Ričardas Gavelis fut un romancier, dramaturge et essayiste, critique le plus sévère du totalitarisme dans la littérature lituanienne, souvent associé à sa métaphore centrale de Vilnius comme "l'anus de l'Univers". Son œuvre a méticuleusement exploré les déformations de la mentalité lituanienne et a exposé l'influence corrosive des idéologies sur l'individu. Gavelis a employé un style analytique, fantasmagorique et métaphorique pour briser les tabous et révéler des épisodes de la vie intime, ouvrant ainsi la voie à une critique sociale audacieuse. Il a démystifié les vaches sacrées nationales, a défendu la raison et la liberté de l'esprit, et a intégré des éléments de la culture de masse et de l'érotisme explicite dans son écriture.
»Vilnius Poker« von Ričardas Gavelis beleuchtet die Auswirkungen der sowjetischen Okkupation auf die Menschen. Die Geschichte folgt Vytautas Vargalys, einem Freiheitskämpfer, der nach seiner Rückkehr von Visionen und Paranoia geplagt wird. Ein Mordfall und ein Prozess werfen Fragen nach Wahrheit und Wahrnehmung auf. Ein bedeutender litauischer Roman des 20. Jahrhunderts.
Set against the backdrop of post-Soviet Lithuania, this novel presents a chilling exploration of corruption and cynicism through the eyes of a character known as the Sun-Tzu of Vilnius. A child prodigy and master manipulator, he retreats to an underground lair to confront the world's evils. The narrative blends profound themes of love and hate, humor and horror, reflecting the complexities of human nature. Gavelis's sharp insights resonate with contemporary political realities, offering a haunting yet darkly comedic commentary on morality.
Mordant satire on life in Lithuania during the corrupt and stultifying Brezhnev years. Gavelis's story of how a good and honest man, not inclined to challenge the regime, could find no place for himself, whilst many who believed in nothing had no problems. A book full of ideas and observations.
A dark, enigmatic, and visceral examination of the psychology of repression, Vilnius Poker dives into the minds of four narrators whose contradictory memories challenge the very idea of truth. In this masterpiece written "for the drawer," Vilnius itself becomes a presence possessing a will, a consciousness and, worse, an intent. First published in 1989 when Lithuania was on the verge of breaking away from the Soviet Union, this book raised a firestorm for its brutality, frank sex, and its destruction of the myths of Lithuanian history.