Imagine the darkest scenarios you can imagine, now multiply those by ten and you’ve got a pretty good idea of the living conditions in Russia during the first World War. Sandra Birdsall's story “The Russlander” is a profound novel focusing on the life of a small Russian girl during the first World War and the rebellion that followed shortly after. The storyline follows Katya and her father, the overseer in a mennonite community, as they adjust to live settling in the Canadian plains. Conflict arises within the mennonite community due to pressures from the rest of Canada and the anger felt by the Russian working class due to the large gaps in the social classes and the abuse of the poor by the rich. Though there are numerous names and interactions to remember and keep straight, Sandra’s attention to detail makes for a powerful and moving story. But it’s this vast amount of information necessary to understand the story and the mature nature of the story itself that restrict it’s audience to those who are more matured. The story, though information fulled, makes you feel that you yourself are a settler in Canada dealing with a large number of angry working class Russians and pressure from outside the community, and because of this the book is near impossible to put down. Sandra has a way of writing which ensures that not a single word is there without a purpose, and because of this has created a timeless piece that I would recomend to anyone.
This was a difficult book for me to read, but I kept at it for two reasons.One is that my friend Janet Armstrong recommended it and she has good taste in books - better than me. Secondly almost everyone on here who reviewed it LOVED it.I just found it so slow that it was difficult to keep my interest. Then I realized why.My hope was that the book would stop being in Russia and would show the immigration to Canada - specifically Saskatchewan and Manitoba. I had hoped to find out more of the history about that part of Katys's life. I therefore thought that the writing should move "faster" so the Canadian part could begin. When I realized that there was not going to be any Canadian sections I was able to let go of those expectations and read the book the way it was meant to be read. But could only give it a 3.
I read this book just after The Road. I was on holiday, and my husband was pleading with me to get ready, everyone was waiting for us in the lobby, but I just couldn't put the book down and had to finish it before supper! It starts off with meandering memories of a girl and her Mennonite family in Russia, and the community there. There are tensions between her father and the rich Mennonite family that owns the land. But when the Russian revolution starts, life becomes incredibly frightening. It is not what the soldiers do on a field that makes war so evil, it is what your neighbour does to his neighbour when law and order break down.
—Sylvia
This was one of those books that started out SO SLOWLY that I almost stopped reading it a couple times. You have to have some knowledge or at least care a little bit about the Russian Revolution to understand the historical context (I had neither). But once I got into the story and really started to care about the characters, I couldn't put it down. The story of both having and losing family love and romantic love, as well as some of the beautiful backdrops was a huge suprise to come out of a book I got for $3 from a publisher's clearing house type store. Loved it!
—Kristen
Excellent read. This is Russia through the time of the revolution and First World War, focussing on the plight of the Mennonites, as they became the enemy of all, having lost the protection of the tsar. This was when and where my mother grew up and came to Canada in 1923, so for me this was particularly poignant and I felt I had been given some greater insight into my mom's life. How I wish I has asker her more while she was alive, although her time before immigrating was so painful that she rarely spoke about it.
—Jane Glen
