Day Equals Night

The oral sex that opens this contorted Muscovite love story scandalized Russia when the novel was first published there. Heedless of her husband, Avvakum, the Anais Nin-like Sana waxes literary about sex and romance as she dallies with the Armenian poet Otmatfeian in an unfinished palace originally intended for the Empress Catherine. She gives birth, though her tendency to shuttle back and forth between her husband and her lover makes her quite unsure of just whose baby it is. When she finds out that Otmatfeian too is married, she returns to Avvakum. Numerous references to Russian literature, politics and folklore indicate how well read Narbikova is, but leave the addled reader longing for some factual milestones. Narbikova disregards narrative conventions; too often, however, her endless asides and verbal games leave plot by the wayside. Graham is brave to tackle the translation of a book so dependent on linguistic nuances. Luckily, there are footnotes. (Dec.)