"The House in Which..." Mariam Petrosyan - we tell about the cult best-selling book for the 2010s generation, translated into Belarusian

"For teenagers aged 12-16 in our country, there are no competitors to this edition," the publisher comments.

Why do teenagers from different countries like this book so much?

Павялічыць

Book cover of "The House in Which...". Photo: Nasha Niva

Who is Mariam Petrosyan?

The future writer and artist was born in 1969 in Yerevan. Mariam is the great-granddaughter of the famous Armenian artist Martiros Saryan. Initially, her career followed in her great-grandfather's footsteps: she graduated from an art college with a specialization in "artist-designer," worked at a local film studio in the animation department, and spent a couple of years at "Soyuzmultfilm" in Moscow.

Павялічыць

Mariam Petrosyan. Photo: armeniangc.com

Mariam didn't plan to be a writer — several images simply wouldn't leave her imagination, and she began to describe them on paper. She wrote exclusively for herself, without envisioning an ending or goals. The process stretched for almost 10 years.

"I continued when I wanted to, without trying to finish. I wasn't even writing a book — I was living in it. For me, it was a place where I (having used up a mountain of paper) could enter and stay. It was my personal play space, and it didn't need to be finished until the conversation turned to publication," the author recounted.

Perfectionist Mariam herself rewrote and revised the ending several times over almost six months.

And when the book was finally finished and published, its effect was explosive — first place in the "Major Prose" category from the "Russian Prize," third place in the reader's vote for "Big Book."

Павялічыць

The translations of the edition also succeeded in the international market. For example, in 2016, the French translation of the novel was recognized as "Book of the Year" in the "Fantasy/Sci-Fi" category (Prix Lire, "Reading" magazine).

Petrosyan was outside the literary system and writers' circles, and in this lay and remains her uniqueness. And also — in her animator's imaginative thinking. The adventures of her characters are almost like anime on the pages of the book. And critics do not exaggerate when they call the edition one of the most distinctive works of post-Soviet literature.

Briefly about the book's plot without spoilers

The action of "The House in Which..." unfolds in a mysterious boarding school, which its inhabitants call the House. Teenagers with disabilities live here, although their physical characteristics are not relevant to the story. The House is governed by its own laws, traditions, and legends, and it is inhabited by groups or "packs" (Phantoms, Rats, Birds, and others). A newcomer nicknamed Smoker gradually gets acquainted with this unusual world and its inhabitants — Blind, Sphinx, Lord, and others. The deeper he immerses himself in the life of the House, the more he realizes that this place holds many secrets and does not always obey the laws of reality.

Павялічыць

Павялічыць

There are books you read for a twisted plotline, and there are those in which you want to live. Like, for example, in the world of "Harry Potter" — who among you hasn't dreamed of a magic wand and being able to spend at least one day at Hogwarts? Literary critics also categorize Mariam Petrosyan's book in the second category. It will be relevant if a child has already outgrown the stories of Harry, Ron, and Hermione. If a teenage rebellion and a feeling of otherness are brewing within them.

One of the main reasons for the novel's success, it seems, lies in its special atmosphere. Petrosyan's House becomes not just a setting, but a full-fledged living character. The reader, along with the characters, learns its rules and secrets, gradually feeling like a part of this world.

Павялічыць

The narrative flows in such a way that from the very first pages, it feels as if you are another newcomer, moving through the corridors of the House, trying to survive there.

Another strong point of the book is its bright and memorable characters. Each hero has their own story, character, and internal conflicts. Despite the large number of characters, it's easy to find those you want to empathize with. That's why many fans call the novel a "password book" that helps identify like-minded people.

Moreover, the novel cannot be attributed to just one genre. It combines teenage drama, psychological novel, magical realism, and even elements of fantasy.

Thanks to this, the book constantly surprises and leaves room for personal interpretations. Furthermore, the author does not specify the setting or the era. The action could unfold in the USA as well as in Belarus. This makes it easier to identify with the characters of the House.

Павялічыць

Similarities with anime and parallels with Marvel characters

Mariam began writing the novel in the late eighties, and it was completed in 1997. However, it was only published in 2009 — the edition simply awaited its time in a desk drawer.

Themes of growing up, friendship, freedom, and finding one's place in the world will always be relevant. And for any generation. Therefore, globally, "The House in Which..." is not just a novel for teenagers and about teenagers.

This is a multilayered story about people who create their own world to resist loneliness and misunderstanding. That's why you can find many positive reviews of the book from adults online. Fans reread it several times and even write fanfiction based on it. And such honors are usually reserved for true masterpieces — "The Lord of the Rings," "Harry Potter," "Star Wars" have inspired readers to hundreds of new amateur stories.

The author herself formulated one of the main themes of the book in an interview with journalists as follows: "My characters have the same complex that I do — they don't want to say goodbye to their childhood." The fear of the "outside world" here is largely the fear of finally growing up.

At the same time, adults try to impose strange rules on the children in the House and use them in their selfish desire to raise superhumans.

Here one can again recall the similarity with anime. Teenage heroes with unique abilities are a quite common plot in this culture. Or, for example, in the Marvel studio universe.

Journalist and literary critic Dmitry Bykov once noted that "The House in Which..." reminds him somewhat of "X-Men." "Especially in the part where frightened and lonely young superhumans-mutants are gathered by Professor Xavier in a boarding school for the gifted," Bykov noted in one of his reviews.

Павялічыць

Features of the Belarusian Edition

The large 776-page book in Belarusian translation comes in a hardcover and is decorated with black-and-white illustrations with motion design. This is not the cheapest edition (113 rubles, or 35 euros), making it ideal as a gift.

The book was translated into Belarusian by Znadvorny Samazvanets — a professional translator who, like the other team members, hides under a pseudonym.

"The House in Which..." is sold online on the Gutenberg Publisher website and in other stores. And also offline at points with Belarusian books worldwide.

• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0