Written from the perspective of a young Ukraininan boy, Ivan Rudenko, this is a well written historical account of WWII and its effect on Lviv and Ivan's nearby village, Halych. Fleeing the Germans, Ivan and his family find themselves dependent on the kindness of others and most importantly on themselves.

Galicia, 1939. Confusion and terror reigns. Constant battles between the various occupiers of Ukraine keep the people of Lviv unnerved. One young boy from nearby Halych watches the turmoil and tries to understand. He wants to hold onto his future, and a future for his family, and country.A story never told before, about the plight of Ukrainians from a child's perspective. A story of strength gained not by fighting a war, but by uniting as a people and remaining respectful of culture, religion, and freedom.Dreamer is a story about a Ukrainian boy, Ivan Rudenko, during WWII. His unique perspective explores the adversity that he and his family face from all directions.

“Dreamer” by Elisabeth Zguta is a tremendously moving story. Told to us through a child's eyes, Dreamer subtly taught me much about the plight of Ukranians during WWII. The book held my attention from start to finish, routing for Ivan and his family with every word. The author has done her research diligently and it’s always fascinating to learn new things about great events throughout history that we didn’t already know. This book would be prefect for fans of historical fiction and anyone with an interest in history in general.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an unbiased review.