This book deals with the gulag system. Zuleikha is from a rural tribe, sent to Siberia with a sorting of interesting charactes. We follow them and their captor/guardian from the regime through the brutal trip and establishment of the work camp. I enjoyed some parts of it, but in others I just felt like the author was clearly trying to touch on my emotions. The writing was very elaborate and floral, a bit too much for my liking.