The follow version of this book was used to create this study guide: Gessen, Keith. A Terrible. New York: Viking, 2018.

The story opens in the year 2008. Andrei Kaplan has a PhD in Russian literature, but he has been unable to acquire any steady, well-paying work. Instead, he teaches classes online for relatively low pay. Andrei was born in Russia, but his family moved to American when Andrei was six. He has an older brother, Dima, who eventually moved back to Russia, while Andrei remained in America. One day, Dima calls Andrei. Dima says that he needs to leave Russia temporarily but does not say why. Dima asks Andrei to come to Moscow to care for their 89-year-old grandmother, Seva. Andrei can think of no reason to say no. He goes to Moscow and continues to teach his online classes.

Seva had dementia and must often be reminded of basic facts, such as Andrei’s identity. Andrei struggles to settle into the new routine of taking care of Seva. He also struggles to adapt to life in Moscow. He finds life there lonely and frustrating. Seva’s only still-living friend is an elderly woman named Emma Abramovna, whom Andrei sometimes takes Seva to see. Seva’s personality appears to often be defined by depression, loneliness, and pessimism as well. Andrei struggles to make acquaintanceships, and eh goes on a fee failed dates. Meanwhile, he also struggles with jealous over the successes of his former classmates, who now are moving on to steady teaching jobs.

Andrei eventually finds a recreational hockey team that lets him join. He is also introduced to a political discussion group called October. The October group espouses socialist ideas, and they occasionally protest against the Russian government. Andrei develops an attraction to one of the members: Yulia. She is a graduate student studying Russian literature. She is about the same age as Andrei, or slightly younger. Yulia is divorced. He ex-husband, Shipalkin, is a member of an anarchist group. Yulia eventually relinquishes any lingering loyalty towards her ex-husband, and she and Andrei begin dating.

Andrei feels fulfilled by this new relationship, but he worries about Seva, whose mental and physical health continue to decline. Meanwhile, Andrei learns more about Dima’s reason for leaving Russia. Dima is a business entrepreneur, and his business interests began to conflict with those of z large corporation, as well as the interests of the Russian government. Dima now needs money for a legal defense, and he suggests selling Seva’s apartment. Andrei rejects the idea.

However, Andrei’s situation becomes destabilized when is arrested during a protest with October. Russian intelligence agents manipulate Andrei into talking about October and its group members. Soon after, the Russian government begins to arrest members of October. Some of the members flee from Russia. Yulia is fortunately not arrested. Meanwhile, in the wake of news coverage about Andrei’s arrest, Andrei is offered a very well paid professorship in New York City. Andrei and Yulia’s relationship ends, and Dima and Andrei sell Seva’s apartment. They move her to a new apartment and hire a nurse for her. Andrei returns to America, and Seva dies less than a year later.