The Time of Women by Elena Chizhova is a poignant story set in mid-20th century Soviet Union, where a single mother, Antonina, raises her mute daughter with the help of three elderly women in a communal apartment. Together, they create a fragile haven in a challenging world, sharing their histories and protecting the child from state intervention.

Elena Chizhova’s The Time of Women offers a tender yet haunting look at life in Soviet Russia through the eyes of a young girl and her surrogate grandmothers. As they navigate daily hardships, these women pass down their personal histories—from serfdom to the revolution to World War II—imbuing the novel with an intergenerational narrative rich in resilience and sorrow.

Chizhova’s nuanced portrayal of women’s inner strength, coupled with the urgent need to protect the child from the state, makes this a powerful and affecting story of survival and solidarity. Beautifully translated, The Time of Women is a tribute to the unbreakable bonds that hold families together.

Simon Patterson

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