Chapter 19 and Chapter 20 Summary

Esther is now thirteen and sees herself both as a Polish deportee and Siberian girl. She is very comfortable in the small hut with Natasha and Nikolay and learns how to take care of the baby in exchange for food. She also learns how to spin wool. She is finally paid very little by Alexandra, but can no longer find any work. Uncle Yozia comes to the rescue again, asking her to trade at the baracholka every Sunday various items that they own. When he has multiple copies of the same book, she goes to market to trade it. She thinks the reactions of the villagers are unusual and realizes they are looking at the book not to read it for entertainment, but to burn it as fuel. To Esther, it is a sacrilege.

Anna Semyonovna is one of...