AD-gifted: I received a copy of Souvenirs From Kyiv in exchange for this post. Affiliate links are marked with *
Today it’s my turn to share my thoughts on *Souvenirs From Kyiv by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger. A book of unforgettable stories based on the heartbreaking experiences of Ukrainian families during WW2. Read on for my thoughts.
Book Description
‘Russia has been trying to wipe Ukraine off the world map for thousands of years. They haven’t succeeded yet. Now, I’m picking up my stone and throwing it at Goliath. I want people to understand. I want to save this country.’ Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger, March 2022
Larissa is a renowned embroiderer, surviving in occupied Ukraine during World War II as a seamstress in her ruin of a workshop. Surrounded by enemies, she expresses her defiance by threading history into her garments. But at what cost?
Mykhailo is a soldier on leave, returning to Ukraine from the front on Christmas Eve. As he travels through his country, he is confronted by the hardship the war has brought to his fellow countrymen. Will what he sees this Christmas change the course of his life forever?
Marusia and her family are woken early one morning by the arrival of the Nazis, who have come to search for her partisan brother. As the soldiers move through their house, her family has just moments to make choices that will determine their survival.
Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger’s stories bring to life the true history of her Ukrainian family who fought to survive World War II. Laced with hope, Souvenirs from Kyiv celebrate the endurance and resilience of the human spirit.
My Thoughts
Souvenirs From Kyiv are 6 stories that are fictionalised shorts of the author’s relatives. They are brutally truthful and well written. As you know from my various reviews on the blog, I’m a huge fan of historical fiction, particularly around the WWII era. And this one is right up there with the best. I read it in one sitting, I couldn’t put it down!
Each story tells us something different, about the lives of Ukrainians through WWII, there are very few books telling their stories and the author gives these people justice. They will move you. It is heart-wrenching stuff how these people suffered, you will feel their fear and also the pain of what they endured.
It’s sad to think this is happening again right now.
About The Author
Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger was born in Minnesota in 1969. A first-generation American of Ukrainian immigrants, she grew up in the culture-rich neighborhood of “Nordeast” Minneapolis. Inspired by her second-grade teacher, her writing career began with short stories, then morphed into travel narratives, and eventually novels. She has worked as a journalist and as a managing editor for a magazine publisher before jumping the editor’s desk and pursuing her dreams of writing and traveling. In 2000, she moved to western Austria and established her own communications training company. She has won several awards for her short stories and novels and now primarily writes historical fiction.
Where Can I Buy?
Souvenirs From Kyiv is available to buy from *Amazon
Books on Tour
Here are the other bloggers on the Souvenirs From Kyiv book tour. Why not head over and check out their reviews!
Thanks for stopping by today, I hope you’ve enjoyed this review. You can check out my bookcase of past reviews here.