Center of Gravity

«Center of Gravity» — the debut novel by Alexey Polyarninov, a writer, translator of D. F. Wallace, and a specialist in American postmodernism. This novel addresses current issues — the development of IT technologies and their unpredictable consequences, modern art, and the confrontation between man and the system.
Its heroes grew up in the 90s. The book opens with a story told from the perspective of a boy named Petro: first friendship and sympathy, problems at school, a detective story involving the search for a mysterious lake — magical tales told by his mother become an organic part of the narrative. However, new narrators take over — his brother Yegor, their half-sister Marina, friend Greek — each of whom has their own distinct perspective on the events. The text is interrupted by fragments of manuscripts and interviews. The story rapidly transforms from a family saga into a dystopia with elements of cyberpunk.
By experimenting with form and structure, creating a novel within a novel, in the finale the author brings all the threads together, and the mosaic canvas becomes a cohesive picture.
This edition is supplemented by a preface by the author.