Russian Grotesque Realism The Great Reforms and the Gentry Declineampampnbspoffers a comprehensive reevaluation of the Russian realist novel and proposes that a composite style grotesque realism developed in response to social upheaval during the postReform era. In this compelling new study Ani Kokobobo argues that if the realism of preReform Russia could not depict socioeconomic change directly the grotesque provided an indirect means for Russian writers to capture the instability of the times and the decline of the gentry. While realism historically represented the psychological depth of characters the grotesque focused more on the body materialism and categorical confusions in order to depictampampnbspcharacters whose humanity had eroded. ampampnbsp With original readings of some of Russian realisms greatest novelsampampnbspAnna KareninaampampnbspDemons andampampnbspBrothers Karamazov as well as lesser known novels likeampampnbspThe Family Golovlev The Precipice ResurrectionampampnbspandampampnbspCathedral FolkampampnbspRussian Grotesque Realismampampnbsptraces the transformation of gentry representation from spiritual strivers and thinkers to more materialist beings. By the end of the nineteenth century the gentry originally seen as societys preservers were represented as grotesque reflecting a broader societal breakdown that would eventually precipitate the end of the novel genre itself.ampampnbsp ampampnbsp