The Tsar of Love and TechnoThe Tsar of Love and Techno
Score Modern
What it's about
Anthony Marra's interwoven stories range across Russia and Chechnya from the 1930s to the present, connected by a painting that passes through the decades. They explore family, sacrifice, war and the redeeming power of art.
Why it's worth reading
It was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. Marra writes about dark history with surprising humor and tenderness.
You'll love it if you liked
The Master and Margarita
A Gentleman in Moscow
Secondhand Time: The Last of the SovietsGood to know
It reads like a novel in stories; the connections pay off at the end.
By the numbers
- Readers96 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics25 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller9 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz3 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #89 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #405 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #791 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking, Moving
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Quick answers
Is The Tsar of Love and Techno worth reading?
Yes. It was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. It ranks #791 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 75.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Tsar of Love and Techno about?
Anthony Marra's interwoven stories range across Russia and Chechnya from the 1930s to the present, connected by a painting that passes through the decades. They explore family, sacrifice, war and the redeeming power of art.
How long does it take to read The Tsar of Love and Techno?
About 8 hours (332 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Tsar of Love and Techno?
If you liked it, try The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov, A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles or Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets by Svetlana Alexievich.