Let’s Put the Future Behind Us

Rating: 3 of 5

Let’s Put the Future Behind Us is Russian ganster novel set in Moscow in 1995. It has what you expect:

• a hot mistress
• degenerate criminals
• psychotic gangsters
• lots of criticism for kleptocracy
• a general disregard for human life

I found the first half of the story hard to stick with. I got pretty interested a little past the halfway point and enjoyed the rest of the story.

Probably the most interesting part of the story was the main Characters relationship with his mistress and his wife. I was a bit disappointed in how it turned out. His wife dies and he ends up very happy with his mistress. It just felt a little to easy to me. Sort of a dark fantasy coming true, which I don’t think fits with the overall tone of the novel.

Anyway all in all the book is ok. The climax is exciting. I was a little disappointed in the ending.

Probably the best part of the book is its title which I think sounds like a very cool phrase and a its cover art of a suited man holding a sub machine gun on a soviet red background.

Reflecting on the book there’s a lot of colorful characters. I think that’s what bumps the book past a 2/5 rating.