Irina Muravyova’s novel “Jolly Fellows” became an event of 2005. It was not only included in the short list of the Booker Prize, was published in several foreign languages, but also caused an avalanche of responses. Why did this work attract readers and publishers so much? “Jolly Fellows” is a novel about Moscow Daphnis and Chloe in the late sixties. This is a novel about their first love and growing sexuality, which they treat in the same way as their ancient predecessors, despite the intimidation of their parents, the sanctimonious moralizing of teachers, the requirements of the code of young builders of communism. The author’s treatment of the topic of sex is indicative: in relation to sex, his problems can be given an exhaustive description of the time and the world. And this writer’s approach is unexpected. The title of the novel is very symbolic. “Jolly Fellows” is the name of the most famous Soviet musical comedy film, created in far from cheerful times. “Jolly Guys” by I. Muravyova is a tragicomic story about the most important period in the life of the Soviet people. Moreover, about a rather tragic period of a person’s life - youth.