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fuzzyhebrew's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I don't think anyone could have imparted the experience of a gulag more effectively than Shalamov. After reading Ivan Denisovich, I wasn't really aware of how bad it got, but this book holds no punches. Most of these short stories are based around things he witnessed or experienced, which makes it worse because this is not a work of fiction. This is truly what can happen in an authoritarian country. Shalamov states that during his time in the camps he learned that there is no friendship among starving men, and that it doesn't take long for humans to devolve to their base instincts. However, a large portion of these stories showed humans acting with courage and integrity when they had nothing to gain. Stories show us prisoners helping each other out of empathy or a sense of justice. Some people retained their will to be good just because they were that way. So despite him losing hope, his stories reflect hope in a hopeless time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture and Death
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