About Ivan Obolensky
Ivan Obolensky was born in New York and educated in the US and the UK. He began by writing nonfiction articles on economics, finance, history and other social sciences. Inspired by stories about his grandmother, Alice Astor (who died while reading an Egyptian Book of the Dead and was an active supporter of psychic research) he turned to fiction, writing the award-winning novel, Eye of the Moon and its sequel, Shadow of the Son. He is currently working on the third in the series.
Books:
Eye of the Moon (2018) (also in audiobook)
El Ojo de la Luna (2020)
Shadow of the Son (2021)
A la Sombra Del Hijo (2022)
Your biggest literary influences:
O. Henry, Jane Austen, Raymond Chandler, Len Deighton, Alexandre Dumas, Edith Wharton
What readers will take away from your books:
What it is like to experience another world, that is refined, opulent, but nonetheless perilous — where friendships, secrets, and promises mingle with the mystical and the mysterious.
What is your ideal target audience?
Curious readers who like a good story.
If you had to describe your book as a cross between two well-known books, what would you say?
Great Expectations meets Rebecca.
The book that changed your life:
Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton. The ending was such a surprise that I dreamed of being able to write a novel like that.
Tell us about the protagonist in your latest book, and who would play her or him if they made a movie out of your book?
Percy, the protagonist, finds himself invited to a weekend house party by a childhood friend. Both want to know more about the mysterious death of the previous owner of the Rhinebeck estate. The family butler is willing to tell the tale, but what they discover is very different from what was expected, and nothing is what it seems. Percy is intelligent, sensitive and introverted. He wrestles with his inner demons. Thrown back into a world he had pushed aside, he must confront his past, the secrets of those who surround him and ultimately, come into his authentic self. A younger Paul Bettany, or someone similar, might work.
If your protagonist could befriend any character from literature, who would he or she choose?
Jack Aubrey from Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey/Maturin series.
If you could write a retelling of any book and put your own spin on it, which book would you choose and why?
I wouldn’t, because I much prefer working on my own.
Your favorite literary character:
I have two: Len Deighton’s Bernard Samson and Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe. Both are strong characters who resonate with me.
Articles / Reviews:
Feathered Quill Review of Eye of the Moon
Feathered Quill Review of Shadow of the Son
Testimonials
” A truly magical story! A compelling story, with an original plot full of mystery, colorful characters and unexpected twists and turns, that keeps the reader in suspense until the very end.
- Hélène Laurendeau
” Enchanting. This story held me spellbound throughout ... I could not stop reading as I was entangled in the many twists and turns. Fun and unforgettable read.
- Alanna Patterson
” While reading Eye of the Moon I felt completely transported to Rhinebeck. Through the descriptive imagery Ivan Obolensky used in his writing, I could taste the elegant dinners, I could feel the breeze outside the estate and I could smell the pages of the books Percy and Johnny kept. It awoke in me a desire to read more and I consequently made my resolution this year to read one book per month — I want to make my way through Percy’s and Johnny’s collection! Thank you for this gift!
- Emilia Smith