A review by sjfurger
In the First Circle by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

5.0

A brilliant novel that leaves the readers heart trembling in fear and sadness for each character. Solzhenitsyn transports the reader into the world of the Gulag so fully that when the novel is done, one will hug one's family, eat something out of the fridge just because it's there, and cherish the freedom given them. Not only does Solzhenitsyn describe the Gulags, sharashkas (special prisons), and life in the Soviet Union more eloquently than is possible in non-fiction, he also thoroughly examines morality; from several political angles (Marxism, Socialism, Democracy) as well as a religious one, each of the zeks (prisoners) presents his case for the most moral society and leaves the reader with mixed thoughts. Solzhenitsyn's zeks reference Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, and Marcus Aurelius (albeit indirectly and without citation) in their discussions of politics and morality. All in all, a brilliant novel that I would recommend to anyone.