In its first rendition, this book was described as speculative fiction. This new post-cold-war edition is presented as alternative history. I would venture to describe it as a prophetic vision of what will be without a drastic change in our political infrastructure. Regardless of your political affiliation, you will be captured by Wludyka's vivid, all too real picture of what a socialist America would look like through the eyes of an emerging adult child of an American mother and a Russian father.
In a well-written, thrilling story, Wludyka brings the reader to contemplate what life would be like if freedom of thought and speech were suppressed. What would education and entertainment be like if a socialist government controlled what books and content could be published? What would your life look like if you lived in a world where bureaucrats passed laws defining who will receive food, transportation, and health care?
The story begins in Charleston, South Carolina. The central character, Alex Nurov, is a senior in high school. He will soon be traveling to Russia to attend Moscow University. He believes what he was taught about America. Corruption and greed ran rampant until an open-minded society realized socialism would set them free. Nurov's moral, ethical, and philosophical foundation is jarred by the discovery of a book by a Polish priest presenting a history of America opposed to that of his upbringing.
Nurov sets out on a search to determine for himself if the history and ideas discovered in this book are truth or fiction. After surviving incarceration and pharmacological and psychological torture, he connects with an underground organization of African-American Christians who become instrumental in his quest for truth. As each page is turned, heart rate increases knowing the Russian police are near to discovering Nurov's location.
I enjoyed a multifaceted novel resembling a historical and political thriller rolled into one. I connected with Nurov as the history he had been taught began to unravel before his eyes. I see the attempts to rewrite history promulgated on a daily basis. A flame already burning within me was stoked by the foretelling of what may be to come.
In a well-written, thrilling story, Wludyka brings the reader to contemplate what life would be like if freedom of thought and speech were suppressed. What would education and entertainment be like if a socialist government controlled what books and content could be published? What would your life look like if you lived in a world where bureaucrats passed laws defining who will receive food, transportation, and health care?
The story begins in Charleston, South Carolina. The central character, Alex Nurov, is a senior in high school. He will soon be traveling to Russia to attend Moscow University. He believes what he was taught about America. Corruption and greed ran rampant until an open-minded society realized socialism would set them free. Nurov's moral, ethical, and philosophical foundation is jarred by the discovery of a book by a Polish priest presenting a history of America opposed to that of his upbringing.
Nurov sets out on a search to determine for himself if the history and ideas discovered in this book are truth or fiction. After surviving incarceration and pharmacological and psychological torture, he connects with an underground organization of African-American Christians who become instrumental in his quest for truth. As each page is turned, heart rate increases knowing the Russian police are near to discovering Nurov's location.
I enjoyed a multifaceted novel resembling a historical and political thriller rolled into one. I connected with Nurov as the history he had been taught began to unravel before his eyes. I see the attempts to rewrite history promulgated on a daily basis. A flame already burning within me was stoked by the foretelling of what may be to come.
About the Author:
Learn more about getting book reviews. Stop by Todd Rutherford's site where you can find out all about getting book reviews and what it can do for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment