workout 4/4/25

treadmill for 34 minutes

The Gulag Archipelago - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Review

The Gulag Archipelago 1918–1956 by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

My rating: 5 of 5 stars (4.5 rounded up)

This is a memoir set in soviet Russia that exposes the brutal reality of the Soviet prison camp system called the Gulag by weaving together personal accounts, historical analysis, and philosophical reflections. Through a tapestry of stories from survivors, the author reveals the inhumanity of a regime that sought to crush the human spirit, while also highlighting the resilience and dignity of those who endured unimaginable hardships.

I read the abridged version because I am not reading (or listening, in this case) to 6 volumes of how Russian dictators tortured their constituents. Despite this, this book could be incredibly dry at times and I often lost where I was in the narrative, due to this being a memoir of the author and also a biography of other prisoners simultaneously. I often got confused about who we were talking about, and when, and where. I can only imagine how much harder of a time I would have had with the full book (though maybe I would have been spared the elitist comments about how I'm missing half of the book by reading the abridged version, despite the fact this is the version they teach in Russian schools. If you say stuff like this, stop it. It's annoying).

Despite the pitfalls of this book and the commentary from those who dragged themselves through the full book and are upset that I chose not to, I did still enjoy this book and found it extremely enlightening, and allowed a peek into the atrocities one could commit if allowed to control an entire populous.

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Asylum - Madeline Roux Review

Asylum by Madeleine Roux

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Asylum is a young adult horror novel where we follow our protagonist, Daniel, a socially awkward, adopted teenager, who finds refuge in a prestigious summer program until he learns that his dorm was once a notorious asylum for the criminally insane. As he and his newfound friends explore the institution’s dark past, they uncover chilling secrets that begin to seep into their own lives.

I've seen a lot of popular poor reviews of this book and here's my two cents: this is a YA book. This is for people between the ages of 12-17 primarily. Of course the collegiate scenes don't make sense!!! Of course the writing is elementary!!! It is for teenagers!!!

This is a perfect buffer book to reset your brain between heavier books although it's more thriller than horror.

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