A rich, immersive debut novel inspired by true events, set in 1970s Soviet Russia, centers on a transformative meeting between two women: a deeply religious homesteader living in isolation on the Siberian taiga and an ambitious scientist. Galina, a young geologist from Moscow, is falling in love with her pilot, Snow Crane, during a mineral exploration trip. While flying over what appears to be uninhabited forest, they spot a small hut and garden. The next day, they hike to the hut and discover Agafia, born into a family of Old Believers who fled religious persecution decades earlier to build a life far from society. Agafia has never met anyone outside her immediate family until now. As the two women forge a friendship, they each grapple with their futures, hindered by the rigid forces of their lives: Galina struggles with the limitations of her Soviet upbringing, while Agafia's focus shifts from her faith to the harsh beauty of the taiga. Compounding their conflict, Galina begins to see her mining work as a threat to Agafia's home, reflecting the broader exploitation of nature across the Soviet Union. This vivid and eye-opening narrative explores themes of fate, ambition, and the complexities of Soviet politics, making for an unforgettable journey.
