Pioneer Summer

A bestseller in Russia before it was banned by Putin, this tender gay love story from debut authors Malisova and Sylvanova explores illicit desire at a Soviet summer camp. In 1986, camper Yurka Konev, 16, meets camp counselor Volodya Davydov, 18. The encounter enlivens what Yurka, who is Jewish and hails from Ukraine, had thought would be a dull summer. At the camp, Yurka is mislabeled as a troublemaker, while Volodya is a buttoned-up Communist Party aspirant. As the two spend time giving guidance to the younger campers whom Volodya watches over, their friendship deepens. Yurka also notices his growing attraction to Volodya, and both teens are confused about their feelings for each other. They have scant reliable information about same-sex love and believe they must keep their relationship a secret at all costs. The narrative alternates with Yurka’s return to the abandoned camp 20 years later, where he finds his buried time capsule and a surprising message from Volodya. As the story unfolds, it reinforces the message that there’s nothing abnormal about gay desire, evoking the sweetness and innocence of young love as well as its emotional torments in ways that feel powerfully universal. It’s a delightful tale of self-determination. Agent: Satenik Anastasian, Meow Literary Agency. (June)