The Monastery

More about the book

Set in the late 1920s, the story follows Artiom Goriainov, a young man wrongfully imprisoned for his father's murder on the harsh Solovki Archipelago. Enduring the brutal realities of Soviet camps—hunger, cold, betrayal, and loss—Artiom remains an everyman without strong beliefs, driven solely by the instinct to survive. His narrative unfolds as he witnesses the struggles of fellow prisoners and navigates his own challenges, including a failed escape and a love affair amidst the chaos.