Nikolai the Perfect

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The novel describes actual historical events, such as the collapse of the Soviet Union and ensuing coup and counter-coup. For narrative purposes I have taken some minor chronological liberties. I am grateful to several native Russian speakers who guided my research, and set me straight on cultural authenticity. Lee Kofman in particular, for picking up misspellings of Russian names and pointing out some other inaccuracies.

Russian transliterations are contestable. For the most part I have gone with the variants that have come into wider English use. For example, Anna Karenina, the currently accepted title of Tolstoy’s classic Alexandrovna rather than the traditional Aleksandrovna, keeping in mind that Alexander Gardens, a landmark near the Moscow Kremlin, and the cruise ship Alexander Radishchev feature in the work.

Any mistakes are mine.

Nikolai, you will be the best of us.

Will be because right now you are a dancing avatar on an ultrasound screen at St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne – of all places. Pure potential. An antipodean Nureyev, Anna is hoping. My feathery blond curls?

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