The novel revolves around the life of a young man who returns to his ancestral home after years abroad and becomes embroiled in a complex web of relationships with his family members and their servants. As he navigates these relationships, the protagonist's perceptions of reality begin to blur, and he starts to experience vivid dreams that seem more real than his waking life. Through the protagonist's inner world, the novel explores themes of identity, class, and the disintegration of traditional values in a rapidly changing society.
By Ivan Bunin · First published 1923 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Philosophical Fiction, Magical Realism