EN
Mikhail Elizarov (b. 1973 in Ukraine) undoubtedly belongs to the most “bizarre”, controversial and uncompromising contemporary Russian writers, the most radical of Russian Booker winners – his novel The Librarian was awarded the 2008 Russian Booker Prize. Elizarov is also a musician, working in a style he calls “bard-punk-chanson”. His literary works “balance” on the verge of postmodernist and realistic practice, between reality and phantasmagoria. The aim of this article is to present a creative personality of the author: to reveal distinguishing features of Elizarov’s prose, to identify central motifs and themes in Elizarov’s selected literary works. Special attention is paid to Elizarov’s interest in violence and death, as well as the theme of Soviet nostalgia. Elizarov’s two novels and the collection of short stories and stories are analyzed in the article. These are The Librarian (2007), The Cartoons (2010) and Fingernails (2001).