Elizabeth Gilbert Faces Backlash and Delays Publication of Russia-Set Novel.

Elizabeth Gilbert has indefinitely postponed the publication of her novel "The Snow Forest," set in Russia, due to backlash from Ukrainian readers and their supporters. The novel's original publishing date was set for February 2024, coinciding with the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Gilbert acknowledged the "outpouring of reactions and responses" she received from Ukrainian readers and emphasized that she did not want to contribute to the harm they have experienced. The novel, inspired by Gilbert's experiences in isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, takes place in Siberia and revolves around the story of a Russian family that hid in the Siberian wilderness for half a century to resist the Soviet government.