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Content snapshot
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Violence
Some
The violence of Soviet state repression; death from the political system rather than direct combat
Language
Barely any
Literary prose; no profanity
Sexual Content
Some
Adult romantic relationships in the Soviet setting; some content, restrained
Substance Use
Barely any
None
Emotional Intensity
A lot
The psychological devastation of living under a totalitarian system that destroys everything you value
What this book is about
Kira Argounova, a young woman in post-revolutionary Russia who dreams of freedom and engineering, is caught between her love for a White Russian officer and her complicated relationship with a Communist official. Ayn Rand's first novel draws directly on her experience of the Soviet system—its politics are explicit, its tragedy genuine.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
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