In December 2019, Kazakhstan celebrated its 28th year of independence. After nearly three decades of independence, it is now good time to assess the how the state of Kazakhstan has established its presence in the eyes of the global community as well as in the eyes of its citizens. The book ‘‘Kazakhstan and the Soviet Legacy: Between Continuity and Rupture’’, edited by Jean-François Caron is a timely contribution on this matter. The book’s main argument is centered around the statement that Kazakhstan’s governance is showing more continuity with its colonial past and that its willingness to assert its uniqueness is still mainly a symbolic phenomenon than a reality.