Arcady's Goal

September 15, 2014
Inspired by a photograph of the Red Army Soccer Club of 1945, of which his father was captain, Yelchin (Breaking Stalin’s Nose) tells the story of 12-year-old orphaned Arcady, whose soccer talent brings him to the attention of Ivan Ivanych, who identifies himself as a soccer coach and adopts the boy. Set in Stalinist Russia, the compact novel follows the spurts and crashes of the relationship between the two, who have both lost family—Arcady, his parents; Ivan, his wife—to the Communist party’s arrest of those deemed enemies of the state. Ivan’s efforts to tame Arcady’s roughness and help him achieve his goal of playing for the Red Army Soccer Club are hampered by his own past. Yelchin’s b&w drawings, interspersed throughout the text as both spots and spreads, add emotional depth and amplify the plot; ample soccer detail makes this a winner for fans of the sport. Readers unfamiliar with the period will benefit from reading the ending author’s note—which provides historical background without giving away any of the plot—before they embark on the book. Ages 9–12. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.

When quiet Ivan Ivanych adopts 12-year-old Arcady from a Soviet children's home, Arcady is sure that it's due solely to his remarkable soccer abilities. Why else would anyone want him? Ivan's purpose and Arcady's redemption unfold slowly. Narrator Ari Fliakos creates a cynical, sometimes insolent, Arcady. Fliakos's delivery is initially understandable, due to the brutal treatment Arcady experienced at the home; however, his snarky interpretation of Arcady continues even after months of Ivan's patient ministrations. Another curious production choice is the matter of accents. Although the story is set in Soviet-era Russia, all the children speak with American accents, while all adults have Russian ones. A moving author's note recounts the continuing relevance of Arcady's story. L.T. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine