Published in 1992, this novel's prime obstacle to the "romance" at the center of it was very contrived and out of date. It takes place just before the dissolution of the Soviet state and the poet's mission in gathering signatures among the literary and social "elite" of the Western world to protest her brother's incarceration seems so 1970s. This is a reread for me, though I don't know why I bothered. Mainly I reread it because I felt like this 'should' have been a good novel, a good satire, or something along those lines. But, in fact, it was even worse than I remembered it. The main character, a British Russian literature specialist who speaks Russian with a flawless accent, comes across as not much of a scholar (the way his work is described sounds so unacademic as to resemble a bookkeeper's job), not very interesting in his own right, not particularly attractive - though he describes himself so, and pretty much a sexist cad, who lives off his wife's money. The "dilemma" for this completely unremarkable person is that he is attracted to the Russian poetess on a mission to get her brother out of prison and wants to sleep with her, but he finds himself falling in love--and the problem is her poetry sucks (at least in his so-called expert opinion)! What?! How can he compromise his integrity as a specialist by signing this petition attesting to her stature as a world-class poet?! Easy -- don't sign and tell her why, but also don't sleep with her. Most of the women in this novel are made fun of, especially the guy's wife. We're supposed to believe this is a great love on both sides, but what does the poetess herself see in him? If it were present day, she would leave him as soon as he left his wife--since he has no money on his own. Yuck! ( )

This is my first Kingsley Amis novel. Enjoyed it quite a bit. The book is so "British" in nature (the famous wry British humor so pronounced!) that I almost felt guilty stereotyping it that way.... I felt very partial towards Richard, Professor of Slavic Studies and expert on Russian Language and Literature.... In his case, without giving away the plot, I will just say - how ironic life can become in a matter of days... Cordelia's character is priceless in its awfulness ("People often assumed that when not speaking she was listening" - and that, of course is one of her mildest traits...). Even the minor characters are colorful and ​vibrant, each in their own way, with the exception of the actual "Russian girl", well... alas, she remains a bit vague, still "foreign" to the reader. In the end, I want to say that this book would have made a marvelous play - the precision of expression (facial and vocal) is remarkable play material, the dialogues are delightfully sharp. ( )