At a time when talk of Putin’s war on Ukraine is on the news 24/7, Bookouture has reprinted Ukrainian American Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger’s Souvenirs from Kyiv, a heart-breaking short story collection reminding readers of what Ukraine has faced in the past.

Lucyk-Berger opens this edition with a new Foreword directly addressing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, highlighting how the world so quickly learned names, places, even phrases and flag design. She also explains how the original title, Souvenirs from Kiev, was changed to the current Souvenirs from Kyiv, as her and Bookouture’s nod to Ukraine’s long struggle for independence and to the Ukrainian language.

In 2014, the title story, which opens the book, won second place in the Historical Novel Society’s International Short Story Award competition. Herr Oberst, whose name refers to his SS military title, enters a tailor shop in occupied Kyiv, wanting the tailor to make him an embroidered Ukrainian shirt as a souvenir of the Nazi conquest of her country. An artist before she became an embroiderer, the tailor normally spent two days with customers requesting original embroidery designs so that she could determine the perfect design for each person. With Herr Oberst’s request, she decides she needs no such time. The Oberst wants the shirt in two weeks, and the tailor thinks to herself, “I already know what will affect him. The best art is the kind that causes one to self-reflect.” As she embroiders the shirt, readers can almost see her chosen design, one that means as much to her and the Ukrainian experience as it will mean to him. The story ends in an unexpected way when Herr Oberst and his assistant return to pick up the finished shirt.

The collection includes five more short stories, one of which--"The Partisans”--appears in three parts, each focusing on a different character.

The back matter contains several useful features. A glossary defines Ukrainian and historical terms. In “Notes About the Stories,” Lucyk-Berger identifies the family members whose lives inspired the fictional stories. She offers readers the opportunity to sign up for her newsletter and to receive a free copy of “Historical and Cultural Essays on WW2 Ukraine,” which provides additional details to enhance reading. Finally, she invites readers to follow her blog in which she talks about research, research-related travels, and writing experiences.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advance reader copy of this timely reprinted short story collection. As we follow today’s war in Ukraine, Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger’s stories provide a broader understanding of the Ukrainian people’s hardships, endurance, and strength.

Unfortunately or fortunately, this book comes along as there are difficulties once again in the region of Kyiv and the Ukraine. The author has taken and written several short stories from her families experience of being Ukrainian during WWII and after. Between Russia always wanting to claim the country and during WWII the Nazi Occupation, this is an area fought over for centuries.

Chrystyna Lucky-Berger is first generation here in the US but was able to gather accounts from her family and family friends to write these beautiful but heartbreaking short stories for us to see what has happened to that region of the world.

Thank you to #netgalley and #bookouture for allowing me to read the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

As the current attack by the Russians upon Ukraine continues, Souvenirs From Kyiv illuminates the continuing hazard in that part of the world. This country has been in the path of battles and armies since recorded history. The Russians have attempted to draw them into their country for centuries.

World War II found their male citizens being conscripted into the Nazi war machine. If they were unable to serve, they were kidnapped and forced to work on war materiel including bombs and bullets. The women were helping in the munitions factories as well and also conscripted to sew uniforms.

Young men often became part of the resistance. Those members of the resistance saved many American and English pilots forced down in the fighting.

The maturation of the war found the Ukrainian people praying the Allies would prevail and liberate their communities from the Nazis.
5 stars – CE Williams

Souvenirs from Kyiv is a collection of stories that will stay with you. Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger interviewed many of her family members to write these short stories about life in the Ukraine during WWII. This is a story that will stay with you forever. It amazes me that what happened seventy-five years ago is repeating itself.
While the Russians were moving in from the East, the Germans were coming in from the West. You will read stories about regular people just trying to survive. The raw brutality is sometimes difficult to read, but it’s important to come out of your comfort zone to read things that can disturb you.
The book was originally published in 2014. The author has added a new introduction, There is also a section that tells about the “real” story that the short story is based on and a glossary. I highly recommend this book to everyone. This story needs to be heard by all citizens of the world.
I’m looking forward to more books by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger. I want to thank the author, Bookouture, and Netgalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This is quite a remarkable book that is sadly very timely. I read every story with a growing sense of sadness and unease as this could be about today's situtation. The war is affecting so many people in so many ways but because this is inspired by realpeople the author has managed to really bring it to the front of our minds. A very worthy book to read and I am glad I did.

