The Orchard

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Four teenagers form an unbreakable bond during the final days of the Soviet Union, but not all will witness the dawn of a new era in this poignant debut novel inspired by Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard. In the 1980s USSR, best friends Anya and Milka dream of a liberated future while spending summers at Anya's dacha near Moscow, enjoying the apple orchard, Queen songs, and fantasies of life abroad. Anya's parents share stories of WWII and their struggles, contrasting the girls' youthful aspirations. As the Soviet Empire teeters on the brink of collapse, Anya and Milka, now fifteen, join classmates Trifonov and Lopatin, sharing secrets, desires, and debates over history and forbidden literature. However, their time together is abruptly interrupted by tragedy. Years later, Anya returns to Russia from America, having chosen a life away from her family and childhood friends. Upon reuniting with Lopatin, now a businessman intent on purchasing her parents' dacha and destroying the orchard, Anya confronts the ghosts of her past. She realizes that memories are enduring, linking her past to her present, intertwining joy and sorrow. This narrative powerfully depicts the lives of four Soviet teens facing loss and the struggle to preserve their friendship and the remnants of their youth.