When Megan Buskey’s grandmother Anna dies in Cleveland in 2013, Megan feels compelled to uncover and document her grandmother’s life as a native of Ukraine. A Ukrainian American, she returns to her family’s homeland and enlists relatives to assist her quest, uncovering much more than she anticipated. This extraordinary journey traces one woman’s story through Ukraine’s tumultuous twentieth century, from a Galician village emerging from serfdom to the harrowing experiences during World War II, and to the Siberian hinterlands where Anna spent nearly two decades in exile before emigrating from the Soviet Union in the 1960s. Throughout her research, Megan confronts essential and sometimes unsettling aspects of Ukrainian history, including Nazi collaboration, the rise of Ukrainian nationalism, and the profound impact of Russia’s invasion in 2022. Her inquiries lead her to universal questions about family, connections across generations, and the complexities of remembering a past that is both foreign and personal. This journey is described as a painfully honest and meticulously researched exploration of a Ukrainian American’s complicated heritage, reflecting on the catastrophic events of the Second World War and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The narrative is praised for its thoughtful analysis and beautiful prose, making it a significant contribution to historical writing.
