The Norm

“The Norm” is one of Vladimir Sorokin’s most famous and controversial novels, written between 1979 and 1983. The work is a collection of disparate texts united by the common theme of the absurdity of Soviet reality. The novel is distinguished by an experimental approach to form, shocking imagery, and a satirical depiction of a totalitarian society where the concept of the “norm” is pushed to the point of absurdity.