It was a rare glimpse into the life of a Russian during those times. That's what makes it so special/important. There is no plot or storyline, which is maybe why you didn't like it. I'll admit it was monotonous to get through, but how better do you get across the sense of spending years in the prison system than to take the reader into it in every little detail? Maybe you would like this better: [One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich](http://www.kkoworld.com/kitablar/aleksandr_soljenitsin_ivan_denisovichin_bir_gunu-eng.pdf)