Down among the Fishes by Natalka Babina follows twin sisters from a Belarusian village as they investigate the mysterious death of their grandmother. What begins as a family tragedy evolves into a gripping murder mystery, revealing hidden secrets and the complexities of rural Belarusian life.
Two twin sisters, natives of Dobratyche, a small Belarusian village on the Buh river close to the border with Poland, set out to examine the events that led to granny Makrynya’s unexpected death. Their trek quickly turns into a murder investigation. As the twins uncover new facts of the crime, more questions need to be answered. But will they? A rural intrigue continues to hold the villagers firm in its grasp until the very resolution.
Today mostly associated with the personality of President Lukashenko, Belarus remains terra incognita for the rest of the world. Babina’s surprisingly fresh portrait of today’s Belarus celebrates the country’s diverse demographics be it business, education, culture or just the way people go about their daily errands. Quiet and shy, Belarus turns out to be the land of grandeur, vastness of spirit and passionate hearts and minds.
Supported by English PEN and Arts Council, England.
