The Winner chosen is Comment #1 – Marjorie!
Under This Unbroken Sky by Shandi Mitchell
Short Summary:
Spring 1938. After nearly two years in prison for the crime of stealing his own grain, Ukrainian immigrant Teodor Mykolayenko is a free man. While he was gone, his wife, Maria; their five children; and his sister, Anna, struggled to survive on the harsh northern Canadian prairie, but now Teodor—a man who has overcome drought, starvation, and Stalin’s purges—is determined to make a better life for them. As he tirelessly clears the untamed land, Teodor begins to heal himself and his children. But the family’s hopes and newfound happiness are short-lived. Anna’s rogue husband, the arrogant and scheming Stefan, unexpectedly returns, stirring up rancor and discord that will end in violence and tragedy.
My Review:
The story begins with the description of a black-and-white photograph. A man, a woman and five children. The date on the photograph is 1933, the place Willow Creek, Alberta.
There are times when I pick up an old photograph of my grandparents or my parents and I spend time thinking about the history behind the faces. What were their desires? What heartbreak did they experience? What hopes and dreams did they have and were those fulfilled or abandoned? Why?
Shandi Mitchell addresses these questions by taking her readers through a period of time in which life was very hard. She introduces us to a family of immigrants, their origin Ukraine. They struggle with learning language and dealing with foreign laws, laws which prevent them from even being able to provide their children with food.
UNDER THIS UNBROKEN SKY studies the relationship between a brother and a sister and their families. It paints a heart-breaking picture in graphic, real strokes. My heart broke and broke again as I felt each families struggle, felt myself grow angry at the injustice of the actions of both the law and the members of the families. I could feel the tension building with each pounding on the door I read about and every howl of the coyotes in the night air.
Recently I read a book that dealt with the struggle of the immigration process in a more recent time period. That book followed the path of a young Chinese girl and her experience in the sweat shops in New York. UNDER THIS UNBROKEN SKY gave me a more historical perspective and reminded me that although we may say we have come a long way – even in recent times there are people living in the hardships described in this story.
This book tore at my heart and should be a “must read” for anyone interested in historical literature.
About the Author
Shandi Mitchell is an author and filmmaker. She graduated from Dalhousie University with a degree in English and Theatre. Her award-winning short films have been featured at festivals across North America. In 2008, she was awarded the Canada Council’s Victor Martin-Lynch Staunton Endowment in Media Arts.
Her debut novel Under This Unbroken Sky was simultaneously published by Penguin Canada, Weidenfeld & Nicolson (UK) and Harper Collins (US) in August 2009. It has sold in nine countries, including translation rights for Chinese, Hebrew, Dutch and Italian. Under This Unbroken Sky won the 2010 Commonwealth regional Prize for First Book(Canada/Caribbean), the Thomas Head Raddall Fiction Award, and the Margaret and John Savage First Book Award.
Raised on the prairies, Shandi now makes her home on the east coast of Canada, very close to the water, where she lives with her husband, Alan, and their dog, Annie.
To learn more please visit Shandi Mitchell’s Website.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from TLC Book Tours. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Thanks to the publisher I have one copy of this book to give away.
To enter this giveaway simply respond to this review with a response to the following question:
“Are you the child, grandchild or great-grandchild of immigrants? If so .. tell us a little about them.”
(Contest open to USA and Canada only – Ends September 10, 2010)
As far as I know the latest arrival of any of my ancestors was my great great grandfather, Benjamin Hetherington. He, his mother and two
sisters came together from Carlise, England in 1841 after his father died. When he was 12 in England, his job at the mill was to lead a horse around and around in circles to grind grain. When they arrived, his first job was in a cotton factory working 14 hours a day.
Thank you for stopping by, Shandi! I'm excited to put this in the hands of Marjorie =)
My grandfather came from Hungary. My great-grandfather was the son of immigrants from Germany.