Soviet Russia

The basis for almost every conflict in the book is the Soviet Union and the oppressive power that it exercises over Shostakovich and its other citizens. The Soviet Union was formed in the early 1920s by the Bolsheviks in the wake of the Russian Revolution. Before, Russia’s governmental system for centuries had been largely monarchical, with a leader called a “tsar” at its head. Basing their philosophies on Marxist political and economic theories, Russian communists called Bolsheviks overthrew the tsarist government, very briefly established a republic, and then transitioned towards the more bureaucratic governmental system that was the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was made up of Russia, as well as several surrounding countries, such as Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan the Ukraine, and Belarus. It dissolved in 1991 due to various political factors.

The Landing

Each section of the book grounds itself in a specific scene of Shostakovich...