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

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Written before the present atrocities in Ukraine, this is a tough book to read, but it needs to be read. Litteken is a good story teller and she portrays the horrors without being overly graphic. Have you heard of the Holodomor, the forced famine in 1930s Ukraine? I hadn’t, although I knew of Stalin’s collectivisation. In Ukraine, an estimated 3.9 million people perished. In the words of a character in this novel: “Everyone wants Ukraine’s fertile soil for their own, and nobody wants to let Ukrainians rule it.” Any book about that country needs to be read, to widen our understanding of what its people have suffered.

I never imagined the release of my novel on a past assault of the Ukrainian people would coincide with such a parallel tragedy. What?? I never reviewed this glorious book that I read in October 2022. A dual timeline that takes us from the present day to 1930's Soviet Ukraine and the tragedy of the great famine( Holodomor).

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. Breathtaking. Devastating. Erin Litteken's The Mem ory Keeper of Kyiv chronicles a defining but forgotten moment of Ukrainian history.” Amanda McCrina, author of The Silent Unseen

I spent a ton of time with her,” she said. “And it was so cathartic to write those memories and those stories and put them out there for her.” Cassie is still grieving the loss of her husband. When her mother encourages her to move home to care for her ailing grandmother, Cassie reluctantly agrees. What she discovers is her grandmother's journals of her childhood and life in Ukraine that told the heart wrenching account of the Holodomor that took the lives of millions of Ukrainians. Told through the voice of Katya who lived through the vicious assault of Joseph Stalin. Stalin set out to eradicate the population through starvation, deportation to the Gulag and murder. Despite the loss of most of her family, Katya finds the inner strength to survive and find a glimmer of hope on the darkest of days. Each of the characters in this story come to life vividly, and I felt like I was right beside them watching each of the horrors they faced. The storyline flows beautifully between past and present leaving a book you can't put down. I can't wait to see what is yet to come in the way of stories from this debut author. 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. Zeventig jaar later. Omdat Katya’s kleindochter Cassie jong weduwe is geworden, trekt ze tijdelijk bij haar oma in. Daar ontdekt ze het dagboek van haar grootmoeder, dat het schokkende verhaal achter haar familie onthult: een verhaal over hoop, doorzettingsvermogen en liefde onder de meest barre omstandigheden.You must be an active member to advertise your book or giveaway, and you MUST post in the appropriate folder. See rules for more info. Welcome to Historical Fictionistas! We want to experience all different kinds of HF with all different kinds of people. The more diverse, the better. Welcome to Historical Fictionistas! We want to experience all different kinds of HF with all different kinds of people. The more diverse, the better. If you're looking to expand your HF horizons, you've come to the right place. In 1929, Katya is 16 years old, surrounded by family and in love with the boy next door. When Stalin’s activists arrive in her village, it’s just a few, a little pressure to join the collective. But soon neighbors disappear, those who speak out are never seen again and every new day is uncertain. A debut author with plenty of promise writes to educate us on the past oppression of the Ukraine people as it coincides with recent parallel tragedy. She reminds us that throughout the centuries there’ve been many authoritarian leaders trying to eradicate Ukraine and its people, most famously, Stalin and now, Putin. The desire has always been to stamp out Ukrainians and take their land. Litteken, a granddaughter of a WW2 Ukrainian refugee, wants readers to learn from history….as it’s repeating itself in real-time.

The Memory Keeper of Kyiv is a meticulously researched novel brilliantly depicting the horrific events of Stalin’s systematic destruction of a country... Reading this story felt all the more poignant in the current climate knowing that the proud people of Ukraine are once again suffering appalling atrocities as they fight to survive at the hands of others determined to ruin them. A captivating, heartfelt debut which was at times achingly painful to read." This is a story of fictional characters based on true events during the Homodor. The characters are based on people that lived during that time and either gave testimony or wrote about it. The story is heartbreaking and tear jerking. I cannot fathom how anyone could treat people in such a manner. I also do not know how anyone survived during this time of great famine. 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. 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. 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 YoursI 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. Erin Litteken is a debut novelist with a degree in history and a passion for research. At a young age, she was enthralled by stories of her family’s harrowing experiences in Ukraine before, during and after World War II. She lives in Illinois, USA with her husband and children. Seventy years later that Ukrainian bride is now the grandmother of the young grieving American widow. For many years the grandmother has repressed the traumatic memories of her past and has withheld any mention of it to her family. But now this aging grandmother is developing symptoms of dementia, and those memories from long ago are beginning to arise. Furthermore, she perceives that her granddaughter and great granddaughter could benefit by learning about her experience recovering from trauma all those many years ago. 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. We’ve been reading together for awhile and we don’t know about you, but we’re ready to hear your thoughts and opinions. This group is a pl Hey Y’all,