First of all, whoever wrote the review listed here about Ivan having sex with children and animals... I don’t know what the heck you read but it was definitely not this book. That is completely made up and there is nothing like that in this book. It focuses on a single day in the life of a man imprisoned in a labor camp. I read this as part of a class on prison literature and finished it in 4-5 hours. I do not know much about the Soviet Union but this story really inspired me to dig further into the history surrounding Ivan. It’s a great and accessible read that will expand your worldview and offer a new perspective.