Twilight of the Eastern Gods

novel by Kadare

Also known as: “Muzgu i perēndive tē stepēs”

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 21, 2026

Quick Summary

Twilight of the Eastern Gods is a roman à clef by Ismail Kadare, an Albanian novelist and poet. The novel is a fictionalized account of Kadare's experiences while studying at the Gorky Institute of World Literature in Moscow.1

Kadare's works often explore themes of Albanian history, politics, folklore, blood feuds, and ethnicity, blending elements of romanticism, realism, and surrealism. He wrote under censorship in Albania and later went into exile in France. His novels, such as The General of the Dead Army and The Palace of Dreams, gained international recognition.21

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Ismail Kadare
Fiction
…i perëndive të stepës (1978; Twilight of the Eastern Gods) is a roman à clef (a novel that portrays real people or events under fictional names) about Kadare’s time at the Gorky Institute.
Read More
…i perëndive të stepës (1978; Twilight of the Eastern Gods) is a roman à clef (a novel that portrays real people or events under fictional names) about Kadare’s time at the Gorky Institute.
Read More