The Deleria Mosaic

The Deleria Mosaic is a sweeping, character-driven historical novel set in postwar Europe, primarily Moscow and Naples, during the early 1950s. Fyodor Dzhemal, a thirty-year-old Russian veteran, wanders the gray, somber streets of Moscow, haunted by memories of war against the Nazis and the constant threat of new conflict. He owns a small bookshop, inherited from a friend whose life he saved during the war. Fyodor's existence is marked by loneliness, paranoia about the Russian secret police --- the KGB --- and a longing for meaning in a society stifled by Stalinist repression. Inga Egorov, a young Russian Jewish woman, lives with her father Gurin in a modest Moscow apartment. She was permanently disabled by a Nazi grenade as a child, and her mother died in the harsh Russian winter. Inga finds solace and fleeting beauty in her violin, a gift from her parents, and struggles with depression, isolation, and feelings of inadequacy. Meanwhile, Benigno, an aging widower in Naples, Italy, tends his garden and mourns the loss of his sons to the war. His story explores the lingering grief and the possibility of new love with Felisa, a fellow survivor. Their marriage is a testament to resilience, but also to the emotional wounds that persist long after physical rebuilding. The story delves into the pervasive atmosphere of suspicion and fear in Soviet Russia, as Fyodor is drawn to dissidents like Dmitri, who plot against the regime. The KGB, personified by Volkov — a former Nazi SS agent turned Soviet secret police — serves as a constant threatr. As Fyodor and Inga's paths cross, a tentative romance blossoms, offering both a chance at healing. The story explores generational trauma, the search for identity, and the struggle to find meaning in a world shaped by war, loss, and authoritarian control. The characters' personal journeys are set against the backdrop of historical upheaval — Stalin's impending death, the threat of atomic war, and the shifting tides of postwar Europe. The story is a meditation on endurance, the redemptive power of art and love, and the possibility of renewal. This reflects the resilience of ordinary people in extraordinary times.