It seems that Gibson is trying to steer our attention towards Russia. By having Cayce "Globe-trotting" and ending up in Russia he seems to be trying to "Revive" interest in Russia. It seems almost nostalgic how he refers to Russia's gloomy side in a very "Renaissance" manner. Recalling how dark, dismal and "Shitty" its brown and grey colors appeared. "A brown you can smell." How visual is that? He talks about how Cayce's cab drives under a Prada logo while billboards of "Antique, (Nostalgic) Socialist Realist style "Flat reds and whites and grays overshot with the black of absolute authority," pun intended. Gibson is giving a look into how Russia is trying to "Re-enter" this network we call globalization, exorcising her from her very communist past. Gibson does this in a sensory way achieving it with color and semiotics. On page 272, (Hardcover) Gibson has Cayce describe her surroundings. Telling us her hotel room looks like a "Western hotel room from the eighties," how "The tiles are three shades of brown," and there are signs claiming this is "Disinfekted" and that one saying "Visit the Bisniz Sentr." Gibson shows us how, in a disjointed and comical way Russia is approaching this effort.
One other thing I noticed is that even though Russia is NOT the "Mirror-world." Cayce seems comfortable in it despite her acute sensitivity. On page 275 Cayce says how Moscow is a "Dressy city" and in some way she wouldn't care if she stayed there long. Cayce is almost relishing the fact that it is not a "Mirror-world" place. She even decides to wear make-up and doesn't mind "Playing the part" of an "Obsure sub-NPR cultural radio operation." This symbolically shows a progression in Cayce's character. She doesn't seem afraid since she is approaching closure regarding the footage aaand her father. And also how Russia (Which has a mafia to boot) is progressing towards globalization. Though it seems Gibson has never been to Russia.
Actually it can be argued that Russia is a Mirror-world of its former self. Trying to catch up from failing in communism and mimic a U.S. of the past. Russia could also be a mirror-world of the U.S. to be for trends tend to repeat and might be the reason why Cayce is neutral and comfortable. Russia does lack in color, but has the mentality of making things bigger, something that America has lost in the years based on Cayce's "impression of Moscow itself is that everything is far larger than it could possibly have any need to be." She is also surprised of the large McDonalds and the size of her room which are typically compacted and made smaller in NYC.
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