Siberian Samovar, The: A Novel of Tea, Magic, and a Siberian Home

This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice. Algernon "Algy" Pettigrew's life in London is measured in teaspoons of Earl Grey and subtle social slights. So, when he inherits a dacha from a long-lost great-grandfather in Siberia, he imagines a decaying manor where he can cultivate a suitably interesting misanthropy. The reality is a shock: a crumbling izba that leans like a drunkard, a village of faces carved from seasoned oak, and a mythical, dust-bunny-bearded house spirit, Domovoy Domovich, who is deeply unimpressed with the new owner's tea-making skills and his punctuality. Thrust into a world where the house has a soul and a bad mood means your spoons will disappear, Algy's English sensibilities are no match for Siberian logic. Under the tutelage of a formidable babushka, a philosophical carpenter, and the relentlessly critical domovoy, Algy begins a hilarious and profound education. He learns that real warmth comes from a roaring stove, not central heating; that friendship is measured in shared shchi and strategically offered shots of samogon; and that a properly boiled samovar is the true key to happiness. But when a crisis strikes, Algy discovers that this quirky community has become more than a temporary detour—it has become home. Can a proper English tea merchant trade his London life for one of birch brooms, fermented cabbage, and mythical guardians? Or will the silence of the taiga and the weight of a "wide Russian soul" send him back to his predictable world? The Siberian Samovar is a charming, witty, and deeply moving tale of finding your place in the most unexpected of worlds. It’s a story that proves that home isn't a place on a map, but the warmth you find in the people—and spirits—who welcome you in.