What do readers think of The Russian Dreambook of Color and Flight by Gina Ochsner? Write your own review.

A beautifully drawn tale of Soviet Russia centered around a small group of people trying to live in a crumbling condemned housing project. Each chapter follows one of the residents, examining the defenses and denials necessary to live and survive in a society where the official version of truth cannot be questioned. When lies public and private become a way of life, the only escapes are in fantasy, tradition and whatever hope can be gathered that change can still happen.
Ochsner skillfully recreates life in this oppressive time, but because her characters are fascinating and the stories liberally infused with black humor, it's a fun and compelling read.

Reading this book is like listening to someone else's dreams - at times very strange with what the characters choose to do, to how they interact with each other or interesting when characters are faced with difficult circumstances without good options. But is also like listening to another's dreams since at times I didn't care - it was a bit tedious particularly with the focus on negative odors from toilets, latrines or a hole in the ground. These odors are at work, home and waft off of the characters - yuck!

I enjoyed that the story took place in Russia since I am not familiar with this country. I also appreciated that the author alternated between the characters perspectives for the different chapters.

The characters in this unusual book by Gina Ochsner (Tanya, Olga, Yuri, Zoya, Azade, Mircha, and Vitek) all live in a aging and derelict apartment building that doesn't have functioning indoor toilets. They all must share a latrine that is located in the courtyard. Azade collects payment for the use of this facility and it is in the courtyard that most of their interactions occur. Mircha fell off the roof one day and his ghost also hangs out in this area as well as in the building because they haven't been able to give his body a suitable burial. Tanya, Yuri and Zoya work at a pseudo-museum where they make and display replicas of replicas and give tours of the displays.

When there is a chance for a grant from some rich Americans of Russian heritage, it throws the whole group into a tizzy.

For those who enjoy magical realism in fiction, this would likely be an enjoyable book.

Oschner has a keenly filmic sensibility - visual details such as Yuri's helmet, the Red Star office and its pneumatic tubes, the museum and the snowy apartment complex would all make stark and striking backdrops. Though the pacing is at times slowed by extended ruminations (the chapters alternate between the characters) it's a worthy read for its combination of eccentric humor, absurdity, and depictions of a community strained by politics, opportunism, censorship and hardship. Tanya and Olga in particular stand out.

I was so intrigued by the title of this book and was looking forward to reading about Russia. I did not expect the book to be as bleak as it was. The dreams are not realized and the colors that permeate the book are gray and brown.

The only character I found interesting was Tanya, and even then, I was frustrated with her.

The author has a beautiful grasp of language and her descriptions really brought me into the novel...perhaps too much though. Her constant references to feces and other horrible smells kind of turned my stomach.

Bottom line: I would not pass this book along or recommend it to anyone.

This was a hard book for me to get into, but once I got to know the characters, it captured my interest enough to want to read a little more to find out what was going to happen next. If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be bleak. Often I found myself in places I didn't want to be, but interested enough to keep reading.

What a miserable life this book's characters live. I found the only redeeming things about this book were excellent wording and the idea that we are more than rich compared to these poor people. I can't imagine living like they live - working for no pay; living in atrocious conditions; not even toilet paper! And a lot of the book was about what toilet paper is needed for...

I didn't see any point in the descriptions of filthy living - beatings, bodily functions, etc. In fact, I felt as if the author were on drugs while writing the book.

I wanted to be swept away by this novel. A Russian author, a book of dreams, flight, and color! Sounded irresistible. But Russian Dreambook is a bleak read, thoroughly imbued with desperation; it's littered with dashed dreams, violence, and really objectionable odors. The author presents the reader with a string of irritating, disagreeable, violent, selfish, and/or weak characters. Tanya is the only bright star, and even she twinkles only faintly. The most interesting characters are the most annoying (I so wanted to slap Zoya, and yet I felt sorry for her). Frankly I felt sorry for all the characters, they were all so miserable. And I give the author credit -- she has amazing descriptive powers when it comes to stench. Even the ghost smells dreadful! This is just a disappointing read, and definitely not an author I'd recommend.