Lost Face · Character

Subienkow

A Polish exile and dreamer of independence, he has been driven across Siberia to Russian America, where he now waits bound in the snow for Nulato torture.

major

First appearance: Lost Face

As a major figure in Lost Face, Subienkow is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

The protagonist, a Polish fur-thief captured by the Nulato Indians, who uses a clever ruse to avoid torture and chooses a quick death.

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Subienkow is a prisoner of the Nulato Indians, a fine-nerved poet and artist stranded at the far edge of the world after a long trail of bitterness from Warsaw. He does not fear death itself but dreads the loss of control that torture will force upon him — the screaming, begging, and beast-like collapse that would offend his soul. Watching Big Ivan's agony, he knows his own turn is coming, and that Yakaga, whom he once whipped, will attend to him.

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The fuller portrait of Subienkow sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Subienkow in Lost Face

Character Web

9 connections

A slice of how Subienkow sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Rivalry
Social
Other

Character groups

Captors and torturers
Protagonist

+4 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Closing

This excerpt marks the story's dramatic climax because Arizona Jack’s bitter defiance and accusation that O’Br…

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Relationships

Makamuk
rivalry · negative
Makamuk and Subienkow are adversaries, with Makamuk representing the tribal force that… How this plays out →
Yakaga
rivalry · negative
Big Ivan
rivalry · negative
The Man
social · ambivalent
Makamuk
rivalry · negative
Makamuk and Subienkow are adversaries, with Makamuk representing the tribal force that… How this plays out →
Makamuk
rivalry · negative
Makamuk and Subienkow are adversaries, with Makamuk representing the tribal force that… How this plays out →
The Man
social · ambivalent
Yakaga
rivalry · negative
Yakaga
rivalry · negative

Makamuk
Makamuk and Subienkow are adversaries, with Makamuk representing the tribal force that captures and torments Subienkow.
Yakaga
Subienkow and Yakaga are captor and captive, with Yakaga being one of Subienkow's tormentors.
Big Ivan
Big Ivan and Subienkow are enemies, with Ivan participating in Subienkow's capture and torture.
The Man
Subienkow and The Man are distant acquaintances, connected only through the broader narrative of the frontier.
Makamuk
Makamuk and Subienkow are adversaries, with Makamuk representing the tribal force that captures and torments Subienkow.
Makamuk
Makamuk and Subienkow are adversaries, with Makamuk representing the tribal force that captures and torments Subienkow.
The Man
Subienkow and The Man are distant acquaintances, connected only through the broader narrative of the frontier.
Yakaga
Subienkow and Yakaga are captor and captive, with Yakaga being one of Subienkow's tormentors.
Yakaga
Subienkow and Yakaga are captor and captive, with Yakaga being one of Subienkow's tormentors.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Subienkow in Lost Face

In the story

Subienkow appears across 1 companion beat. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Lost Face

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Subienkow unlock in the free preview.

See Subienkow in Lost Face