A review by serendipitysbooks
A Dictator Calls by Ismail Kadare

challenging dark informative mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

 A Dictator Calls explores a 1934 phone call from Joseph Stalin to Boris Pasternak following the arrest of the poet Osip Mandelstam. It looks at what was said during the call and more importantly what other people believed was said, and what they said about it. It reads very much like a piece of non-fiction. Sadly I found this slim little book to be perplexing, even while recognising the importance and relevance of some of the themes it explored such as the complex relationship between politics and the arts, the power of authoritarian dictators, notions of artistic freedom and of censorship, and the impact of fear. I felt like I was eavesdropping on some erudite philosophical musings without having much background knowledge and where the  philosopher never reaches any discernible conclusions.