“Deathless” by Catherynne M. Valente

I’ve long been a fan of Catherynne M. Valente’s work, but I only recently got around to reading her 2011 novel Deathless. This book retells the folktale of Koschei the Deathless and sets it against the backdrop of the rapid changes in Russian society during the 20^th century, from the Russian Revolution to World War 2.

In addition to Koschei, other figures from Eastern European folklore play important roles in the story as well. During her early life, the main character, Marya Morevna, befriends the house spirit known as the domovaya. Once she arrives in Koschei’s country, she encounters a leshii and a vila. Most notably, Baba Yaga sets her three seemingly impossible tasks to complete before she’ll be allowed to marry Koschei. But Valente doesn’t just rely on name-dropping to make the story feel like a fairy tale. The first section of the book, which details the marriages of Marya’s three elder sisters, is written in a style that deliberately evokes such stories. A later section, in which Marya encounters her sisters once again, is written in a similar style. These are interspersed with parts of the story that take a more realistic tone, creating the impression that Marya is moving back and forth between real and mythological worlds, and that eventually, these worlds bleed into each other.

Valente also uses the story to critique communism and authoritarianism. Throughout the book, the names of Marya’s home city and the street she grew up on are changed to reflect the ideology of whoever’s currently in charge. The residents are expected to act as if these have always been the names of the street and the city, reminiscent of the “We have always been at war with Eastasia” in 1984. One interpretation of a scene late in the book is that the dominance of the Communist regime has stripped the magic and wonder from the world, such that many magical beings have forgotten what they are. (Baba Yaga seems to be the exception, proving that you don’t mess with Grandma if you know what’s good for you.)

This is a complex, multi-layered, at times surreal novel. It’s different from Valente’s other books, and I continue to be impressed by the versatility of her writing.