They say not to judge a book by its cover, but this is how I obtained my copy of Laurus. An acquaintance had cleaned out their bookcase, and at a gathering the books were piled high on a table for anyone to take. Out of politeness I took a gander, and was drawn to the red and gold cover, and so took it home. It took me a while to get around to it, and apart from knowing it was Russian historical fiction I went in blindly.

Laurus gave me the medieval quest that I expected, but otherwise completely defied any expectation that I had. A few pages in I found the receipt of its initial purchase, which leads me to believe my acquaintance has never read the book, which is truly a shame. Laurus is a journey, through the inhabited world of the fifteenth century, through time, as well as an inward journey, both for its protagonist as perhaps for the reader. Or, as Elder Innokenty might say, it contains both horizontal motion and vertical motion.

The prose can be poetic, but never frivolous. It can be piously archaic and surprisingly modern. The dialog is not seperated from the text by quotation marks, but never confusing. It reads like something from a different day and age, though never alienating and highly original.

Laurus, the man of many names, is both unusually wise as a child and unusually endearing as a man, and I would highly recommend joining him on his pelgrimage.
One of a kind. ( )

A reminder of how far removed are we from our true nature, of our reluctance to repent, but with a hope that in the end God is always merciful if we seek Him. ( )

In the words of Monty Python, “And now for something completely different,” Laurus is an experimental novel well off the beaten path. It is literary historical fiction set in 15th century medieval Russia that follows the life of an herbal healer, doctor, and mystic who takes various names on his journey to sainthood. After his parents die of the plague, Arseny is brought up by his herbalist grandfather, who teaches him the healing arts. He becomes renowned in the region for his miraculous ability to cure people suffering from the plague and other afflictions. He makes mistakes that lead to the death of a loved one, and subsequently lives a disciplined life of atonement. He endures great suffering in service to others. He embarks on physical and spiritual journeys. At various times, he becomes a healer, a “holy fool”, a pilgrim, a monk, and a hermit. This book transports the reader to the middle ages, complete with sights, sounds, smells, superstitions, and the spiritual beliefs of Orthodox Christianity.

This is not light reading. It explores metaphysical concepts, contemplates the fluidity of time, and considers the nature of eternity. Themes include loss, suffering, timelessness, and redemption. For me, it required focused concentration and at times felt like a I was reading a fable. The author does not use quotation marks, frequently transitions into archaic phrasing, inserts anachronisms and modern slang, and injects visions of future events (shifting between medieval and modern times). Content warnings include graphic descriptions of childbirth, violence, diseases, death, and decomposition. I would call this a well-crafted novel, but not a particularly enjoyable reading experience. I thought it was original, creative, beautifully written, with a thin plot and only a couple of characters developed in any depth. Recommended to readers that enjoy Russian literature, medieval history, experimental works, or tales of spiritual journeys. ( )

LAURUS does for the Russian holy fool in a novel what OSTROV did for the Russian holy fool in a film. Of the many tremendous virtues of this remarkable, stirring work, its earnest depiction of a holy life is at the center. This exquisite picture of a life well lived is so magnificent because Vodolazkin draws deeply from his own Orthodox Christian tradition, not only for hagiographical tropes and story elements, but for moral wisdom, metaphysical insight, and theological truths.

EDIT:

Here is my full review of LAURUS: http://thermidormag.com/laurus-orthodoxy/ ( )

At times I found myself so frustrated with this book because of the turmoil experienced by the protagonist, but at no point did I want to stop reading. The protagonist, who undergoes several name changes, experiences some of the worst life has to offer, and at one point, despair seems to drive him literally mad, but the more he is tormented, from within or without, the more he gives himself away in the service of others. While young, he experiences trauma that shapes the remainder of his days, and he spends the majority of his life trying to make up for a sin/mistake that can’t be fixed. Moments of torment intertwined with moments of beauty comprise the lifetime of Laurus, a soul that heals others but that itself will not be healed. ( )