Imitator

Author: Ye Xin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: This book vividly recreates the bizarre phenomena within the intellectual circles of the Soviet reform era. It raises an extremely complex social psychological issue about whether something is "what it is" or merely "what it appears to be." The central character, Semenov, has gained considerable influence in society—he is a renowned painter and the director of an art museum. In reality, however, he is entirely mediocre in terms of artistic ability and morally, he is a despicable and corrupt individual. For his own advancement, he is willing to betray and sell out his friends and family, leading to his wife's suicide and the eventual departure of his daughter and his favored protégé. To secure a national project that could immortalize his name, Semenov goes to great lengths, but at the critical moment, he falls short, with his daughter and the student emerging victorious in their struggle. Truth triumphs over imitation, and falsehood retreats to sincerity. After its release in the late 1980s, the work caused a sensation and stands as a substantial work in early Soviet literature of the 20th century.