Reviews

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

acmarinho3's review against another edition

3.0

Sinto que as três estrelas se devem principalmente à minha leitura. Estive muito distraída e sempre que me focava senti que só lia partes mais negras. A verdade é que a literatura russa para mim é isso mesmo: negro. Sinto que ainda não encontrei o livro certo para começar a gostar das narrativas russas. Sobre este livro, achei triste. Descobrimos um dia na vida de Ivan Denisovich enquanto prisioneiro numa Gulag pelas suas ofensas ao estado. Marcou-me muito a referência à temperatura e a noção de que trabalhavam com valores negativos que não correspondiam à realidade, porque fazia sempe mais frio, uma vez que o termómetro russo nunca marcava os valores corretamente, para garantir que os prisioneiros trabalhavam sempre. O excesso de frio, a escassez de ar respirável, a fome extrema e o excesso de trabalho contribuem para uma exaustão que acompanha a leitura.

eveblunden's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

gatedrive's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

4.0

flelix's review

challenging dark lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

blackrose99's review against another edition

dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

intoxicatedturtle's review against another edition

2.0

Very disappointing! The author did an excellent job of getting me to care what happens to his character, yet NOTHING ever happens. A "day in the life" is a great literary device if it is a day where something occurs. This however, was similar to a Seinfeld episode, yet without the attempts at humor. Twenty something pages about building a brick wall would be ok if there were some climax, but there's not. Just a brick wall. Perhaps he does an ok job of describing the terror of living in the gulag, but if the reader is familiar with WWII camps (Frankel's "The Search For Meaning", perhaps), then the protagonist's woes seem to be mere discomforts. Although much hinges on the presumption that the character doesn't deserve to be in prison, he is a prisoner nonetheless and his prison experience isn't all that spectacular. Sadly, the book is a real page turner but after reading the pages, I simply felt like I had wasted my time.

beansrowning's review against another edition

3.5

I read Ralph Parker's translation from the 60s this time around, and I think I read a later edition years ago.

I found parts of the book pretty hard to follow and my attention waned, but it's overall a very cohesive piece of literature about the horrors of the gulags. 

hecaldwell's review against another edition

5.0

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a book of one day as the title suggests. Here aren’t any chapters but there is still a sense of time throughout the book. A great read on a difficult subject. I would definitely recommend

raygersh's review against another edition

3.0

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich deserves two different ratings. The novel accomplishes something revolutionary and leaves an indelible mark on Russian society, sparking an entire cultural shift, deserving of 5 stars. But then there is the actual experience of reading the novel in 21st century America. This is the rating I have chosen to go with.

The cultural and political impact of Shukhov (Ivan Denisovich)'s one day is potent and I have a strong appreciation for Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's experiences and courage in the face of peril. Depicting one totally average day in a Russian gulag was a brilliant way to unveil the banality of evil in the system. That, however, did not make the experience of reading it any more interesting. I was bored at times and annoyed with Shukhov at others. The writing style is bland and rote and it felt more like a regurgitation of the day's events, rather than the telling of a story.

Most of my appreciation for One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich actually comes down to what I read in the foreword and afterword. There is definitely a lot here that is worth discussing and I think the novel sparks some compelling thoughts on life and humanity. Solzhenitsyn presents a lot of poignant and insightful moments throughout the day but they get lost amid the never ending stream of consciousness ranting from Shukhov.

Overall: A strong novel that maybe everyone should read since it's so short but it's missing an element of connection 3.5 stars

stromby's review against another edition

4.0

“A man who’s warm can’t understand a man who’s freezing.”