Takes place bedore, during. Anf after the collapse of Soviet Russia and communist dictatorship in Estonia. Main themes are how war leads to violence against women and violence begets violence.

Violence is a tapestry in Eastern Europe. Due to the location of Eastern Europe, caught between so many different empires and nations, it had a constant through line of violence. Story focuses on 2 women and the violence done to and by them and how they are bound together by it. 
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Everyone should read this.