3.5 stars

I almost feel bad rating this book so low, especially after the colossal amount of research and work the author put into it. Some of the additional materials included in this book are:

- A note on translation and transliteration
- 5 different maps
- A list of the characters in the book (including name, title, and job)
- 2 sections of photos
- A follow-up of characters whose fates were not concluded in the main text
- Authors note on the research
- A glossary
- The different types of radiation units of measurement
- 103 pages of notes
- A 27-page bibliography

However, even with the character list, I found it difficult to keep track of who was who, especially when some were referred to by multiple names. The narrative also bounced around in time, frequently returning to a past event from a different perspective in a following chapter. Because of this style, I would have appreciated a timeline of major events to refer to.

Overall, the attention to detail for the events - and the people involved - are staggering and I applaud Higginbotham’s work.