A review by zhespy
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

challenging dark reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

One of my all-time favourite books. Mortar block mortar block mortar block! When Ivan (Shukhov) is building that wall, and time is running out, man it doesn't get more thrilling than that! You would assume that he would be dying to get back to have some more time for himself but no he is determined to use the mortar determined to see a job done right. I have seen people boil this book down to 'communism bad' but I think that is a very easy way to handle the message Solzhenitsyn is portraying here. What you're reading is the exploitation of labour something that happens across the globe, even in 'previous' capitalist societies, by those of a higher power. This is also a scene in 'For the Good of the Cause' another short work of Solzhenitsyn where the labour of teenagers, which was first given gladly so they could have a new school, was robbed of them by powerful figures to use the fruits of their hard work for their endeavours, leaving the kids with nothing. I saw a comment once that said that they were happy to be living in the United States away from situations like this but what they don't realise is that under their very noses in their countries' prisons are prisoners used as slave labour, just like Ivan, every day.