His previous work had sold more than ten million copies worldwide, the next might not see the light of day for a while. Novelist Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the best-selling Eat, Pray, Love, has announced that her forthcoming book will not be published as planned in February 2024. locate the plot of his novel in Russia.
The attacks began on social networks, after the publisher of the novelist announced the publication of The Snow Forest (La Forêt Enneigée). The experience of confinement made the novelist want to write about a group of people withdrawn from society, in particular to resist the Soviet government and protect nature, at the beginning of the 20th century.
The telescoping between the release date of the book, in February 2024, the place where its plot takes place and the anniversary of the start of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia has not escaped Internet users. “It is dedicated to the second anniversary of the genocidal war orchestrated by the Russians in Ukraine?” Asks a user under the tweet announcing the publication of the book. “Are you seriously going to publish a book on ’the mystical Russian spirit’ during the month of the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine? Are you that deaf?” commented another.
Other comments, posted on the Goodreads book review platform, expressed concern. Among the 500 comments posted, many Internet users said they were Ukrainians and feared that this new novel would deliver a romanticized vision of Russia, while the country is accused of war crimes.
A week later, the novelist announced on her social networks to postpone the publication of the book. “I received a massive wave of negative comments from my Ukrainian readers, who were very angry, sad, disappointed and pained that I chose to publish my book at this time,” she explains in a video. A few seconds later, the novelist declares to cancel the publication of her book. “This is not the time for this book to be published,” she explains, before announcing that she would turn to other projects. “I didn’t want to hurt anyone,” she apologizes, still facing the camera. In the caption of this video, she announces that all the people who pre-ordered the book are fully reimbursed.
