P. I. Filimonov

P.I. Filimonov (1975) is a poet and prose writer living in Estonia and writing in Russian. Already his debut Mitteeukleidilise geomeetria tsoon, a novel set in three flats in Tallinn and underpinned by many funny and philosophical dialogues, gained a lot of attention. In his latest work, his sixth novel Alicante, the author skillfully puts his sense of irony to the service of the plot, as the narrator of the work is a stand-up comedian named Klim. In this way, Filimonov creates his own Umwelt, in which the ordinary and the extraordinary are exist happily side by side: on the one hand, a clearly recognisable 21st century Estonia, which is viewed through the sharp lens of a member of a minority, and on the other hand, a magical and absurd parallel reality, accentuated by numerous twists and colourful characters. In his review Kaupo Meiel notes, ‘Is life funny? Does life have to be funny? Alicante’s Klim is searching for answers to these questions and makes the reader do the same.’

• Estonian Literature Centre