The Memory Keeper of Kyiv: The most powerful, important historical novel of 2022

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Im zweiten Erzählstrang lernen wir Cassie kennen, die im Haus ihrer Großmutter ein Tagebuch findet und eben dieser schmerzlichen Vergangenheit auf die Spur kommt... Perhaps, after 300 days, we have become somewhat numb to the crisis. I hope not. As travellers, it’s important that we are at the forefront of understanding the countries, regions, cities and communities that we travel to. It is but obvious to connect this book with the situation in Ukraine right now. It is quite surreal, almost absurd that this book has come out in a year where history seems to be repeating itself. Wonder when leaders will learn from past mistakes and focus more on living in harmony than on satisfying their hunger for more power and control. I have never read any book covering the topic of the ‘Holodomor’, the manmade famine that resulted in the loss of almost 4 million Ukrainian lives during the 1930s. That itself should be the biggest reason to go for this book. It reveals unheard-of details of a travesty that has never been highlighted. There were so many elements that felt like exaggerations because I simply couldn’t believe humans could do something as low. But the author’s note and her sources show that every despicable event is true. Kudos to her research. My thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Memory Keeper of Kyiv”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

The propaganda and division sowed by the activists when they arrive is powerful and pits neighbors and family members against each other. How did that contribute to breaking down the fabric of village life? Are there parallels in today’s society? The thing really impressing me was the resilience and strength the characters show through adversity. The characters in the 1930 timeline are well-carved and gutsy. Each of them creates an impact for various reasons. Of the 2004 characters, Birdie was the sweetest. A stunning portrait of Ukraine and its people, of strength, of endurance, of the fight for survival during the forced famine, the Holodomor, but also a tender story of Katya, a grandmother whose hidden history holds the power to guide her granddaughter through the darkness of loss and grief, toward life and a limitless future. A remarkable read not to be missed." Lisa Wingate, author of *Before We Were Yours In a Nutshell: A historical timeline that is almost painful to read because of its brutal depiction of the realities of Ukrainian life under Stalin’s collectivization scheme. The contemporary timeline is decent but pales in comparison. Still, I would count this as a must-read book.

As sparks fly between the young widow and the hunky neighbor, they learn the truth about Bobby’s harrowing early life. In 1929, Katya was 16, in love with the boy next door, a doting daughter and younger sister who worked on the family farm. But when Stalin’s men arrived, they insisted the local farmers join the collective and punished anyone who resisted. As the Russians take more and more from the Ukrainians, the impossible starts to unfold—starvation in the land of plenty. And help seems impossible. The story is certainly informative – Erin Litteken does an admirable job bringing attention to Stalin's horrific hunger purges – but the romance that develops between Katya and her childhood friend ended up overpowering the story. The romance eventually expands into a love triangle, which felt incredibly unnecessary. The heavy emphasis on the romance detracts from the dark and harrowing historical setting. Ukraine is fertile and plentiful, and Stalin thinks we should be the breadbasket of the Soviet Union. To achieve that, he wants us to give up our land and join collective farms. This has been going on in villages all across Ukraine for months, and they could arrive here at any time.” Breathtaking. Devastating. Erin Litteken's The Memory Keeper of Kyiv chronicles a defining but forgotten moment of Ukrainian history.” Amanda McCrina, author of The Silent Unseen A stunning portrait of Ukraine and its people, of strength, of endurance, of the fight for survival during the forced famine, the Holodomor, but also a tender story of Katya, a grandmother whose hidden history holds the power to guide her granddaughter through the darkness of loss and grief, toward life and a limitless future. A remarkable read not to be missed."

With the help of a kind neighbor who is fluent in Ukrainian, Cassie is able to translate her grandmother’s journal. Through this journal, Cassie learns of the unspeakable hardships her grandmother suffered during the Holodomor (great famine) inflicted on the Ukrainian people at the direction of Stalin in the 1930’s. Shredded beets do take some effort. Be sure to remove the skin of the beet before shredding. And wear clothes you don’t mind getting a little beet juice on. The Memory Keeper of Kyiv is told in a dual timeline fashion with alternating PoVs; Katya in the 1930s in Tetiiv Raion of the Kyiv Region and Cassie, 2004 in Illinois. This story is not for the faint of heart. It is a heart-wrenching story of starvation, loss, and death. Both Katya and Cassie experienced varying degrees of loss, but they learn to move forward in life and make the best of it. Seventy years later, a young widow discovers her grandmother’s journal, one that will reveal the long-buried secrets of her family’s haunted past.Erin Litteken didn’t set out to capitalize on newfound interest in Ukraine. The Troy, Illinois, resident worked for a full decade on her debut novel, “ The Memory Keeper of Kyiv.” That it’s being released at a time of unprecedented interest in Ukraine’s fate is pure coincidence. One of the wonders and delights of travel is that we can arrive anywhere and feel a bond and a welcome. Ukraine reminds us that freedom is very precious and can be taken away with a moment’s notice. As experienced travelers, we see the best and worst in the world. We understand that travel is a privilege and that we must do all we can to support human decency and freedom anywhere in the world. As Ukraine fights for its freedom and sovereignty, an understanding the history of this region can remind us that their liberty and ours is connected.