I've already read my fair share of bleak and depressing books this year, but for me this is an aspirant for the most horrifying book read so far. Over three years Alexievich interviewed a large number of people directly involved with the disaster of Chernobyl, e.g. people living there, first response firemen, liquidators, physicists, politicians et al. Those interviews are given in the book as plain but powerful monologues.

I read the book virtually in a single session over one evening, as it's pretty captivating. At the same time it's so emotionally taxing that you may want to take a short break and go for a walk, especially at times when the tears make reading any further hard anyway (no, not only because they shot the dogs)… For some example quotes check out this review, which has a pretty good selection, covering many of the different types of despair you will encounter.

5/5 would read again, though probably not too soon. Recommended for: anyone who wants to see how firm his or hers pro-nuclear opinion is.