Bride and Groom

I really enjoyed this novel from a Dagestani writer about the clash of modern-day and tradition in the dusty landscape of rural Dagestan. Djinns are exorcised and curses cast at wedding banquets, while in the presence of smart phones and office jobs waiting back for you in Moscow. We follow along through the eyes of the two protagonists who have escaped their home village, and only indulge and participate in all the customs for their family's sake.

There seem to be multiple layers to how one can read and interpret this story. There is the levity of the marriage plot, the meeting of the maybe-lovers, the amusing bickering and meddling parents, the hilarious old customs. But at the same time there are the misogynistic views of most of the young rural men, the quite scary threat of the stalker, and so many stories devaluing women.

And then there's the political and the religious, the constant rumor mill, the encroaching fundamentalism, the dueling mosques, the corrupt politicians. There's defamations and murders, and everyone's supposed to pick a side. Tied into this, with a hint of magical realism, is the mysticism of Sufism and the Islamic figure of Khidr.

All in all this novel feels carefully crafted, with hints sprinkled throughout.
Yes, the ending felt abrupt. But, I also don't know what else would have been a fitting ending for this story.