The Lost Daughters of Ukraine by Erin Litteken.
Summer 1941. War rages in Europe. The Germans march towards Ukraine. Halya, Liliya and Vika are no strangers to sorrow. They lost family during the Holodomor, loved ones in Stalin's purges, and war looms once more on the horizon.Vika lives in fear for her children. She and her sister survived the terror famine by leaving their whole family behind. Now, years later, many believe the Germans will free them from the Soviets, but she’s not so sure. Should they stay in Volhynia or flee the approaching Eastern fron. Liliya has lost too much in her 17 years. As those around her join the resistance, Liliya wonders how she can fight for her friends, family, and country. When the choice is made for her, can she find the will to survive and protect those still with her?Twelve-year-old Halya is struggling to discover who she is. But as the war escalates, can her mother Katya’s tactics keep her safe from the Nazi soldiers rounding up slave laborers? How can a child survive the horrors of war on her own?These daughters of Ukraine will face devastation and loss as they fight to survive and protect the ones they love.
A slow starter but I did start to enjoy it. I did like Hayla character. 4*.

Emotional heartbreaking yet strangely uplifting.
I had no idea how bad things were for Ukrainians in the 1940s so to get a history of the country was fascinating.
The resilience of the characters was part heartbreaking and partly uplifting
Loved this book so much

One of the best books I read last year was The Memory Keeper of Kyiv by Erin Litteken, so when I heard she had a new book out, I really wanted to read it. This is a sequel in some respects, as Katya and Alina from the first book are included (Katya is Halya’s mother), but it’s easy to read as a standalone, as these stories are self-contained and set in a later time period.
The story follows the lives of three daughters of Ukraine – Liliya, Halya and Vika.
It begins with Liliya in Soviet Ukraine, June 1941. She is fifteen years old and lives with her parents. She is with her eighteen-year-old brother’s dead body. The Soviets have occupied Ukraine for two years and this is just one thing Liliya hates them for. They are also under attack from Nazi Germany.
We then move forward in time to August 1941 and meet Halya who is in Kyiv, Soviet Ukraine. She is nine years old and overhears her parents talking about Stalin’s scorched earth policy. She likes climbing her favourite tree and reading her poetry book there.
Finally, we meet Vika in December 1941, in Volhynia, Reichkommisariat Ukraine, controlled by the German Army. Vika is married to Maksym and they have three children – Slavko (12), Sofia (10) and Bohdan (8). After Liliya moved to Kholm, Vika and her family moved into their house.
We follow these three girls through the 1940s.
The characters in this book are beautiful – such strong women, all dealing with the worse situations of war, grief, loss and fear. Their whole lives are torn apart, yet they go on. So inspirational. Although a work of fiction, the author says parts of the story are based on the experience of her own family and the realism shines through.
While parts of the novel are violent, depressing, terribly sad and incredibly unfair, this isn’t the main thing you feel while reading it. The themes of war and death are alongside strong, positive themes of family and love and these bring joy into the story. Despite everything, parents look after their children and people fall in love.
It is an emotional read and not an easy one, but it is well worth the effort because it feels an important story and one which really brings the history of Ukraine to life. While they are currently at war, thanks to Putin, this reminds us how badly they have been treated in the past by the Soviet Union as well as by Nazi Germany and Poland. But it also beautifully illustrates the braveness and resilience of the Ukrainian people.

I've read a lot of World War II historical fiction, but I've never read one set in Ukraine. This is a period of WWII history that I admittedly knew very little about prior to reading The Lost Daughters of Ukraine.

Erin Litteken has done a wonderful job of immersing the reader into the story with rich detail, and characters you feel invested in. Alternating between three female narrators (Vika, Lilya, and Halya) the story begins in 1941-- as the Soviets are retreating and the Nazi Germans are invading. The Ukrainian people have traded one violent aggressor for another. Over the following years under Nazi occupation, the Ukrainian people suffer-- food stores and livestock are demanded by the Nazis for taxes, many people are killed while their homes and villages are burned, and young adults, teens and even children are rounded up and forced onto trains bound to Germany for forced labour. Through the eyes these three women, we see the effects of families torn apart while getting a glimpse into the horrible conditions in German work camps, and the refugee crisis the ensues after Ukraine is ravaged by these aggressors.

While the story navigates through the deplorable actions of war, it also beautifully weaves in themes of hope, resilience, courage, sacrifice and the deep familial bonds. While difficult in places, I found this story to be moving and hard to put down. I yearned for the reunification of these characters with their families, and held my breath until the very end.

