Judy M. (menzrob) - , reviewed on 5/28/2010 + 81 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

A difficult book to read if you're sensitive to man's inhumanity to man, but it does open one's eyes to what life was really like in Stalin's time. It's amazing to look into the minds of labor camp prisoners and see how hard they work to survive -- and that they even WANT to survive given their conditions! The relationships, both inside and outside of the labor camp, are complex, particularly with the inability to know who to trust, but are strong once trust has been established. I was disappointed with the direction the book took about 2/3 of the way through and how it ended. That said, I'm still glad I read it because it was a real eye-opener to a way of life I've never had to, thankfully, experience, but too many others over the centuries have.

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