Just stunningly beautiful. The story of a Tatar woman and the Russians with whom her life becomes enmeshed in Siberia in the 1930, the novel slowly draws the reader in until the level of investment really won't let you think about anything else. The writing and translation are positively topnotch. I borrowed this one from the library, but I have every intention of buying my own hardcopy so I can go back and take my time, savoring favorite passages like Zuleikha, Ignatov, the baby, and the bear.