Biography of a Chance Miracle

 

A Biography of a Chance Miracle / Tanja Marjartschuk
trans. from the Ukrainian by Zenia Tompkins
 Port Angeles, WA: Cadmus, 2018, c2012.
238 p.

I didn't know quite to expect with this novel; it's a picaresque, set in post-soviet Ukraine. Our heroine Lena lives in a town in the West of Ukraine called San Francisco, named after the aspirations of so many residents to emigrate to the glittering West. The narrative has a matter-of-fact tone, as if all of the unusual and surreal events related are to be taken seriously, that they are perfectly normal and everyday. This is the way Lena sees life, as if her decisions, actions and experiences are the logical ones.  

We follow Lena in a series of chapters showing her desire to avoid "being stupid" -- that's the worst thing she can imagine. From her preschool years when she witnesses a teacher hit by lightning, to university years with her roommate Vasylyna (a tough and burly athlete with a soft core), to her short-lived flirtations with nationalist organizations, and then her desire to help others showing itself in a campaign to save stray dogs, and a fight against bureaucracy to get her childhood friend a wheelchair, all these chapters of her life show us a picture of a rebellious woman who won't go along with the status quo, who questions everything. Whether that's a government that seems to exist to thwart the needs of the populace, or an easy nationalism, or the expectations of her society to just stolidly take what comes, Lena will choose to resist. 

She will always choose the side of the underdog; she wants to have a meaningful life. And despite losing any faith in God early on, she wants to believe in miracles. The small miracles that she is trying to create by her own actions are not often successful, but the point is to keep trying. As she says, "in a hopeless battle, the important ones were those who were fighting because they weren't letting time turn them into monsters. You can't win the battle but you can win your own self."

Throughout the book, in various stories, she chases down reports of real miracles. And the conclusion follows on from this. It's an inconclusive ending, there's no certainty as to what has really become of Lena. But this fits the tone of the book with its touches of surrealism, or magic realism. Many sections of the book are other people's reports and viewpoints of Lena, and the ending can only be the same. 

This is a quick read, in the sense that the story carries you forward. The narrative is very approachable and the writing style is engaging. There are some pointed criticisms of government and the view of disabled people in society, of young men involved in nationalist groups, and so forth -- she is not afraid to critique her surroundings. But there is also such a feeling of place, so many stories about regular people and their experiences, that you feel replete with characters by the end. There were many quotable bits and engaging situations, alongside a strong and compelling main character. I really liked this, despite the odd and uncertain ending. 

This translation was well done, with the liveliness and soul of the writing coming through. It was published by Cadmus & shows the translator on the cover, and contributor notes for the author, translator and even cover artist. The translator of this book also runs a translation agency, TAULT, dedicated to translating Ukrainian literature, and is working on a translation of Maljartschuk's novel Forgotteness. I look forward to that!