This book is a thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding experience for those who wish to improve their Russian through reading genuine Russian literature. At the start I relied quite heavily on the vocabulary notes but as the book progressed, I used the notes less and less. The vocabulary itself is cleverly chosen and key words re-appear frequently so that one gets familiar with them and how they are used in different contexts. You learn them almost without noticing! In addition to the text, Kristina’s reading of it at both speeds is crystal clear so it improved my listening comprehension enormously. I would highly recommend this reader to anyone who wants to improve their ability to read, listen to and understand the Russian language.