Point of View

The book is written in first-person from the perspective of David Remnick, an American journalist assigned to the Soviet Union during the years in question. Although throughout the book his personal views are apparent, the majority of the book is based on interviews and conversations with Soviet people he meets during his time there. Remnick uses their experiences and stories to illustrate life in the Soviet Union, and to a very great extent, excludes himself from the heart of the story. By using the Soviet people's own words, Remnick makes their stories more credible and tragic.

Setting

The book's primary setting is Moscow, the Soviet Capitol, where the Kremlin, parliament, the Communist Party and most other major political entities are headquartered. Remnick lives in Moscow and many of the people he meets in the book are also Muscovites. Moscow is described as a dreary, overcast and...