Vladimir Bondarenko. Lermontov. Mystical Genius. The ZhZL series.

Centuries have passed since the day the great Russian poet and national genius Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov was killed near Mount Mashuk. A new book about him, perhaps for the first time in 200 years, reveals the poet's mystical roots, traced back to his ancient ancestors, and contains so much intrigue that it is sure to interest both seasoned writers and the general public.
The study by renowned critic and publicist Vladimir Bondarenko, unlike numerous fictionalized family biographies, addresses crucial issues of existence and reveals the foundation of Lermontov's life, a stern opposition to secular, spiritual, and normative authorities. Did the authorities need such a freewheeling poet? Why did the poet's contemporaries consider the duel murder, while some modern Lermontov scholars exonerate Martynov? Why did the silence about the causes of Lermontov's death last for 30 years? Vasily Rozanov wrote of an "eternally sad duel," while Vladimir Bondarenko wrote of an "eternally criminal" one.
The author sharply opposes all mystifications and gossip about the poet; for him, Lermontov, in all his contradictions, with all the complexity of his character, is, above all, the greatest national Russian genius, who very early realized his tragic mission.