It is visceral in its uncompromising telling of this tale of history. They did this to people, just for learning how to read!
The depths of depravity of the worst of the human soul never ceases to astound and sicken me.
But, without the dark there is no light I guess.
I could do with less of the darkness. Historical fiction (and military!) have been too horrible for me to read until very recently--forcing myself through scenes like this eye-gouging (and witch burnings). It's one thing to know such things happened. It's another to read lurid details. Do I hafta? Part of me dies when I confront the horrific truth of what people have done to each other, and continue to do even in this enlightened age of science and reason.
Fiction conveys the horror if it better than textbook summaries can.