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myaoo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
sab3467's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
One of the best books I've ever read and another read I'll probably never forget.
It was a longer read than what I'm used to, but so worth it. In my opinion, this is historical fiction at its best. I've learned so much about Russian culture, the oppressive political context under Stalin, the ins and outs of living in the soviet union and as an exile. It's an emotional read, both in the sense that all these characters are facing life-threatening illness, the doctors/nurses are faced with inadequate work conditions but also in the fact that the socio-political setting is so harsh and inhumane. But it's such an amazing book to see all the painful pieces of this complex system through the eyes of real human lives and experiences.
I appreciate the translators Nicholas Bethell and David Burg, as the english version was absolutely amazing and I felt like Solzhenitsyn beautiful descriptive and emotional writing was not lost. As well, I loved the appendix and added letters to better understand the process behind the publication of Solzhenitsyn's work.
This book joins Romain Gary's Les Racines du Ciel, Albert Camus's La Peste, amongst others, in the list of novels that marked me forever and that I believe everyone should read!
It was a longer read than what I'm used to, but so worth it. In my opinion, this is historical fiction at its best. I've learned so much about Russian culture, the oppressive political context under Stalin, the ins and outs of living in the soviet union and as an exile. It's an emotional read, both in the sense that all these characters are facing life-threatening illness, the doctors/nurses are faced with inadequate work conditions but also in the fact that the socio-political setting is so harsh and inhumane. But it's such an amazing book to see all the painful pieces of this complex system through the eyes of real human lives and experiences.
I appreciate the translators Nicholas Bethell and David Burg, as the english version was absolutely amazing and I felt like Solzhenitsyn beautiful descriptive and emotional writing was not lost. As well, I loved the appendix and added letters to better understand the process behind the publication of Solzhenitsyn's work.
This book joins Romain Gary's Les Racines du Ciel, Albert Camus's La Peste, amongst others, in the list of novels that marked me forever and that I believe everyone should read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer
esssaa's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
deliunirvana's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
dev0225's review
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Solzhenitsyn is undoubtedly one of the greats. His writing is profound and poetic, but also has notes of attitude and cheek that make it down-to-earth and relatable. This book kept me completely drawn in and quickly became one of my favorites. Solzhenitsyn writes characters in such an intimate way that you find yourself deeply connected to them. The development of those characters and the deep questions they bring to light, kept me contemplating for days after finishing the book. If you’re looking for a light, fun, beach-read, this ain’t it. If you appreciate stepping inside the minds of characters, considering life from different perspectives, and journeying through harsh realities of life to meaning along side the characters, Cancer Ward is for you.
mobro's review
dark
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
allseeinghelga's review against another edition
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
jennygoodier's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-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? No
3.5
I really enjoyed this! The characters were great and as much as it was a hard hitting narrative about mortality, it was also an interesting glimpse into life in Russia at the time.
latte_reads's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0