Where does Ukraine find such courage and toughness to stand up for months against Russia’s invasion?
I’m no expert on Ukraine, but we can understand a nation’s current behavior better by learning about its past through the eyes (and words) of people who lived through that time.
The Memory Keeper of Kyiv, a recent novel by Erin Litteken, offers a compelling fictionalized story of a Ukrainian family, offering a window on the dealings of Stalin’s Soviet Union (Russia’s name then) with Ukraine in the 20th century (certainly an influence on the events of 2022).
This time-split novel begins in two times and places:
Wisconsin, 2004: Cassie, a Ukrainian-American, and her young daughter, Birdie, move in with Cassie’s Ukrainian grandmother, Bobby, after Cassie’s husband dies suddenly. Cassie struggles to understand her grandmother’s peculiarities, even as she grieves her husband’s death and faces the challenge of a possible new relationship.
Ukraine, 1929:Dictator Joseph Stalin begins to create collective farms and control agriculture in the Soviet Union by eliminating kulaks (prosperous peasants). Katya, her family and community try to maintain their lives and values as their situation grows worse by the day.
Characters:
They’re developed well, each with a unique perspective, strengths, and flaws.
Their interactions create anengaging story that kept me reading.
I especially related to Katya, one of the protagonists, who struggled between her desire for justice and her need to stay silent to survive.
Strengths:
The Memory Keeper of Kyiv, Erin Litteken’s debut novel, is a page-turner, providing a vivid portrayal of life in a fictional Ukrainian village around the time of Ukraine’s Holodomor (the Great Famine created by Stalin).
Weakness:
As the granddaughter of a Ukrainian refugee, the author understandably sympathizes with her Ukrainian characters. However, the novel would come across as more balanced if the Russian soldiers and collaborators showed more doubts about their actions, remorse, and perhaps a hint of compassion for their victims.
Content review:
This novel describes horrific cruelties inflicted by Stalin’s soldiers and local collaborators, so I suggest it to mature readers.
I recommend The Memory Keeper of Kyivto readers who wish to understand this period in Ukraine’s history, and who aren’t put off by descriptions of violence and cruelty.
Reader, can you suggest other books about Ukraine?
Have you heard of (or seen the movie about) the Monuments Men, the special force of Americans and Brits assembled after Germany’s World War II defeat?
They rushed to recover artwork stolen and hidden by the Nazis. It’s a suspenseful story that has found its way into numerous novels.
The Roses Underneath, set in Wiesbaden, Germany, in August, 1945, explores a less widely-known aspect of this story: the involvement of German civilians in the effort to return stolen art to its rightful owners.
This novel, the first in the Anna Klein trilogy by C.F. Yetmen, reveals the conflicts and complications faced by Germans as they interacted with the American military that defeated the Nazis.
During World War II, Germans had been treated as traitors if they opposed the Nazis.
Now, to gain the trust of Americans (and secure employment to rescue them from destitution), German civilians need to prove their loyalty to the mission of the Monuments Men.
Characters:
I appreciated this novel’s realistic portrayal of its characters, revealing both their virtues and faults. The difficult decisions they faced force readers to consider the choices they would make in such situations.
Anna Klein – the protagonist, she’s torn between love for her idealistic socialist husband and her fear of what will happen to her young daughter and herself as the Soviet Army advances
Amalia – Anna’s intelligent six-year-old daughter who would have preferred to stay with her father in Soviet-occupied Thuringia
Captain Cooper – an American architect working for the Monuments Men, he becomes Anna’s boss; his moral compass and gut feelings guide his actions, frequently causing problems in the military chain-of-command environment.
Emil Schilling – a disillusioned German soldier who lost his fingertips to frostbite in Leningrad, he returns to Germany and scrounges for employment
Frieda Schilling – Emil’s sister who provides daycare for Amalia
Oskar – orphaned German boy Anna discovers hanging around a villa; he resists Anna’s efforts to help him
Ludwig Schneider – German art dealer who tries to hide his thefts of art during the war so he can work for Monuments Men
Gerhard Heinrich (aka Schenk) – former gallery owner whose greed threatens Anna
Madeleine Wolf – best friend of Anna’s deceased mother ; she takes in Anna and Amalia after they walk to Wiesbaden
Strengths:
Exciting story set in an eventful era
Dives deeply into the period and the Monuments Men
Distinct characters with complex motivations and stories
Weakness:
Anna took chances that didn’t seem believable for a cautious woman who’d been living under Nazi rule for years.
