caitvd shared a tip "One of my favorites. Such a surreal book! It is extremely funny, ridiculous, satirical, fantastical, rollicking, just a masterpiece. You’ll enjoy it if you’re just reading on the surface (although it may seem very strange and nonsensical) or if you’re doing thesis level analysis on all the symbolism throughout. This is a book where rereadings reveal new secrets you missed on prior reads, a gift that keeps on giving."

MarlinBrando shared a tip "Could not finish. I'd expect that my enjoyment was hampered by the fact that I've never lived in the USSR. If I'm right, then, because of this, the only parts I found at all humorous were the end-of-chapter breakdowns."

emily_alwubayran shared a tip "Hilarious and charming satire of life, love, and artistic expression in the Soviet Union. Our characters, ranging from average to absurd, hateful to heroic, wrestle with doing what is duty, what is allowed, and what is right, what is wanted. Even on surface level this story is wildly entertaining, but once you sit back and digest what the book is really saying, it gains so much depth and meaning. I will be thinking about this for a very long time!"