Annotation: The Chronicles of the Town of Leonsk is a novel of mystification. Aleksei Parin’s first work of prose is a new experiment carried out by this author and critic of many talents. Leonsk, an imaginary town of free-spirited intellectuals, is transported to present-day Russia where proponents of the notorious “vertical power structure” cannot resist the temptation of bringing this town under their control. However, the outcome of this confrontation is not as predictable as it may appear at first glance.

Leonsk is an imaginary town on the bank of the Volga river, north of Astrakhan. Parin describes Leonsk as one of the towns founded by the German settlers who had come to Russia in the late 18th century following the invitation of Empress Catherine the Great and settled densely in the Lower Volga Region. However, what makes Leonsk special is the prominence of intellectuals and culture-makers among its founding fathers who have given this town a unique air of creative freedom, which has been carefully preserved by their descendants. At the end of the 18th century several aristocratic Venetian families also move to Leonsk and bring with them amazing lion-like little creatures the size of a big cat that are known for their uniquely amiable disposition. These little lions (“leoncini” in Italian) become the symbol of Leonsk and ultimately give it its name. Eventually Leonsk becomes the only place on Earth where these nearly extinct animals still survive.

One fine day the joyous free life of the town’s inhabitants – who for the most part are descendants of European aristocratic families, scientists, musicians and writers – is brought to an abrupt halt. Enter the new mayor of Leonsk, the proud bearer of the fishy last name Fish, who is authorized by the central government to curtail the free spirit of the people of Leonsk, bringing the town’s life and mores in line with the life and mores of the rest of Russia.