I received a free copy of this audio book in exchange for an honest review from #NetGalley.

I’ve mentioned many times I was a Russian and East European Studies major in college, but in May of 2003 Ukraine became part of me when I adopted my children there. They are justifiably proud of their heritage and have watched the war with some interest since it began. Crimea, where they were, was taken by Russia in 2014. While in Crimea to adopt the kids I was able to go to Yalta and see the site of the famous World War II conference, and former home of Tzar Nicholas II–Livadia Palace. It was amazing to be there. (Read more about life in the Palace during the Yalta Conference here.) In some box somewhere are a few photos I took–I still had to use film back then so not that many pictures. Also while there, we had our first days together as a family at in a staff apartment at a college in Kiev before driving to Warsaw, Poland, to have all the paperwork done at the Embassy there.

I get as tired of politics as the next guy, but I would be remiss not to say I am appalled at the current administration abandoning Ukraine. They are fighting for just what we [used to] stand for.

This book had many people waiting so my review is not as well thought out as I’d like–it deserves better. I gave it back the minute I was done so that others could read and learn and, hopefully, see why it is essential that the USA ignore the current president and keep helping Ukraine to fight for the freedom–a fight even the GOP heartily endorsed until Inauguration Day 2025.
The Story and My Thoughts

As a historian and an American with ties to Ukraine, the author chose seven ordinary Ukrainians to follow through one year of the war. The people were found via an online diary project funded by a Foundation. Among those chosen, are a Mormon missionary married to a Ukrainian, young woman selected to study at the police academy, a man who has just opened a coffee shop, a women who has been in the US working in the fashion industry, a young writer married with an infant son, a husband and wife who live by raising pigs on their small farm, and a middle aged woman who produces crafts for sale. Also in the story, in the between-the-chapters story is a former engineer at Chernobyl.

I was instantly drawn in to their stories. But, how odd is it to sometimes be able to text or talk with someone just out of battle? I was drawn to the story of he Mormon couple who landed at a shelter for refugees that needed someone experienced to run it. They stepped up and did it. Polina, with her fashion experience, helped source fleece fabric and get fleece jackets made for soldiers. Those to me were heroic actions. The others, though were also heroic in that they kept going. They struggled and endured and kept going.

In between the chapters we hear of Chernobly and the story of one of the engineers there–one who lived through it all and now must deal with the aftermath–especially in his mind. This was very interesting.

What Americans need is the REAL story–not the Fox News–White House version. It’s far more nuanced than anyone thinks. Ethic Russians in Ukraine. Western Ukraine versus Russified [Soveit-ized] Eastern Ukraine. Stalin’s horrific man-made famine in Crimea. It’s all part of it. My kids were Ukrainians. They are in touch with family. Nothing is simple, but people are not quitting. They are not begging for Putin to save them by any means. There is the cold hard fact that Russia is their essential trading partner and that everything still runs on Soviet models, albeit with capitalism now in place. Language, too, plays a role. City versus rural has a role. Americans need to read this book, even if they love Donald Trump. They need to hear the truth. They need to read what has gone on as seen through the eyes of the country’s own citizens and not the propaganda from Moscow.
My Verdict
4.0

By the Second Spring: Seven Lives and One Year of the War in Ukraine by Danielle Leavitt

While this was a pretty difficult story to listen to during my commute to work, it’s a must listen. I read a ton of historical fiction set around WW1- WW2 and this was hauntingly similar to what was happening about 100 years ago.

This book follows the story of seven people and their experience during the first year of the Ukraine invasion. It’s surreal to hear about their day to day struggles and hurdles they’ve overcome just to survive. These stories help humanize what is going on in or world rather than just hearing highlights from the news. These people are regular people who are having their communities bombed and families ripped apart.

Thank you #netgalley and #DanilleLeavitt for providing this ARC in exchange for my review.