Litteken is such a fabulous storyteller that I'm now going to read her debut novel The Memory Keeper of Kviv.

Pub date: 24 April 2023

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this ARC. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

I received The Lost Daughters of Ukraine as an ARC in exchange for my review.

I choose to read this book due to the current upheaval in the Ukraine. I wanted to learn more about the history of the country. LDoU offered much more than a brief history lesson of this complicated country. It introduced me to strong, resilient women and their wartime suffering. The fortitude women show during wartime is often extraordinary and Vika, Liliya and Halya showed how even the youngest of girls are exploited but can find a way to survive.

I finished this book very quickly because I was so invested in the characters. They felt truly alive to me and I couldn’t wait to see where their stories would end. The final chapters had me crying and joyous simultaneously. The author is truly gifted in storytelling.

After reading The Memory Keeper of Kiev I knew I had to read The Lost Daughters of Ukraine. The author did a great job with the storyline. I was invested from the start of the book because I knew it was going to be good. Inspired by the authors family a story of heartbreak, resiliency, and pure determination you will read about 3 different women who kept themselves alive and defying the odds.

During my reading I was horrified at the things that happened to Halya, Liliya, Vika and their families. I ran through a gambit of emotions and when I say you will need some tissues while reading please have a box of them. I cried quite a bit.

The writing style is captivating. I found myself not wanting to put my tablet down. I needed to know what was going to happen next. Highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for allowing me to read an advanced digital copy of The Lost Daughters of Ukraine. I'm leaving this review voluntarily and these are my words and my words alone, while not eloquent they are from the heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishing house to grant me access to this unbelievable book. I read Erin Littekin's first novel, The Memory Keeper of Kiev and I truly loved it. This was the same.

Set during WWII the suffering of the Ukrainian people at the hands of the Soviets, Germans, and even the Poles is harrowing. The love of country/homeland comes through in this novel as well as a fierce love and loyalty to one's family.

The fire bombing of Dresden was particularly graphically described and it was a miracle that anyone survived that hellish barrage of fire bombs.

Two things that may add to this book:
1. Fleshing out Hayla's family. In the first book we learn at the end that Hayla contacted the author.
2. Including a map of the areas focused on in the book.

i have read a book by her before , the memory keeper of kyiv i believe. i loved that book because it was heartwarming and very graphic at the same time. I also loved this book, her writing is like being a part of the book. you will get so engaged that your heart will break , soare and laugh at the same time. and the family ties swoon. you really need to read this book. . you will fall in love with the characters and their story.

My knowledge Of the long relationship and fluctuating borders between Poland and the Ukraine are scant.
I find Litteken’s novels replete in the history of the region as is her family’s history.
Over and over, as I read these books, I marvel that anyone came out alive at all and how strong they were to be able to go on amidst the hardship, heartache, and extreme loss they had already endured.
I appreciated the author’s note and the sharing of her family’s personal story with readers.

4.7 out of 5 stars. If you are considering adding this to your TBR, do it. The first few chapters are a struggle, not from the plot but from the author's liberal 'telling' instead of 'showing.' Once you make it past the cusp of the book, you are lost in the story, hoping everyone survives, writhing in disgust as history plays out. This story is especially powerful as the tales are based on the author's own family. Even the author admits that it is difficult for her to recall when her family tales and her novel begins.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for letting me read this arc copy for an honest review!

I really enjoyed reading the authors previous book, The Memory Keeper of Kyiv, and this new book is yet another riveting historical fiction account of life in Ukraine during WWII.

The heartbreaking story is told from the point of view of Vika, Lolita and Halya; three women of different ages and from different families but whose lives are forever changed as they live through the horrors of the war in a country both Germany and Russia want to control. Their families, their land, their lives and their friends lives during this horrific period are described honestly and at times in such raw detail that it can be hard reading; but, this period of history should never be forgotten so it is important stories like this are told and retold.
This is a story of the strength of human spirit, hope for the future and the love of family and friends.
Please read the authors note at the end of the book as the book is inspired by the authors own family’s experience.

The pulse of this story is closely based on actual happenings, taken from first-hand accounts from victims of the chaos, horrors and heartache war perpetuates upon civilians in a country, in this case the Ukraine, when conquerors overtake.
I do not think I have enough adjectives to describe all the atrocities revealed within these pages: grim; horrendous; numbing, are some I can give you. Harsh. Tears. Yet some of the characters manage to have some smiles despite all the cruelty and brutality to which they were exposed.

