First Love

Ivan Turgenev · 1818–1883 · Russia

Originally Pervaya Lyubov (Russian)

Why it matters

A boy of sixteen falls for the older girl next door, then discovers who his rival is. Turgenev's most perfect novella distills the ache and humiliation of first passion into a few unforgettable pages.

At a glance

A short, lucid coming-of-age novella with a single clear retrospective narrator.