Content review:
Contains some profanity and mention of sexual exploitation during and after World War II
Bottom Line:
This novel entertained me with its panoply of characters and plot twists, educated me about the plight of Germans after World War II, and challenged me to think about how I would respond in similar circumstances. I recommend it to readers who enjoy an exciting history-based story with depth of setting and characters.
In my own writing news:
If you’d like to be among the first to read my latest novel, I’m looking for fans of historical fiction to join my team of beta readers and early reviewers. Please contact me here!
Reader,can you recommend books where vanquished people become heroes?
If you could free someone from slavery only by lying and breaking the law, would you do it?
Many American Quakers (and others) faced this choice in the 1800s (until the Emancipation Proclamation outlawed slavery in 1863)—should they help enslaved people escape to freedom via the Underground Railroad?
Quakers valued every human.
So why would they have conflicting views about participating in the Underground Railroad’s efforts to smuggle escaped slaves to freedom?
This novel, set in the antebellum era, shows the surprising turns of Honor’s life as she confronts the realities of slavery, unexpected challenges, and wrenching decisions. The Last Runaway portrays Underground Railroad participants (and their opponents) as complex, fallible individuals facing danger and difficult choices (far from depictions as one-dimensional heroes).
Women immigrants’ fraught position in this era emerges clearly in this novel. When a foreign-born woman found herself alone in the U.S., even within an established community from her original culture, she was likely to face extremely limited choices:
In the best situation, she would marry a kind, compatible man
Frequently women had to marry whomever was locally available
If marriage wasn’t an option, she could survive only by becoming a servant or prostitute
Characters:
Honor Bright, the protagonist—I admired this young English Quaker who travels to America with her sister. She survives major shocks and increasingly takes agency of her life.
Donovan—the villain, a slave catcher who is romantically interested in Honor. Occasionally, he shows a spark of humanity, making readers wonder if his feelings for Honor will turn him into a hero.
Belle Mills—Donovan’s sister, an intelligent, free-spirited woman in many ways the opposite of her brother; she runs a millinery shop. In many ways, she’s the true heroine of the story because of the sacrifices she makes for others.
Judith Haymaker—Quaker matriarch; she appears cold and heartless, until readers learn her backstory.
Jack Haymaker—Judith’s young adult son; the story shows his maturing process, over time making his character more sympathetic.
Mrs. Reed—formerly enslaved woman who escaped, settled in Ohio and assisted Underground Railroad; her initial wariness and evolving relationship with Honor reveal the complexity of her character, as well as how Honor matures. Her strength and hard-earned wisdom eventually made her a sympathetic character.
Strengths:
The Last Runaway is a poignant story of how individuals dealt with the harsh realities of their times. The specific details bring to life the setting and era.
Weakness:
Given the extreme risks of participation in the Underground Railroad, the author’s portrayal of several of the Quaker characters in a negative light, relative to their sympathy for Honor or their position on helping slaves escape, seems a bit harsh.
Content review:
This is a story for adults, with sexual content woven into the story.
Recommendation:
The Last Runaway is a fascinating but emotionally difficult novel, forcing readers to consider how they would have navigated the few choices and stark consequences Honor found in the U.S. in the mid-1800s. I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy such a challenge.
Reader, two questions for you:
Would you have risked your future or even your life to help an enslaved person escape to freedom?
Have you read other novels about the Underground Railroad that you recommend?
As I write, Poland is playing a heroic role—welcoming, sheltering, and educating refugees from its besieged neighbor, Ukraine.
Much of the world admires this generosity. Is it simply charity on Poland’s part?
Both fiction and non-fiction can help us understand Poland’s attitude.
The non-fiction side:
Experts point to Poles’ sense that they face a common threat from Russia.
Poles viewUkrainians as freedom fighters against Russia, and they relate to that identity.
Poles’ welcome of Ukrainian refugees feels like self-defense—that they’re helping Ukraine struggle against Russia’s invasion.
Why should Poland feel threatened?
Poland’s geography—its proximity to Germany and Russia placed its people and culture in harm’s way for invasion by both powerful armies.
Poland suffered grievously during and after World War II. Not many of us were alive then, but eyewitnesses and historians have provided detailed accounts.
Historical fiction can immerse us in past events and eras through the eyes, ears, and emotions of people who lived or might have lived through those times.
This month, we feature a short discussion and review of The Warsaw Orphan: A WWII novel by Kelly Rimmer. This 2021 publication was inspired by Irena Sendler, the heroic Polish nurse who saved thousands of Jewish children.
