The Gadfly

The timeless novel «The Gadfly» captivates with the romance of the national liberation war in Italy, featuring the tragedy of passionate and unhappy love, gripping intrigues, and a multifaceted image of the main character. A young man, naive, in love, filled with freedom-loving ideas and romantic illusions, was deceived, slandered, rejected, and despised. He disappeared, faking suicide, and returned thirteen years later under a different name, with a disfigured appearance and a tormented heart. Behind the mask of a mocking cynic, few could discern the passionate, noble nature of a man still true to the ideals of his youth.

This powerful novel by Ethel Lilian Voynich has been adapted into film three times in our country, and there is also a rock musical «The Gadfly» and ballet «Rivares». It is published in the classic translation by Natalia Volzhina.