If you’re a fan of international novels that feature wholly original main characters, then you will love The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine.  Rosa Achmetowna , the narrator of this story, is unlike any character I have ever encountered before.  She is outrageous and nasty and one of the worst mothers of all time but, even so, I couldn’t help liking her.  Set in the Soviet Union and then in Germany, this novel focuses on the relationships between Rosa, her daughter, and her granddaughter.  The depiction of the Soviet Union is as fascinating as the depiction of the narrator.  I highly recommend this dark comedy—the characters, especially Rosa, are so memorable and real, you will feel as though you know them.