A review by brettcarl
Chernobyl: History of a Tragedy by Serhii Plokhy
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.5
Meticulously-researched, objectively-investigated, and written-respectfully, Serhii Plokhy's Chernobyl: History of a Tragedy earns the right to be the foremost historical account on the Chernobyl Nuclear disaster. By the end of it, you'll be fully-informed of exactly what did and didn't happen during this catastrophic event, as well as being able to comprehend the causes and consequences of the disaster too. From the irrational, delusional commitment to the Soviet Union and communism to the competitive, inherent nature of geopolitics, Plokhy proficiently points to how many factors influenced not just the causes of the disaster, but also the reaction to it as well.
However, Plokhy's impressive historical account does have drawbacks too, those which are a by-product of his account's strengths. Specifically, Ploky's objective approach and meticulous research, leave little room for emotion. Thus, the account is at times missing a human element which would be easily addressed by Plokhy focusing on the cast of individuals at his disposal meaning the account would be more intimate and emotive too. Furthermore, as Plokhy takes a more objective and broad approach to the event, his account can feel too detail-heavy and does become quite sluggish and less exciting to read, which would also be fixed by a more intimate approach too.
Yet, these criticisms do not take away from the fact that Plokhy has produced an accurate, objective, detailed and respectful account of one of world history's most significant and catastrophic events. And now having read it, it has also made me reevaluate the quality of the HBO/Sky Atlantic TV series, Chernobyl, which despite the creator's - Craig Mazin - claims to be about the fragility of truth and how easily it can be distorted and manipulated to serve the immoral and unethical intentions of individuals, communities and states, actually ends up becoming the very thing it's critiquing due to the excessive amount of historical and scientific inaccuracies in its adaptation. Fortunately though, Serhii Plokhy's account speaks truth to power and critically conveys how the distortion, manipulation and erasure of truth facilitated one of the worst nuclear disasters in world history, and jeopardised the health and wellbeing of millions of innocent individuals and the vital environment that surrounds them and us.
However, Plokhy's impressive historical account does have drawbacks too, those which are a by-product of his account's strengths. Specifically, Ploky's objective approach and meticulous research, leave little room for emotion. Thus, the account is at times missing a human element which would be easily addressed by Plokhy focusing on the cast of individuals at his disposal meaning the account would be more intimate and emotive too. Furthermore, as Plokhy takes a more objective and broad approach to the event, his account can feel too detail-heavy and does become quite sluggish and less exciting to read, which would also be fixed by a more intimate approach too.
Yet, these criticisms do not take away from the fact that Plokhy has produced an accurate, objective, detailed and respectful account of one of world history's most significant and catastrophic events. And now having read it, it has also made me reevaluate the quality of the HBO/Sky Atlantic TV series, Chernobyl, which despite the creator's - Craig Mazin - claims to be about the fragility of truth and how easily it can be distorted and manipulated to serve the immoral and unethical intentions of individuals, communities and states, actually ends up becoming the very thing it's critiquing due to the excessive amount of historical and scientific inaccuracies in its adaptation. Fortunately though, Serhii Plokhy's account speaks truth to power and critically conveys how the distortion, manipulation and erasure of truth facilitated one of the worst nuclear disasters in world history, and jeopardised the health and wellbeing of millions of innocent individuals and the vital environment that surrounds them and us.