A review by leonidskies
The Doomed City by Arkady Strugatsky, Boris Strugatsky

challenging dark mysterious reflective slow-paced

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

3.5

For me, this was a stronger piece when viewed as a window into history than a work of fiction I'd actually want to read - it was dense and unsatisfying. Above all, though, it was immensely INTERESTING - absolutely packed full of political thought and completely resisting any and all simple explanation or interpretation. It felt like a very deliberate book in every way; what I felt were petty prejudices initially turned out, as far as I could tell, to be completely intended ways of communicating the flaws of a deeply unpleasant narrator who was persistently fascinating in how odious he was at almost every turn. VERY good storytelling.

In an odd, sort of lateral way, the very closing segment of the book reminded me of The Left Hand of Darkness - written practically contemporaneously, I'm left wondering if there's a specifically late 60s/early 70s thing in both books that I don't have words to put to.

It was an interesting read, and I don't think I'd really recommend it to anyone in particular, but it was a good book to spend some time with.