Veronica Yabloko

pg. 361 – removed from life
This statement caught my eye because of how central it is to many of the scenes in the book. The idea of being "removed from life" rather than dying, of course, literally refers to Innokenty's freezing, but it also refers to his experiences in the camp. Many Russian prison texts illustrate how dehumanizing the camps were and how difficult it was to hold on to the very things that make us alive. Thus, being "removed from life" takes on another, heartbreaking meaning. 

pg. 362 – Pobeda 
Refers to a type of car common in the Soviet Union, the GAZ-M20 Podeda (in Russian, Победа). It was produced from 1946 to 1958.

pg. 363 – Zaretsky’s portrait
Zaretsky's portrait is, first and foremost, a striking commentary on how every person, no matter how seemingly evil, is just human, a theme which appears over and over in the book. More than that, though, Zaretsky's portrait is also a comment on how artists (including writers) are able to capture ideas and feelings that cannot be expressed otherwise. Thus, within this literary work we get a comment from the author about the power of literature.

pg. 366 – Marlen Yevgenyevich, Polina
Two characters given very little description except for that they are celebrating May Day in 1969.

pg. 366 – Kirovsky Prospect
A street in St. Petersburg. Most notably holds the Palace of Culture, a theatre.

pg. 366 – Lev Tolstoy Street
A street in St. Petersburg, in Russian: Улица Льва Толстого. However, many Lev Tolstoy Streets exist in Russia and in other countries, such as Ukraine, as well.

pg. 368 – Kupchino District
One of the oldest districts in St. Petersburg, Kupchino was founded in the 16th century coming from the word ‘kupetz’ (купец), which means merchant in Russian.

pg. 368 – prefab
Short for prefabricated; refers to the concrete apartments built in the Soviet Union. These buildings were uniform and imposing and are characteristic of the Soviet Era.

pg. 368 – Okudzhava
Bulat Okudzhava was a prominent Russian musician who lived between the years of 1924 and 1997. He was a guitar player who wrote about love, war, and life in general. Today, festivals are held in his honor and his music is taught all across Russia.

pg. 372 – Zhdanovka
A small river channeling from the Neva delta and located in St. Petersburg.