The Russian literary world was shaken by the wide-reaching reforms of the late Soviet period (1985-91) and the Soviet Union’s subsequent collapse. During this time the phenomenon of ‘alternative’ literature emerged, characterised by an emphasis on thematic, structural, and linguistic transgression of both Soviet-era values and the enduring Russian tradition of civic engagement and moral edification through literature. Through close textual analysis, Adlam examines the relationship of this literary phenomenon to issues of gender and creative authority, providing detailed discussion of several of the most significant women writers of the period, among them Valeriia Narbikova, Liudmila Petrushevskaia and Nina Sadur.