NOTES
1 Ф – Cyrillic form of ‘F’.
2 A reference to the Siege of Leningrad which lasted 872 days from September 1941 to January 1944. Known in Russian as the ‘Leningrad Blockade,’ a blokadnik is someone who lived in the city at that time. The siege caused devastating famine, with over 600,000 residents starving to death. Cannibalism ensued, and children were particularly at risk, although only 44 cases were officially registered.
3 A pun on the surname: Larissa Vol'na – Larissa is free.
4 In Russia children start school at seven. The academic year always begins on September 1, with much aplomb.
5 Van'ka-vstan'ka – a very common children’s toy, similar to a large Weeble.
6 Poem by Boris Pasternak ‘Your Picture’ (‘Zamestitel'nitsa,’ 1917).
7 Reference to another line from the poem: ‘a
