Twelve Chairs

"The Twelve Chairs" is the masterpiece of Soviet writers Ilya Iliev and Yevgeny Petrov. Before the publication of this book, the two were just unknown journalists. However, "The Twelve Chairs" quickly became a talk among people across the Soviet Union after it was serialized in the magazine. The two authors even had to create a sequel at the request of the masses and resurrect the protagonist who died in the book. The story revolves around a treasure hidden in a chair. When the revolution came, a noble lady hid some valuable jewelry in one of the twelve chairs. She did not reveal this secret until her death to her son-in-law and the priest who made her deathbed confession. The two men each had their own hidden agendas, and each embarked on a treasure hunt throughout the Soviet Union, triggering a series of absurd events that made people laugh. The story satirizes all kinds of incredible people and things in society at that time, including the legacy of the old era and the worms of the new era. It can even trace the shadows of celebrities and important events at that time through clues. However, what makes this book an immortal masterpiece is not the humorous story itself, but the eye-level perspective the author uses when describing the story. There is no condescending tone of the author in the work, nor is there any moralizing or accusation. Instead, it truly reflects that no matter whether it is an individual or a society, there will always be dark corners, and good and evil will always coexist. There are almost no positive characters in the true sense of the word, but instead of making people feel disappointed in society, they make people full of hope for life.