I have never wanted to revise the general literature curriculum so badly as I did after reading this. For American readers this title is at a great disadvantage; it’s not originally in English, published 30 years ago, and not particularly plot drive. That being said this book is an absolutely masterful study of what it means to be a human, what it means to be without affinity, and about the bleakness of dystopia.

The things that make this book so beautiful and poignant are the same things that make this book so unusual among science fiction and dystopian novels. The story is deeply internal, about the protagonist’s own development and understanding of herself and her role in the world. There is very little action, no explosions or alien invasions. Terror and disquiet present themselves as boredom, confusion, and feeling totally alone. Perhaps the thing that I like most is that this story does mirror reality in the sense that not all puzzles are solved. Some things are confusing and the point is never revealed—and that is what makes this story so impactful. In the end it isn’t about why she was put in the bunker or by whom, it really only matters how she grows, changes, and survives.

The protagonist goes through a deeply psychological evolution from young teen to elderly woman through the course of the work. Her understanding of concepts that she has never personally experienced and only learned of second hand is a major discussion. She is aware from the earliest moments of the novel that as she is the youngest one in the prison with no memories of the time before her imprisonment she is different than them.

For me this book was an easy 5/5. It’s cinematic and evocative while at the same time showing immense restraint. I don’t know if I’d be able to recommend it to everyone, but for me it was a truly immersive work that I truly loved experiencing.