This work of nonfiction goes beyond the typical/familiar wartime portraits that we often see from larger media sources. The author, a historian, is an American who grew up in Ukraine, and wanted to humanize and emphasize the lives of seven Ukranians. While Russia's invasion is a backdrop for these stories, the work focuses most on the people themselves. There are short interlude chapters that provide some relevant history to the war, as well as the story of Volodymyr Shovkoshitniy, who fought in the 1980s to return the bodies of three Ukrainian writers who were martyred in Russia, to emphasize the resurgence of Ukranian's national spirit.

The author did a wonderful job at balancing the history incorporated with the lives of the people she interviewed, creating an informative read. The work doesn't follow one person's story from start to finish before moving on, so at the beginning it was a little difficult to keep track of everyone for me. But the people included in this work were varied in age and backgrounds and situations.

I also appreciated the author's tone. It would have been easy to paint a picture completely glorifying Ukrainian resistance while emphasizing only the evils of Russia, but the author managed to balance this in a way that felt more guided by facts than nationalism. That being said, she doesn't shy away from including some of the brutalities of war, depicting them in a tragic but compelling light.

We reached a point where (at least in the U.S. but likely in other places as well) the war has taken a major backseat to other concerns, and it has been that way for some time now. The author discusses this, and she mentioned that even Ukranians are tired of being asked only about the war. With the way we're oversaturated with news and information these days, it's easy to lose sight of things or become overwhelmed by the amount of information being thrown at us.

This book is a wonderful source of modern history and journalism that I highly recommend to everyone (maybe ages 18+ though due to the graphic tragedies of war). Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

By The Second Spring is less the stories of individuals and more a history lesson of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. While it's interesting, I felt a little bit misled. The narrating was dry but I'm not sure if that was her or because of the book she was reading. If you're interested in current events and world history then definitely give this book a read. If you're looking for more of the human side of the war, skip it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely heartbreaking and one of the best non-fiction books I have ever read!

I am in the portion of the population who had no idea there was any conflict between Ukraine and Russia. The 2022 invasion by Russia was a surprise to me. Even more surprising was the conflict that happened in 2014. I was in Europe studying law in 2014, and this book was the first time I learned about it! Since 2022, I have tried to catch up on the history of the conflict leading up to the 2022 invasion and what is happening now. This book is exactly what anyone needs!

The author weaves the lives of seven people seamlessly into the history of the conflict. The book details the events that lead up to 2022 and the Ukrainian reaction. The book is incredibly educational as you grow a connection to the people's stories. There is nothing about this book that is dry. It is heartbreaking and shows you what life has been like in a war torn country.

It is easy, especially for Americans, to distance yourself from conflicts. We are not being subjected to missile strikes or fleeing from our homes. One of the things from the book that has really stuck with me was describing teenagers hiding underground from missile strikes while playing on their phones. When I think of bomb shelters, I think of families hiding during WWII. The imagery of people my age wearing jeans and hiding out with their iPhones brings their stories to life in a way I did not expect.

The topic and stories within the book are important for everyone to read. This is happening today. This is happening in Europe. It is not getting nearly enough international attention!

I'v always been a big advocate of what one can learn through another's lived experiences. This book was very well written. Coming from the West all we hear and are exposed to is what is reported to us from the news which is not often representative of the true facts. The narration was well done.
Engaging, emotional. This book was also a reminder that this story is not over. Making headlines in 2022 when the invasion happened it's so to forget that this is still happening.

Job well done by Danielle Leavitt on this book.

By the Second Spring is a heartbreaking but important book, focusing on individuals and their experiences with the Russian invasion of Ukraine starting again in 2022. This unique perspective makes it all the more impactful for the reader. Leavitt shares the stories of a diverse age range of people while intertwining Ukrainian history to provide context to the situation.

The audiobook is easy to follow. This book is an eye opener. I would recommend it to anyone, both those who know about the conflict and those who don't.

For all that we hear about Ukraine as a political entity, not many Americans know about the daily lives of regular people during the invasion. This book follows seven people through their choices, highs, and lows. The author also provides background information to put the contemporary events in context