Reader, what heroic actions have inspired you?
May the heroic deeds we read about inspire us to act courageously to help those in need!
The Warsaw Orphan, a compelling novel set in Warsaw during and after the WWII German occupation, skillfully weaves together the contrasting lives, interactions, and story arcs of its protagonists:
Elzbieta/Emilia—almost 14
She lives in a comfortable apartment
Her life appears stable, but she must conceal her true identity
Roman Gorka—the teenage son of a Jewish family forced to cram into the ghetto
He works at a sewing machine to make uniforms
He’s idealistic about changing the world, but must pay a heavy price under Poland’s repressive conquerors
Two sympathetic supporting characters immediately emerge:
Sara—a nurse and social worker whose hidden work is smuggling babies and children out of the ghetto
Chaim (aka Pigeon)—He becomes Roman’s best friend and rescues him, time after time
Later in the novel, two other characters’ personal journeys also elicited my sympathy:
Truda—Elzbieta’s adoptive mother
Uncle Piotr—a wealthy businessman who deals with the Nazis to make profits
He supports Elzbieta’s family and sacrifices for them
Author Kelly Rimmer portrays her characters with historical accuracy as complex, fallible people, and readers will identify with their struggles.
A warning: with its many tense scenes and threats to the characters, this novel was difficult to put down.
Content review: This novel describes the violence of war, including sexual violence, and a detailed portrayal of conditions in the Warsaw ghetto.
If you persevere through the difficult moments of this time and place, The Warsaw Orphan will reward you with powerful emotional experiences.
Sometimes the unlikeliest people rise to the moment and surprise the world with their heroism, whether it’s
a Hebrew shepherd boy named David whose only weapons are a sling and stones
a mild-mannered newspaper reporter named Clark Kent
or a comedian-turned-president of a threatened nation
This month, we focus on one such unlikely scientific hero: Rosalind Franklin, an early-20th century British biochemist.
Her passion for science led her down a challenging and improbable path for a woman in that time.
Her research in France and England led to groundbreaking discoveries in science and medicine:
DNA (brought revolutionary advances in understanding disease pathways and genetic disorders, as well as the formulation of new drugs)
RNA (brought great advances in understanding viruses blighting agricultural crops, as well as the virus that causes polio)
What inspired me, a non-scientist, to read Her Hidden Genius, Marie Benedict’s fictionalized account of Rosalind Franklin’s life and scientific career?
Rosalind Franklin was an underdog—a woman forging a scientific career in an era when society and her family pressured her to choose a more traditional, family-oriented life
Her perseverance, work ethic, and scientific rigor, in spite of the skepticism she faced as a woman scientist in her era
Author Marie Benedict maintains an even-handed perspective on Rosalind and the controversy relating to other scientists’ use of her findings without giving her credit. Other writers have portrayed Rosalind either in a negative light or as a saint.
Her conflicts with others revealed hercore principles
Well-painted settings, in Paris and London
A well-written story that humanized Rosalind and held my interest
Strong characters:
Heroes of the story were Rosalind and the men and women who supported her in her life and the race to map the structure of DNA.
The scientists and family members who treated her badly came across as villains. Their attitudes and behavior weren’t uncommon in that era, but still shocked me.
Fyi for this novel:
You’ll encounter basic scientific explanations of Rosalind Franklin’s projects, since science played such a big role in her life
Content Rating—mild + for brief kissing
My recommendation:
If you enjoy a story that immerses you in an earlier time period, takes you inside the main character’s psyche so you experience the highs and lows of her emotions and life, and if you have at least a passing interest in how science progressed, Her Hidden Genius is a book for you.
Bethia,a sympathetic young girl with old-fashioned beliefs?
or
Will,her obnoxious brother who sacrifices everything (including the well-being of his family and town) for his new faith?
Fortunately, you don’t have to make that choice when you read In The Castilians, the first novel in VEH Masters’ series, The Seton Chronicles. Both characters play major roles in this novel based on the dramatic siege of St. Andrews Castle, Scotland, in 1546.
The author tells a suspenseful story, keeping readers engaged as they observe how members of the same family and their neighbors respond very differently to the Protestant Reformation. Family divisions result, and even the siege of the town’s castle.
Masters vividly describes the dilemmas of the main characters, and I couldn’t put this novel down as I worried about their fates.
