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Jun 23, 2016
When Stalin denounces his work in 1936, Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich fully expects to be sent to a Siberian gulag or else put to death. But what actually happens is, in some ways, worse than exile or execution. Shostakovich is permitted to pursue his musical ambitions, provided that he demonstrates public support for a regime he despises. This moody, character-driven novel movingly depicts one artist's struggle to remain true to his creative vision while appeasing Soviet leaders who expect him to toe the Party line.