conclude my review about “A Guardian Angel” with the words of Peter Guldedava, the head of the “Fresh Look” literary association, already quoted at the beginning, who, despite his reproach for the excessive heavenliness of the protagonist, continues his review as follows, “But it is in the pure spirituality that the power of the impact of Kryuchkova’s works, the key of her creativity at a high level, is revealed. Whatever she talks about, every word is a word of love, faith and hope, radiating magic charm of talent and beauty. Unfortunately, people have forgotten to appreciate their close contemporaries, because they have two eyes to see, two ears to hear and one mouth that apart of speaking clever words demands their daily bread. It’s difficult for them to bring their level of objectivity to degrees equal to the great gifts of their fellows. Especially if God let them hide their own obtuseness behind an abundance of rhyming quotations of well-known truths and paraphrased statements of acknowledged authorities. Perhaps time must pass and only descendants will be able to discern the true scale of the Master’s greatness from a distance of decades. Following an infectious example and paraphrasing Franz Liszt’s words about Pauline Viardot, I’d like to state with full responsibility, Alexandra Kryuchkova is not simply a Russian literary figure. She is a cultural phenomenon, and one day the turn for the precious wines of her inimitable work will come!”

Boris Mikhin,

poet, member of the Union of Writers of Russia,

laureate of literary awards

“Foreing Notes”1 magazine No. 1 (47), 20222