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A review by backpackingbookworm
Soviet Milk by Nora Ikstena
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
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
4.5
Soviet Milk is a book I never would have stumbled across had I not been seeking out a book set in the Baltics. A friend recommended and I'm grateful she did - it ticked every box for me - character-driven narratives, historical/political insights into a time I knew little about, and writing that is so raw and poignant, you can almost feel the indentation of the words on your skin.
Neither of the female narrators is named and the book is chapter-less, which makes it difficult to grasp at first. At first, I was unsure why the mother and her daughter remained unnamed but then I read an interview with the author who explained that she wanted to generalize the characters and their stories as so many people have experienced similar feelings of confinement, loss, and liberty. To successfully write a book with anonymous characters is no easy feat, yet the author did a fantastic job of bringing their thoughts, struggles, and endurance to light through each distinct voice.
The title also plays a crucial role in this story, where milk metaphorically represents the bond between mother and daughter, both healthy and sour. It is also used to describe the temperature of the river, is referenced in the Milky Way and brings bad memories to the surface for the daughter who could never stomach having to drink milk at school. There are so many interpretations and I enjoyed unravelling each one after finishing the novel.
There is a good reason that this book won the Annual Latvian Literature Award; I'm so thankful for the English translation of such books that open our eyes to moments in history and the monumental impact they have on countless citizens, their families, and their motherland.
Rating breakdown
Neither of the female narrators is named and the book is chapter-less, which makes it difficult to grasp at first. At first, I was unsure why the mother and her daughter remained unnamed but then I read an interview with the author who explained that she wanted to generalize the characters and their stories as so many people have experienced similar feelings of confinement, loss, and liberty. To successfully write a book with anonymous characters is no easy feat, yet the author did a fantastic job of bringing their thoughts, struggles, and endurance to light through each distinct voice.
The title also plays a crucial role in this story, where milk metaphorically represents the bond between mother and daughter, both healthy and sour. It is also used to describe the temperature of the river, is referenced in the Milky Way and brings bad memories to the surface for the daughter who could never stomach having to drink milk at school. There are so many interpretations and I enjoyed unravelling each one after finishing the novel.
There is a good reason that this book won the Annual Latvian Literature Award; I'm so thankful for the English translation of such books that open our eyes to moments in history and the monumental impact they have on countless citizens, their families, and their motherland.
Rating breakdown
- Plot/narrative - 4.6
- Writing style/readability - 4.4
- Characters - 4.5
- Diverse themes - 4.7
- Ending - 4.4
Overall - 4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
Minor: Medical trauma and Abandonment