Book Review: Winterkill

By Marsha Forchk Skypuch 

4 Stars 

Winterkill by Marsha Forchuk Skypuch is a well-written novel focusing on the events of the death by starvation of Ukrainian people from 1930 to 1933. I had this book recommended to me by a friend. She thought I would enjoy it since it held themes such as historical events. Overall, I did like this book and felt I learnt something new. It shocked me that most people were never taught it in school history class, since it quite literally tried to kill Ukrainian people and their culture. I enjoyed this book because of its writing, deep story, and how informative it was. The overall plot was very interesting and had me eagerly turning the pages, wondering how it would end. I personally would also like to see the story in other people's perspectives, such as Alice's and the rest of Nyl's family, such as Yulia and Slavko and what happened to them later in life. It had me wondering what happened to her and the others in the end, and how they felt leaving. It was written in such a way as to shed light on the area of history and provide valuable context to help readers understand the situation. This book shows the story of Nyl and how he struggles to survive this period of time as he and his family face multiple hardships, such as the winter approaching and their crops dying alongside the food shortages and bitter cold. Alice, a Canadian girl who travels there with her father for documentation, and tries to come up with a plan for escape with Nyl. I recommend this book to readers who are not as familiar with the Holodomor, Ukraine history, or stories about survival and find historical fiction interesting. 

Reviewed by Aryana as part of the Teen Reviewer, opens a new window program.

View in Library Catalogue: Print