If a reader has read the precusor book to this one, The Memory Keeper of Kyiv, you'll be familiar with the names Alina, Katya, Kolya, and Halya. You'll meet them here and then recall the Holodomor hell. Once again, the Ukrainians are battered by neighboring countries. Yet Slavko, Liliya, Filip, Maksym, Viku and others are new faces on the block who somehow hang tenaciously on to life.

The daughters the reader will follow in their respective chapters are Liliya, Halya, and Viku. They endure untold hardships and agonies along with the rest of the populace. I was totally amazed and stunned at their sesilience. Their stories are told and do overlap, intertwining while showing fine Ukrainian spine.

It was interesting to learn some about Polish Arabian horses, which have special feature.

I feel that because the author bases this book on firsthand accounts handed down from her great grandfather and uncle that it lends extra authenticity to the story and therefore all the more poignant a story.

All of this puts current events into perspective I feel, educating thoughtful readers, allowing them to 'feel' in some measure what the victims of war felt back then and likely now. Thus it is not necessarily an easy story to read. However I need to give this book a 5-Star rating as I believe the author has captured the pathos of the situation in a phenomenally moving manner.

~Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger~

April 2023

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

Hitler invaded countries around him and began a killing spree. The Allies began fighting him. He lost. All is well. That is what we typically get from thoughts of World War II. What we forget is that the war did more than have death across an ocean. There were thousands of families who were displaced and torn apart due to the fight between Germany and Russia. The ones in the Ukrainian area suffered under Russian rule and then German as the war danced around them and eventually ran over them. This is the story of two families who found themselves in the heart of WWII and the young women who are determined to be reunited with their families. 
When I think of the horrors of WWII, I forget those who homes were located in the midst of the fighting. They dealt with evil soldiers, turncoat neighbors, and the death of those closest to them as well as being forced from their own homes. Those in Ukraine did more than struggle against all those forces but also in trying to keep their own unique identity and not be swallowed up by Poland or invading countries. This story was perfectly timed as it is published during the current war between Russia and Ukraine as the smaller country continues to maintain its own independence. They have homes and roots in the region and never want to leave it, but the story shows how they are forced to run for their lives and, in the process, lose each other. 
This is a story that will have you rushing in to fight for each character and pray for a good outcome. As a bullet is fired, you'll want to block it and help the character find true peace. So well written, that I couldn't put the book down. I had to know what would help next and how the characters would overcome. 
This is a story of strong women who lose everything but the sheer determination within them. It might be to help their family get through another day or just for the smallest piece of hope that someone they love is still alive. These women aren't just strong-willed; they are of the strongest spirit that can exist on this planet. They push just to survive while becoming an inspiration for those who would live generations later. 
One of my favorite parts comes at the end when one character is reflecting on the past few years. There is no assumption that life is now a rose-covered garden. Even their great-grandchildren will feel the effects though they never went through the event. But they did more than survive. These characters are the essence of strength. I'd swear they were real. 
If you like historical fiction, you need to check this book out. To call it moving would be such a disservice. This book is inspirational in a way that cannot be put into words. If you are interested, you can get it here.

How could there be so many different warring factions in one place?
Ukraine: already oppressed for years by the Poles, when war came so did the Russians from the East with new cruelties, and then from the West came the Nazis with death, destruction and terror.
The author bravely weaves her own family history into WW2 Ukraine creating characters who will forever have a place in my heart: Vika, Maksyn, Filip, Slavko, Halya, Liliya, and Oleksiy. Reading this novel was an extraordinarily emotional experience. I shared the pain, the grief and the eternal hope of the people of Ukraine so brilliantly brought to life here. It all feels horribly relevant with the current Russian aggression against Ukraine and reminds us all that we must support Ukraine's fight to remain independent.

“Where could a family find safety in the middle of a war? Where could a mother promise her children a peaceful night’s sleep on this bloody continent?”

Reading this one took me much longer than it usually does primarily because of all the heartbreak. While I was constantly worried about what will happen towards the end, I also needed regular breaks to cry at all the pain and suffering. When mere words have the power to recreate the horrors of war, you know it’s a tale that cannot be ignored.

“Family may not always be who you expect, but it is everything.”

Where we truly should have been ‘learning from the past, finding the good, and choosing a better path forward,’ we are unfortunately still embroiled in the same war as our earlier generations. May our future generations make better decisions.

