"A quirky, ambitious book ... Eugene Vodolazkin succeeds gloriously."
?Janet Fitch, LARB

"In LAURUS, Vodolazkin aims directly at the heart of the Russian religious experience and perhaps even at that maddeningly elusive concept that is cherished to the point of cliché: the Russian soul.”
? Ken Kalfus in The New Yorker

?Brilliant storytelling ... a uniquely lavish, multilayered work.”
?Booklist

?LAURUS is without a doubt one of the most moving and mysterious books you will read in this or any other year.”
? The American Conservative

?A timeless epic ... pointed, touching, and at times humorous, unpredictably straying from the path and leading readers along a wild chase through time, language, and medieval Europe.”
?Asymptote Journal

?An epic journey novel in all the best traditions. There are countless colorful characters, exciting twists of fate, and profound truths in the protagonist’s words and deeds? The Idiot meets Canterbury Tales meets The Odyssey. Highly recommended.”
? Russian Life Magazine

"Love, faith, and a quest for atonement are the driving themes of an epic, prizewinning Russian novel that, while set in the medieval era, takes a contemporary look at the meaning of time.... With flavors of Umberto Eco and The Canterbury Tales, this affecting, idiosyncratic novel ... is an impressive achievement."
?Kirkus Reviews