As usual, I don't remember anymore why this book ended up on my reading list. But it did, and at some point, I picked it up. I devoured it, finishing it in a few days.
I suppose I liked the writing style. There is the narrator, Ludwik, recalling his relationship with the 2nd person, referred to as "you", or Janusz. Eventually, it turns out that it's a series of letters, written by Ludwik to Janusz, as he reminisces on their now-obvious terminated relationship. There's plenty of factors in play here, ranging from the romance between Ludwik and Janusz, to being gay in Communist Poland, and many other things. And while the book is actually not the longest, as it only has about 230-something pages, it nevertheless packs a punch, and has plenty of topics that are worth thinking about, even after one has finished reading the book.
It definitely makes me value the times I live in. I have to say that it is quite fortunate for me to live in the 21st-century, where finding a place where I can be myself is relatively easy. Not everyone had it easy, and I am glad that I did not have the same experiences as the characters in this book. It's definitely not easy being in the minority, not to mention that for Ludwik and Janusz, there are other factors in play, such as a totalitarian government.
In any case, I definitely enjoyed this book. I don't pick up LGBT literature too often, but I am absolutely glad that I picked up this one. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
See my other book reviews here.
