This was a difficult read for me...some of the difficulty was perhaps the translation --- and, my limited knowledge of the Estonian history after WWII and through the time the USSR was dissolved. The characters were complex. Aliide --- I varied going between trying not to judge what a person must do to survive and really disliking her overwhelming selfishness - to the point of non-redemption. Zara was also complex, but extremely sympathetic. All in all, glad I read this book.