“I photographed an Afghan wedding, I got the happy couple, the bride and groom. I don't feel sorry for them, I lost my friend." Creepy stories fill the first few pages of Zinky Boys, somewhat of a warning to the faint of heart about the nature of the book. Svetlana Alexievich's diary forms the first – and last – chapter of the book, recalling her interaction with people involved in or linked to the Soviet war in Afghanistan. The book is full of testimonies from soldiers, mothers and civilian workers involved in the war. Zinky Boys doesn't have the regular structure of a book, each chapter progressing without a clear flow, tied together by phone calls between Alexievich and someone she called her "protagonist." There is no written commentary, just story after story, which more often than not jumps back and forth between those of soldiers, mothers, and doctors without structure. The book is notable for its unorthodox writing style. Readers will be left on the edge of their seats, trying to figure out what comes next. The soldiers' stories were brutal. Terrifying images...