War of the Beasts and the Animals

War of the Beasts and the Animals is a poetry collection by Russian poet Maria Stepanova, translated into English by Sasha Dugdale. The book contains verse written between 2014 and 2021, including two long poems and several shorter works. The collection's centerpiece poems "War of the Beasts and the Animals" and "Spolia" employ experimental forms and fragmented language. Stepanova draws on folklore, historical documents, wartime accounts, and overheard contemporary speech. Multiple voices and perspectives emerge through shifting rhythms and overlapping narratives. The poems move between past and present, incorporating both traditional verse forms and avant-garde techniques. The work explores violence, memory, and the cyclical nature of conflict in both personal and political spheres. Through its experimental approach, the collection examines how history echoes through time and how trauma shapes both individual and collective experience.

Readers note the experimental and fragmentary nature of Stepanova's poetry collection, with many highlighting its exploration of Russian history and memory. Multiple reviews mention the effectiveness of the English translation by Sasha Dugdale. Positive comments focus on: - The blend of historical and contemporary voices - Complex wordplay and linguistic innovations - Strong imagery of war and violence - Political relevance and commentary Common criticisms include: - Dense and difficult language that requires multiple readings - Occasional loss of meaning in translation - Abstract nature makes some poems hard to follow Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (43 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (12 ratings) One reader on Goodreads wrote: "The poems demand attention and reward careful reading." Another noted: "The experimental form takes getting used to but serves the subject matter well." Reviews frequently compare the work to other Russian poets like Tsvetaeva and Mandelstam.

Notes from the Air by John Ashbery The experimental poems merge personal memory with cultural references through fragmented language and shifting perspectives.

Time of Sky & Castles in the Air by Ayane Kawata These poems explore war trauma and collective memory through surreal imagery and historical documentation.

In Memory of Memory by Maria Stepanova This hybrid work combines poetry, prose, and documentary elements to excavate family history and cultural memory in post-Soviet Russia.

Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky The narrative poems weave through a war-torn puppet theater to examine resistance, violence, and community survival.

Don't Let Me Be Lonely by Claudia Rankine The lyric sequences integrate media fragments and social commentary to document personal and political trauma in modern life.

🦁 Maria Stepanova wrote War of the Beasts and the Animals partly in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2014, making it eerily prescient of future conflicts. 📚 The book combines both poetry and prose, featuring experimental forms including a 100-page war poem that blends folklore, historical documents, and contemporary language. ✍️ Though Stepanova is one of Russia's most celebrated contemporary poets, this was her first full collection to be translated into English, published in 2021. 🏆 The translator, Sasha Dugdale, received the International Booker Prize in 2017 for her previous translations of Stepanova's work. 🎭 The title poem references both the medieval "bestiary" tradition and Russian Futurist poetry, creating a modern hybrid that examines violence through animal imagery and folklore.