Scarlet Sails novel

• Scarlet Sails* (Russian: *Алые паруса*, *Alye parusa*) is a 1923 romantic novel with elements of fantasy by Russian writer Alexander Grin. The author described its genre as féerie, focusing on the theme of a dream coming true despite seeming impossible. It was written between 1916 and 1922. The novel follows two interconnected plot lines: Assol's story and Gray's story, which converge in the finale. In Assol's narrative, her father, Longren, abandons his life as a sailor after his wife dies, leaving him to raise their daughter alone. After an incident where he allows the man he blames for his wife's death to drown, they are ostracized by society. Assol later sends toys, including a yacht with scarlet sails, to a city and meets an old woman named Egl, who prophesies that a prince will one day carry her away on a ship with scarlet sails. In Gray's story, Arthur Gray is a wealthy heir with a vivid imagination. Inspired by a seascape painting, he runs away from home at 15 to join the crew of the schooner *Anselm* and later becomes the captain of his own ship, the *Secret*. While visiting Kaperna, Gray sees Assol sleeping, falls in love with her, and places his ring on her finger. He learns about her reputation as a "crazy" girl but decides to believe otherwise. He sails to her village with scarlet silk sails. The finale unites both narratives when Assol sees a white ship with scarlet sails. Gray takes her aboard, and ...