Elizabeth Gilbert faces backlash over Russia-set novel.
Elizabeth Gilbert's upcoming novel, The Snow Forest, has been postponed due to backlash over its subject matter, which is based on the true story of a family living in isolation in Siberia during the Soviet Union's industrialization. The controversy reflects an uncomfortable shift in literary culture towards a babying of readers and a need for moral instruction in novels. While Gilbert's decision may be rash, it highlights the need for cultural sensitivity in writing and the importance of not writing novels with the primary aim of being morally instructive.