Adrian Lysenko

I'm not usually a fan of magical realism, but it works well with this nightmarish odyssey of a young girl and her brother trying to find safety and food in the midst of the famine and genocide perpetrated on the Ukrainian people by Joseph Stalin in the 1930s.

Dark and hard-hitting.

The end matter does briefly explain the historical context without spoilers to the story, so it can be read first if you are not familiar with this awful era. I wish the folklore and cultural symbolism of the story show more were also given such an explanation. show less

This graphic novel is a great way to introduce a whole new audience to the Holodomor, Stalin's genocide against Ukraine's people and culture in the1930s that killed millions. Incredibly timely, given the fact that Putin is repeating history.