A Russian publisher charged with translating a US fantasy novel has admitted removing a plot involving a gay romance.
The publisher, Rosmen, was accused of breach of contract by author Victoria Schwab last week.
The accusation related to Schwab's book Shades of Magic. The author said the publisher had "redacted the entire queer plot [without] permission."
"I was absolutely horrified. Wouldn’t have known if not for a Russian reader who read both editions.
"Publisher in total breach of contract."
Rosmen have admitted removing the romantic scene due to Russian legislation.
"We only did this so that we wouldn’t violate the ban on gay propaganda for minors," the publishing house’s spokesperson Natalya Brovchuk told Russian business daily Vedomosti.
"But we kept the romantic plotline as a whole."
But this has not been enough to appease Schwab, who said she will now seek to terminate her agreement with the Russian publisher.
"It would have been better not to publish the book at all," she said.
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