Boldwood Books Blog Tour for The Memory Keeper of Kyiv by Erin Litteken

Today I am happy to bring you my blog stop for The Memory Keeper of Kyiv by debut author Erin Litteken

In the 1930s, Stalin’s activists marched through the Soviet Union, espousing the greatness of collective farming. It was the first step in creating a man-made famine that, in Ukraine, stole almost 4 million lives. Inspired by the history the world forgot, and the Russian government denies, Erin Litteken reimagines their story.

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.

Resistance has a price, and as desperate hunger grips the countryside, survival seems more a dream than a possibility. But, even in the darkest times, love beckons.

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.

This is a story of the resilience of the human spirit, the love that sees us through our darkest hours and the true horror of what happened during the Holodomor.

May we never forget, lest history repeat itself.

A share of proceeds will be donated to DEC’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

My Review

This book is absolutely incredible. If you enjoy reading dual time spans and learning from what you read may I suggest this to you?
The book is fictional though the subject matter is about past events taking place in Ukraine.
The story follows an Ukrainian family and their struggle for survival as the country is forced to go through Holodomor. I had never heard of this or learned about this in school . Holodomor is a forced starvation from 1932 to 1933 killing up to 5 million people. It was carried out by the Soviet Regime.
The characters in the present day story are linked to the characters in the past by a discovered journal telling of the hardships suffered in the past.
The thing really impressing me was the resilience and strength the characters show through adversity.
This is a very interesting book that shows strong courage and unwavering hope. We are assured there is light after the darkness.
Highly recommended!

Pub Date 16 May 2022
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/3MTkVBr

About The Author

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. Her first historical fiction title, drawing on those experiences, will be published by Boldwood in June 2022. She lives in Illinois, USA with her husband and children.

Social Media Links –

Twitter https://twitter.com/ErinLitteken

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/erinlitteken/

Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/erin-litteken