خب؟...

So this is obviously painfully dated. The way women are portrayed is awful and there was a threat of sexual assault made to one woman to shut her up.

The story at its core was interesting once it got going. I think it could have used more depth in addition to better character development. As it is, it doesn’t challenge any stereotypes and in turn, doesn’t challenge the reader in general. 

Three students from a Kyiv monastery stray from the high road at night, fearing they might have to sleep in a wheat field, when they accidentally find the lonely house of an old woman. The Viy is a short horror folk story told by one of the most famous Ukrainian writers, and it is genuinely creepy at times.

When the main character, Khoma Brut, goes to sleep in that house, strange things begin to happen. The flash-eyed old woman leaps onto Khoma Brut’s back and rides him like a horse through the dark night forest. Realizing she is a witch, Khoma beats her with a log, and then... The old woman transforms into a beautiful girl with "long, pointy eyelashes."

The next day, rumors spread that a Cossack chief’s daughter was beaten to death, and her last wish was for Khoma to pray by her body for three nights. Khoma understands everything when he sees the witch in the coffin, but he must obey the order.

Every night in the church is worse than the last. The witch seeks revenge, scaring Khoma so deeply that his hair turns white... 

This novella introduces us to evil creatures from Ukrainian, Slavic, and European folklore, and according to Gogol himself, The Viy is a retelling of a scary folk legend.

I enjoyed the lively atmosphere of Ukrainian villages, with their loud folk parties, chaotic street markets, and positive, lighthearted people. I also loved the eerie and terrifying nights in the church, during which I desperately waited for the first rooster's call in the morning. However, I wish this novella were a little longer, with more detailed descriptions of the nights (and a more respectful portrayal of women).

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Way to keep a Viy waiting. 

Overall: C

The Viy is a short horror novella from 19th Century Ukranian-born Russian writer Nikolai Gogol. It's an interesting look into Russian folklore and horror literature history but it isn't very memorable in terms of story or characters.

The story follows a young philospher who ends up messing with the wrong woman while venturing into a small village. The novel builds up suspense through escalating nightly encounters with the witch but the characters lack depth. This probably due to it being a novella that is mixing horror with some satirical elements.

For me, looking at the themes and historical context was more compelling than the story itself. For example:

* How Gogol uses satire to comment on blind faith (e.g. the philosopher praying during the nightly attacks even though he knew it wouldn't work).
* The Viy itself having some dubious origins as it's not really part of Ukranian folklore
* How witches (and women in general) are portrayed (here is a short but interesting write up on how witchcraft is used in the story: https://www.byarcadia.org/post/witchcraft-in-literature-101-the-viy-by-nikolai-gogol)

All in all, "The Viy" is interesting in terms of a historical view but not so much an enjoyable one.