Cynics

The novel by Anatoly Mariengof "Cynics" is a daring, provocative, and deeply lyrical text that became one of the brightest works of Russian literature of the 1920s. Against the backdrop of revolutionary upheavals and the collapse of the old world, a story of love, betrayal, and self-discovery unfolds.
The main character, Vladimir, is a cynic who has lost faith in people. He seeks salvation in the arms of a woman, but even love cannot drown out the pain of loss and disappointment. Olga is a victim of time and her own illusions. Her cynicism is a defensive reaction to the collapse of old values. She is torn between the desire for love and freedom from obligations, between the thirst for life and despair. Who in this pair is the cynical romantic, and who is the romantic cynic?