A review by acentko
The Joke by Milan Kundera

4.0

As a young Slovak, you hear tales of the former regime from your parents, from your grandparents. But those include only the major life and political events. This novel portrays the day-to-day life in the 20th century Czechoslovakia. It taught me about communist ideology in greater and more practical depth, than formal texts would. From a point of view of a citizen, and from a point of view of human, living in the seeming age of equality, sentenced by hierarchy. On the other hand, Kundera depicts feelings, emotions, and love in a magical yet physical way. Leaving just enough room for relatability. He puts down words, we long had in our heads, yet never came to be formulated. This book is a very recommended read for the post-soviet youth, to understand the circumstances of their current political system, and for anyone else, to illustrate what laid behind the iron curtain.