How Russia Became a Zombie State


Non-Fiction - Gov/Politics
404 Pages
Reviewed on 05/09/2023
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

How Russia Became a Zombie State by Alexey Molchanov revolves around the history of Russia through to its contemporary political climate today, and how the author believes the culmination has resulted in the deterioration of a once great empire. Molchanov shares his expertise as a qualified lawyer from Moscow who has since relocated outside the country and employs his experience as someone who worked within the Russian legal system in multiple capacities. What Molchanov specifically does in this book is comb through the Russian constitution and examine each and every article. Within these articles, he links back to the ways, and very often it is in many ways, that Vladimir Putin has shaped the government for the express purpose of preserving his power and serving his needs regardless of the detriment to the people.

How Russia Became a Zombie State was an interesting read for me, particularly as someone who works within the structure of the justice department, and it is clear that Alexey Molchanov is passionate about the Russian legal machine. This is the first time I have ever read the constitutional document, translated into English, that is intended to be the cornerstone of Russian democracy but is instead worth little more than a box of Kleenex. The most intriguing aspect for me is the constitution itself, which Molchanov annotates where exactly it has been willfully ignored. From a literary standpoint, the writing is of an acceptable standard but would benefit from a more substantive polish. The references to resources for further study give those who would like to do their own digging a map of where to start, which is excellent. For those with a deep interest in Russian history and those who like reading the constitutions of other countries, this will be a good match.