Words Will Break Cement: The Passion of Pussy Riot

To say that this book is very important would be an understatement. This book documents the inequalities, corruption, and lies that are indeed Putin's Russian regime through the lens of the members of punk protesting group Pussy Riot. Often times it doesn't even feel like I'm reading from the reporter's writing but through the members themselves. That statement is certainly true where Masha takes direct quotes from interviews and documentations they've collected and put it together in an authentic retelling of the events that led up to Nadya, Maria, and Kat's arrests. During the trial, each member's closing statements alone make this book worth reading. Reading about each member's origins and how they grew up really helped me understand where each member is coming from and how they relate and differ from one another. The book is incredibly heartbreaking as it is frustrating despite it being powerfully moving. It's essential when it comes to the Russian politics, feminism, rebellion, and the art of punk itself.