"Ganieva's writing has a kind of magic." —Lauren Smart, Dallas Observer

"Never before has Russian literature produced such an honest and complete picture of today's Caucasus. —Kommersant Weekend (Russia)

One of the Dallas Observer's 10 Best Books To Read This Fall

World Literature Today Editor's Pick

This remarkable debut novel by a unique young Russian voice portrays the influence of political intolerance and religious violence in the lives of people forced to choose between evils. The Mountain and the Wall focuses on Shamil, a young local reporter in Makhachkala, and his reactions, or lack thereof, to rumors that the Russian government is building a wall to cut off the Muslim provinces of the Caucasus from the rest of Russia. As unrest spreads and the tension builds, Shamil's life is turned upside down, and he can no longer afford to ignore the violence surrounding him.

With a fine sense for mounting catastrophe, Alisa Ganieva tells the story of the decline of a society torn apart by its inherent extremes.