I struggled with how to rate this book because I didn't necessarily find reading it pleasant. This book is packed with tragedy after tragedy. However, after having read another book that seemed to throw in ridiculous tragedies for "action," I can appreciate that this book probably presented a realistic, if hard to read, accounting of events during WWII in Ukraine. I admit Ukraine is a region I know little about and I knew even less of the experiences of Ukrainians during German and Russian occupation. I feel better educated having read this book. I would group this book with Hotel Rwanda for stories that, while I'm glad I experienced, I'd never want to read/watch again. This was a very sweet story. Hard to read sometimes about the war atrocities and deaths that occurred. Also the main character was quite maddening to see her ignore, evade, and otherwise disengage from her very obviously loving friends and family. Until the death of her friend and her husband she was so guarded. Instead of feeling the pain and sadness of her life, it seemed she chose to feel nothing at all. Very sad. In the end though she chose to let people in before it was too late. Wish she could have been more open when certain people were still alive. Poor lady had lived with so many regrets and carried so much guilt. Too bad she did not feel loved and safe. Overall a very touching story.
Do You like book The Silence Of Trees (2010)?
A wonderful story, but I also enjoyed the Ukrainian mythology and folklore that was woven in.
—lucy
Really enjoyed this story. Well done, beautifully written.
—ppp
