The Queen of Spades, and other storiesAleksandr Sergeevich PushkinOmniClassics · Literature
The Queen of Spades, and other stories
Aleksandr Sergeevich PushkinObsession, accident, and misread intentions disturb lives that seemed governed by calculation or familiar social expectations.
Progress is saved in this browser
About the book
The title story follows Hermann's fascination with a supposed secret of winning at cards, bringing calculation into contact with desire, fear, and the possibility of the uncanny. The surrounding pieces broaden Pushkin's range: The Pistol Shot turns honour into a problem of waiting, while The Snowstorm and The Lady Rustic play with recognition and romantic expectation. Other narratives shift towards local history or different social worlds. This collection, translated by Mrs. Sutherland Edwards, includes a biographical introduction and several forms of prose rather than a single connected plot. Pushkin's economical storytelling makes a change of information capable of transforming an entire situation. The pleasure often comes from noticing how confidently a character acts before understanding the story in which that action belongs.
- Chance and calculation
- Recognition
- Obsession
Why read it
For concise narratives whose reversals depend on a precise understanding of what characters know, imagine, or refuse to consider.
English collection translated by Mrs. Sutherland Edwards