Thank you for inviting me to read this one, @netgalley

“Find your boy and heal your family. For all of us who couldn’t.”

The Daughters Of Ukraine by Erin Litteken is a powerful and heart-breaking novel that consumed me.
The action is mainly set during World War II and up to 1947. We follow three lost daughters of Ukraine as the war tears them apart – first the Soviets, then the Germans, and then the Soviets again. It is a book that will affect your emotions. It really resonated with me as I had an uncle from the Ukraine who was born in1922 and who suffered under the Soviets and the Germans, and who chose to come to Britain at the end of the war.
The Daughters Of The Ukraine is grounded in fact as it is based on the experiences of the author’s relatives.
All the characters are well drawn and realistic. Their bravery and their tenacity to overcome is amazing. “Fight because life is always worth fighting for.” It was a daily choice, to choose life. Anything else would have meant giving up.
There is a generosity of spirit. They shared what they had with those who had nothing. In contrast, the Soviets and the Germans were brutal. I remember my uncle saying that he did not want to fall into the hands of the Soviets.
My heart broke for a character who had lost her whole family. “Everyone I love dies, so I won’t love anyone.” She tried to build a wall around her heart, to harden her emotions but her heart broke free.
Both the Soviets and the Germans did not see the person. They classified people according to race or religion but never saw the beating heart of the individual. “A person can’t be judged by who their parents were or where they were born… learn to see the man, not the uniform or nationality.”
Now that the book is ended, my heart and emotions are in pieces and I am full of admiration for the brave people of the Ukraine – both in the past and today, as they choose hope despite their circumstances.
I received a free copy from Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

The Lost Daughters of Ukraine took my breath away. This heart-wrenching novel is the story of three women whose lives are forever changed by the terrors their families and their homeland endured during WWII. There are passages and scenes in this book that are very hard to read—honest and raw accounts of the horrors of war, and especially the suffering and brutality that was unique to Ukraine. But through all the hardships, there is beauty woven throughout this book: the love of parents for their children; the hopes and dreams of the innocent; and the resilience, strength, and courage that kept these amazing characters going through the worst kind of heartache, cruelty, and despair. There are also moments of great humanity, a reminder that even in the worst of times, strangers will come to the aid of those who need it. This book is inspired by their author’s own family’s experiences during the war, and you can feel the love for her ascendants and their country on every page.

Erin Litteken gives voice to WWII Ukraine with gritty authenticity and while she takes the reader into some very dark places, she is never gratuitous. I love that she's brought this history to a whole new group of avid readers and anticipate that kids who grew up reading my six WWII novels (Making Bombs for Hitler etc) will gobble up this novel. It is so good that there is finally beginning to be a critical mass of nuanced yet approachable literature written on WWII Ukraine. The Lost Daughters of Ukraine is a broom to sweep out Putin's propaganda.

Having read the authors previous novel I was keen to read this and it was everything I expected it to be. An historical novel based on fact, a lot of which was gleaned from the authors own Ukrainian family. The research is meticulous and it must have been so emotional for the author to read how her family has suffered. Told from multiple POV’s - Vika, Liliya and Halya - this is an emotional, hard hitting read set during WWII and in the immediate aftermath and set largely in Ukraine, Poland and Germany.

Briefly, with the Russians in retreat and the German army in occupation Liliya is one of many taken by the Nazis to work in factories making munitions for the army. Vika’s oldest son Slavko was taken along with Liliya and now with the Germany army closing in on their village, Vika, along with her husband and remaining three children, decide to walk to Germany to find Liliya and Slavko. Halya, only 12 years old, has also been taken and, having been separated from her mother, Slavko takes her under his wing. Will the families every be reunited?

This is a heart rending story highlighting the appalling treatment of Ukrainian’s by the Russians, Germans and the Polish. The similarities to the current despicable conflict taking place between Russia and Ukraine are heartbreaking, how one country has been through so much over a relatively short period of time is almost unbelievable. This is a story of love and resilience in the most dreadful of circumstances. A wonderful read that brought a tear to my eye.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book will live in my heart for a while. Such a heartbreakingly beautiful story loosely based on the authors family experiences during a time of war. I will admit it taught me a bit about what this country has faced in the past. Please read this book! Learning about others struggles humbles us and makes us better for the future.

A story of the strength of the human spirit, the personal cost of conflict and how love can be found even in the darkest times.

Thank you so much @netgalley and @erinlittekenauthor and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to experience this book before it’s publication (4/24/23)

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