This story reminded me a lot of two other famous Polish books, Quo Vadis? and The Painted Bird. All three deal with an intimate circle of characters who find themselves trapped in a world beseiged by war and genocide, and struggle to their limits to survive it. For its age, the book is very graphic in its description of violence and (implied) sex. The prose flows (like a faithful river?) and while some might find it a little melodramatic at times, it's keeps very close and true to the people in it. Based on the January Uprising in Poland during the mid 19th century. ( )

Zeromskiego ksiazka jest bardzo waznym tomem klasycznej literatury polskiej. ( )