Scan barcode
streberkatze's review
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I found this book because it was a shelt talker of my library, and I loved I so much! Language is usually not one of my reading doorways, but I deeply appreciated the way this story was written. As somege who came of age around the same time in a differrent part of the former Eastern Bloc, I found some of the protagonist's experiences to be really familiar, while others illustrated that even within that geopolitical region, the Soviet Union / post-Soviet Russia is its very own kind of beast. There were a few passages in the final third of the book that steered too much toward the didactical for my taste. But considering how little-known this particular historical context is, beyond the usual clichés, and how hard it was for the author to found an English-language publisher (as he stated in an interview), this choice makes sense to me. I still loved the book all the same!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Hate crime, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Child death, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Racism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Rape
Minor: Police brutality, Drug use, War, and Mass/school shootings
abbylw's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality, Hate crime, Homophobia, Violence, and Genocide
More...