"Petersburg" is a symbolist novel set in the heart of Russia during the 1905 Revolution. It follows the story of a young man who is given the task of assassinating his own father, a high-ranking government official, by a radical political group. The narrative is a complex mix of politics, family drama, and philosophical introspection, all set against the backdrop of a city in turmoil. The novel is renowned for its vivid and poetic descriptions of the city itself, making Petersburg as much a character in the story as the people who inhabit it.

The novella centers on the real-life figure Hadji Murat, a 19th-century Chechen rebel commander who, after a falling out with his own leader, Imam Shamil, defects to the Russians for a chance to avenge his family. Caught between the complex military and cultural conflicts of the Russian Empire and the fiercely independent Chechen tribes, Murat's struggle for honor, survival, and revenge reflects the brutal realities of the Caucasian War. As he navigates the treacherous political landscape, his story becomes a poignant exploration of loyalty, betrayal, and the dichotomies of human nature.