The Memory Keeper of Kyiv - Erin Litteken

Author: Erin Litteken

Genre: Historical Fiction alternating with Contemporary.

Rating: 4.25 stars.

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.

Story:

Wisconsin, 2004. Ever since Cassie’s husband died in a road accident 14 months ago, her five year old daughter Birdie and she have been struggling to let go of their grief. When Grandma Bobby begins suffering from memory issues, Cassie’s mom decides that it would be best for Cassie and Birdie to shift into Bobby’s house for a mutual support. Here, Cassie discovers a journal written in Ukrainian, which seems to contain some secrets of the past.

Ukraine, 1930. Sixteen year old Katya has a lot to look forward to in life. She is part of a happy family and has a childhood sweetheart Pavlo right next door. But when Stalin’s activists come to their village and demand that everyone join the initiative of collective farming, the future suddenly doesn’t look so bright.

Both the timelines are written in a limited third person perspective.

Where the book worked for me:

💐 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.

💐 There are many parallels between the historical and the contemporary timelines such as handling grief and finding love after loss. The stories work well in sync.

💐 Despite the length and the heavy topic, it is a pretty fast-paced book.

💐 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.

💐 I loved the glimpse provided into Ukrainian traditions and rituals. The book didn’t use Ukraine for the sake of it but actually incorporated its people, its culture and its values into the storyline. This is how places must be used in historical stories.

💐 Loved the author’s note. I was amazed to see how well she has incorporated her grandma’s Ukrainian roots in the historical timeline. There is a touch of authenticity to the entire story and it shows how well the content has been researched.

Where the book could have worked better for me:

⚠ The contemporary timeline, while interesting, is very drab in comparison to the past story. It is too predictable. The characters are pretty one-dimensional. I also found it very farfetched that Cassie’s family, especially her mom, knew zilch about their Ukrainian heritage. Cassie seemed quite incapable of understanding even the most obvious of connections while the rest of us could decode the clues from a mile away.

⚠ The ending felt rushed. After a long dilly-dallying by Cassie wondering about the past, the climax felt like it covered too much within a single chapter.

⚠ I didn’t like the romantic angle in the 2004 storyline, despite the swoon-worthy hero. It felt too sudden, and it didn’t add anything to the story.

Despite the issues I had with the modern timeline, the historical part of the book was enough for me to be a satisfied reader. (In fact, the book might have worked better as a historical story focussing only on the Holodomor instead of having the dual narrative.) It is a great debut work and I will surely love to read more by this author.

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.

In solidarity with the people of Ukraine, the publishers of this book, Boldwood Books, will donate a share of their proceeds to the DEC's Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. I appreciate them for this gesture.

Definitely recommended to historical fiction fans.

Note: If you are in a depressed state of mind, please stay away from the book until you are in a stronger mental headspace. There are many triggering events in the 1930s timeline. While most of the extreme triggers aren’t detailed out directly, what’s happening behind the screen is enough to induce nightmares.

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.