A HERO OF OUR TIME

Nicholas Boulton's narration of the first Russian novel is an excellent match of voice and text. Lermontov's novel concerns the interactions of two Russian officers serving in the Caucasus in the 1830s. The main character, Pechorin, is a Byronic hero and quite politically incorrect. The antagonist is Grushnitsky, who competes with Pechorin for the affections of Princess Mary. Their interactions are recounted by three different characters in five loosely related stories. Eerily prophetic of his own end, Lermontov gives splendid descriptions of the landscape and characters. Boulton's versatile voice delivers a wide range of distinct voices for all the characters. His pacing strikes the perfect tempo, allowing the listener to fully take in this splendid novel. M.T.F. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2018]