Both become trapped:
Bethia can’t escape the restricted, vulnerable life of women of her era
Will suffers through the siege of the castle because of his strong convictions
I appreciated the balanced treatment of Protestant and Catholic characters—neither were vilified because of their religious beliefs— and I was fascinated to learn that John Knox, the Scottish reformer, actually played a role in this story. In addition, the period details brought the story to life, but didn’t overwhelm me.
Initially, I struggled to glean the meaning of a few Scottish words from their context, but the glossary (near the end of the ebook), solved the problem.
(Content rating: no nudity, some fight scene violence, one scene of attempted sexual violence)
My recommendation:
I highly recommendThe Castilians to readers who enjoy strong characters, mild romance, and an exciting story that immerses you in a key era of Scotland’s history. (By the way, this novel is on sale on Amazon Kindle this week!)
Readers, have you enjoyed other novels about Scottish history? Please share them!
I’m pleased to feature the author of The Castilians, VEH Masters, who answers questions about this novel and her writing process.
Keep reading for the inside story!
My own writing news:
I’m revising the draft of my latest historical novel, (working title is Lucia’s Odyssey; it’s the sequel to Lucia’s Renaissance). I hope to publish it later this year.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH VEH MASTERS:
What drew you to focus your novel on this moment and event in the history of St. Andrews?
I grew up on a farm just outside St Andrews, Scotland, and went to school in the town. It’s a very dramatic place – you can’t miss the ruins of the cathedral – but the castle is tucked away in a corner so I wasn’t really aware of it. Our history teacher, Miss Grubb, took us a visit when I was twelve.
I was fascinated to learn about the siege of 1546 especially when we crept down the siege tunnel dug then and peered into the bottle dungeon where the murdered cardinal’s body is said to have been kept, pickled in salt. And when I heard that the men who took the castle by force and held it for over 14 months against all comers called themselves the Castilians I remember feeling this shiver of excitement and thinking, that’s a perfect title for a book.
How did you discover details of that time and place?
Lots and lots and lots of research. It helped that I could visit the town regularly and use the university library. I was sure someone must have written a book on the history of the siege as it’s quite an important moment in Scottish history of the 1500s – but I guess we have so many important moments historians are spoilt for choice. So I had to piece together what happened. I kept delving back into source books to understand why they did what they did; there were so many different layers to the story and I really wanted to get it right.
Did you discover surprises while researching this novel?
Plenty of surprises…
I hadn’t understood how down the middle of events King Henry VIII of England was, as he tried to bludgeon Scotland into accepting a marriage between the infant Mary Queen of Scots and his son Prince Edward. The men holding the castle were supporting Henry – many of them receiving pensions from him. He called them his assured Scots (the phrase makes my blood boil!).
And the Earl of Arran who led the government troops trying to get the Castilians out was nicknamed Whiffle-Whaffle…because he could never make up his mind.
And then there are lovely wee details such as Cardinal Beaton travelling with his four-poster bed (and much other baggage) wherever he went.
How much did you have to deviate from history to create a satisfying story?
I followed the historical events faithfully. Of course, I had to imagine what it would’ve been like for my characters, Bethia living in the town while the siege was going on, and her brother Will in the castle for 14 months and how stinking the castle would be and short of food. I had great fun with some scenes such as when the Castilians are excommunicated by the Pope – it was referred to as the Great Cursing.
What were the most challenging aspects of writing this novel?
Making sure I didn’t make some error with the events. St Andrews is a university town and I kept imagining some academic picking it up and tossing it away in disgust. I was fortunate that Dr Bess Rhodes, whose period this is, read the book and joined my online launch.
What did you enjoy about writing this novel?
I had to be very self disciplined to get it written. The best moment was when I held the finished print book in my hand. I love it when readers write to me about the book – and some even made suggestions which I incorporated into the next in sequel. And that first 5 star review, from a generous American reviewer, prepared to look at an unknown writer’s work, was magical.
What do you hope readers will take away after reading The Castilians?
I hope most of all that people will find it a cracking good read, be immersed in the story and cheering for Bethia and Will.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with my readers?
I set out to write one book but when I finished it more than one person asked me what’s happens next to Bethia and Will…so thesequel The Conversos is out now, and third in series will be released later this year. All thanks to Miss Grubb and her history lesson!
PS I love a good blether with my readers so please do get in touch.
PPs There are Book Group Questions for The Castilians and The Conversos available to download from my website https://vehmasters.com/
Thank you, VEH Masters, for sharing your writing journey with us!
