About the “Doomed City” of the Strugatsky brothers or why every thinking person needs to read it

Spoilers that I haven't told anything about and that don't spoil the pleasure of reading the book.

The Strugatskys are one of my first favorite writers. At the age of 10, my aunt gave me to read “Monday starts on Saturday". I liked it, but I didn't understand everything, it's clear, and I asked for more.

Thus, by the age of 15, I read “The Tale of the Troika”, “It's hard to be a God”, “The hotel “at the dead climber”, ”Inhabited Island“, ”A beetle in an anthill“, ”Waves extinguish the wind“. It was early, and when rereading it later, a lot of new things opened up. But now I have grown up to the “Doomed City".

So what is the “Doomed City" about?

· About life
· About love
· About overcoming
· About religion and faith. And it seems like a magical world. And it seems to be not
· About the ability to forgive
· About the press and propaganda
· About stupidity
· About finding yourself, motivation, meaning
· About development
· About how to become great and what is greatness
· About our animal nature, which exists and captures many people
· About how they throw off responsibility for the “Experiment”
· About the division of society
· About conscience
· About thoughts, why development is needed

It seems to be a book. Fiction. But so deep. Acutely, for all times and peoples.

Imagine all the most vile and vicious parts of our world. Hell on earth. The world is an illusion, where everything terrible, bad and inhuman is combined in one place. A story where everyone recognizes themselves in the heroes, but not from the side that they would not like to see and recognize in themselves. The side that you don't even want to think about. And so ashamed. And life is meaningless. And power decides. And everyone drinks.

This is a dystopia, in the classic version, but it is too real. And it gets scary and creepy. And there's nowhere to hide. The book is a metaphor, but which is painfully clear and exposes and brings out all the bad. At times it is unpleasant to read it, because you begin to recognize yourself too clearly in the characters. But only through this recognition can one understand, see, see, accept and consciously decide to become a Human Being.

But after reading it, you look out the window at the bright sun, the boundless horizon, cats, and I want to believe that despite the fact that this is our world, this is not quite true. I want to believe that we still have hope.

Because there are wonderful people around who look like the main character. Who are not heroes at all. But just people. They make mistakes, wrong choices, but still strive for the beautiful and bright. They know how to rejoice. They know how to love. Who do not do what they said, but what they like. At the same time, they think what they are doing. And I want to believe that these people will save the world. And I want to believe that such a person lives in each of us. And that someday everyone will grow up, learn how to make the world around a little more beautiful. And we will save the world.

Life will end someday. There is no need to be afraid of this every second. You just need to live it so that you are not ashamed to die. In front of you.

These are just my thoughts. Perhaps you will see something else in this book. And it's even possible that the Strugatskys didn't want to say that either. But I advise you to read it. I liked.

And the ending is just great.

That's about this “Doomed City".