Thank you Net Galley and Bookouture for an ARC of Souvenirs of Kyiv by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger. If you are looking for personal accounts from WW2, this is the book for you. The author takes stories from her family and their escapes from the war and retells the, in several short stories. I loved the focus on the kindness of strangers in the awfulness of war. Each story has a different perspective on their part during the war but in all of them, it is the will and fight for survival that resonated with me. The stories of the survivors need to recorded and retold to help remember.

I've read many of Chrystyna's books and I have to say she is always very accurate, very dedicated to giving all the details about a situation or a story and this is the case of Souvenirs from Kyiv, a series of stories that shed not just some light but a huge light in the Ukraine history, many of the things that I read in this book I've never read them before not even knew about them.

in most of the WW2 stories I've read, they always portray Ukraine as a very willing and helpful country to the Nazis and the Germans in general but I've never really known how much they struggled with the constant harassment of the Russians.

Souvenirs from Kyiv bring the stories of Chrystina's family into life letting us know the real story of what happened, and what is happening in Ukraine, a country that has been harassed for years and that is time for it to be finally free.

heartbreaking stories but very necessary to learn, to read, to see.

Thank you Chrystyna for writing your stories and letting us know more about your beautiful country and family it is an honor to read the stories of these heroines and heroes.

Thanks to NetGalley, and Bookouture for the advanced copy of Souvenirs from Kyiv in exchange for my honest review.

Souvenirs from Kyiv features short stories from the author's family history, regarding their survival during World War 2. Larissa, a seamstress who makes traditional Ukrainian garments with embroidery, is tasked with making one for the enemy. Mykhalio, a soldier, is faced with decisions as he travels over the holidays. Marusia and her family encounter the Nazi soldiers, looking for her brother, a partisan fighter. A mother and daughter in a labor camp struggle to make a life after, while hoping their husband and father is safe.

One of the most interesting facets of the book is the dilemma the Ukrainians face. With the Nazis on one side and the Russians on the other, there is no good scenario for the Ukraine. Regardless of who they align with, the future looks to be difficult under the Nazis or the Soviets, and the Western allies are not expected to be a part of the future. The Ukrainians were (and still are) fighting for self determination in the face of a larger and more powerful enemy, and their spirit comes through in these stories.

This republished book by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger is composed of short stories principally related to the second War and its effect on Ukraine. The introduction by the author is poignant and the release of Souvenirs from Kyiv is timely and heartbreaking. I read this against the backdrop of news headlines detailing the present invasion of Ukraine, and my heart ached for those elderly we saw on the news having to relive old memories. This is not a happy read but it is valuable for such as I, who knew little about the effects of WWII on this former Soviet country now trying so hard to be democratic. I recommend highly. Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of this deeply affecting book.

“Souvenirs from Kyiv” by Christina Lucyk-Berger is a republished short story collection. This book contains six stories, a number of which are based upon real events from Ms. Lucyk-Berger’s family history. There is a glossary of non-familiar terms in the back, which I found helpful. I thought that this book, originally, was one long novel, but as individual stories together they do tell one story - survival or trying to survive in uncertain times of war. I found the first story the strongest one - it was short but impactful from beginning to end. The additional stories I found interesting, but they didn’t quite hold my attention as well as the first one. This is a common issue I have with short story collections - usually a few I find well written and the others are okay, so not the fault of the author at all. I did like Ms. Lucyk-Berger’s introduction and endnote sections as they gave the reader a bit more information about why she wrote the stories, along with information about each story. I cannot say that I loved this book, but I would read another book by Ms. Lucyk-Berger as I found her writing interesting. Overall, a 3.5 star rating from me, rounded up to 4.

Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger returns to family memories for another stunning book about the people of Ukraine. Set around WW2 these stories feature ordinary people who suddenly find themselves surrounded by aggressors and yet summon up extraordinary strength and resilience to keep those they love safe.
I applaud Bookoutre for publishing this new edition at a time when Ukrainians are once again fighting to rid their country of a savage aggressor. Long before the end I found tears rolling down my face. I pray for the freedom of Ukraine tonight and every night.

Thanks to NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Republishing short stories, the author shares these tales based on her family from the war time in the 1940s, which are completely relevant today.
I couldn’t help but imagine this current struggle, nearly 80 years on from the tales in the book, and have strong feelings of compassion for the Ukrainian people today.
We have no idea. We all should take the time to read these tales and the history of Europe to understand more.
This review will appear on goodreads. I will share this with my patrons.

"We never would have believed that we would face more inhumane conditions than those imposed by Stalin. We never thought the Germans, coming from a civilized western society, were as unmerciful and cruel."

As the world is watching what happens in Ukraine right this moment, it is easy to forget that it is not the first time in history that Ukraine was fought over by external parties. The short story collection Souvenirs from Kyiv showcases the stories of everyday people and how their everyday lives were messed with when Germany fought Russia during the second world war. The poignant stories explore how Ukraine was caught between a rock and a hard place, welcoming the Nazis with open arms, hoping they would be significantly more benevolent than the communist occupiers had been. Little did people know, things were about to get worse.

Even if you are not a lover of historical fiction as much as I am, I think this book is worth a read, if only to understand the nation that is under fire right this very moment. The stories are a perfect length, the descriptions of places and situations are too the point yet evocative, and the characters are as real as can be, as the stories are based on those of the author's family members.

For the last two months the entire world has been watching the Ukrainians once again fight for their land, sovereignty, and culture again the Russians. Souvenirs from Kyiv are six stories, interconnected because they all deal with the same themes of today: invasion, resistance, endurance, and resolve for the Ukraine.
I like how the stories are based on the author’s own familial research. I’m glad she has the foresight to conduct significant interviews with family members over twenty years ago.
Readers need to take heed since what is happening now, could happen anywhere.
BAd things happen when good people do nothing. More good people need to step up.

Definitely a very poignant book especially during our current situation. This may have been based in the past and showing other atrocities the saying about if you fail to learn from history you are doomed to repeat it.

This book is well written and I think it's a must read for everyone. I found the story enthralling and the pace was great.

I’ve read a lot of historical fiction set during WWII, but this was the first I had read set in Ukraine. I liked the format of short stories, so after reading I could digest what I had read. It was really well written. I look forward to reading more from this author.

I had only just decided that short story collections were not for me. However, this was in my to read pile. I’m so glad I did. These are stories that need to be told. Heartbreaking and powerful. A must for anyone who loves historical writings.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to see an ARC

I don't usually read short books as I love getting involved in a story and its characters as long as possible. However having read several novels by the author, I did not hesitate to read this new book. Indeed, my attention was straight away fully engaged from her comments at the beginning and at the end of the book! Souvenirs From Kiev are souvenirs from her family who had lived in Ukraine....
What I loved about it is the characterisation of members of her family: though the chapters were short, I could feel with them and was always fully immersed in their lives!
I also got a clearer idea of Ukraine history: why they are still fiercely proud of their country and further fiercely prone to defend it. Being French, having lived in various countries, having settled in Germany, I do not feel attached to a particular country. I simply feel European enjoying a multicultural environment. This book, this country have been for me thought provoking! Highly recommended!
I received a digital ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!

A group of short stories about Ukrainian experiences during and after WWII. Each story has the potential to be novels in their own right, and each is a story that needs to be told. We should never forget how many different people suffered because one country believed it was better than the rest of humanity.

It seemed so timely to read this book, which is more historic faction than fiction, as it is based on the true terrible tales of Ukraine during WW2 and the authors family . Reading it at this time was hard because it makes war feel real rather than a distant event thousands of miles from our own safe comfortable homes., Yet again Ukraine is suffering. It's no longer people from decades ago real people are terrified and dying once again. One tale about the railway station was especially poignant as just 12 hours later Kramatorsk station full of fleeing refugees was bombed with dozens dead. My thanks to the author forswearing her familys horrific and at times uplifting tales of survival and loss.