Men With Red Ties: Diary of an Émigré

Nastya Polikarpova
Outskirts Press (2009)
ISBN 9781432735906
Reviewed by Marcy Blesy for Reader Views (01/10)

 

“Men With Red Ties: Diary of an Émigré” by Nastya Polikarpova is an interesting book.  Before I could really understand what this book was going to be about, I had to look up the word, “émigré.”  Wikipedia defines “émigré” as “a French term that literally refers to a person who has 'migrated out,' but often carries a connotation of politico-social self-exile.”  Clearing things up a bit, I went on to read the story of Alina, a woman who migrates from Russia (though not necessarily for political reasons).  However, she does not find the American dream quite as she had hoped.  Alina becomes a dancer, a.k.a., a stripper.  She becomes an expert at entertaining the “Men with Red Ties,” or the American businessmen that temporarily escape their “perfect” lives to be tantalized by a dancer.  Through love and loss and disillusionment, Alina seeks to leave America.        
                                                                
“Men With Red Ties” is not so much a plot-filled story as a reflection on the life of a disappointed young woman.  Some of the story is told from Alina’s perspective while the rest of the story is related by her friend Lena to another stripper after Alina leaves.  I really enjoyed this story.  It was certainly not a “pick me upper,” but the writing of Ms. Polikarpova is beautiful.  The reader is drawn into the story even if she has no relationship with this part of society.  After a frustrated relationship, Lena describes Alina’s actions in this way:  “She just picked up that slab of a beaten-up heart, took it to the sink, carefully washed off the blood and dirt with her hands, and stored it away in the freezer of her completely empty refrigerator.”  What imagery!  I quickly read through this book, drawn by the interesting style.        

Reading “Men With Red Ties” surprisingly endears me to the dancers while it disappoints me in a certain sector of the American male.  The only critique I have is that several of the characters have similar names:  Alina, Alexa, Lena, which was confusing at times.  This reflection will take most people very far from their norm, but a good book always allows the reader to escape.  Enjoy! 

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