The Lost Year: A Survival Story of the Ukrainian Famine

I ordered this book because my teenager was reading it in school and kept talking about how much she loved it. In an attempt to bond and have something to talk to her about, I ordered a copy for myself. I expected some teenage drama type story but WOW was I surprised. I was hooked from the beginning. So well written and educational with some excellent plot twists. I couldn't put it down. Highly, highly recommend.

This book reminded me why I love middle-grade fiction at its best, even as an adult: Like the work of Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Esther Ehrlich and Katherine Paterson, "The Lost Year" takes on urgent and tough foundational issues that kids first begin to wrestle with and wonder about deeply in their middle-school years but that are also lifelong concerns for all of us. "The Lost Year" deals with the Holodomor, a famine engineered by Soviet leaders that took the lives of millions in 1930s Ukraine. The kids and families at the center of Katherine Marsh's story confront questions of how we respond to evil and tragedy that seem to dwarf us as individuals, how we find and promote truth when the powerful want it hidden, and how we define our own identities and carry on in the face of great loss. The true history that the book is rooted in, obscured at the time by official lies that were parroted by prominent news media in the West, is too little-known but especially relevant today, as we face misinformation in our own politics and the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine. Kids and adults both will love and be inspired by the strength and independence of the children in Marsh's story: They are smart and resourceful, with the courage to call out the lies of authority figures and act on their own to survive and help those in need. The history is fascinating (I knew nothing about the Holodomor when I picked up this book), and the story drives on through surprising twists and turns to a family secret that floored me when it was revealed. Marsh deals honestly and sensitively and in an age-appropriate way with the terrible events of the story, and at the end, despite all the loss and pain, finds hope and love. This is a book that deserves to be read and discussed widely. It would be a particularly good one for a child and parent to read and discuss together, alongside events now in the news.

I'm an adult who rarely reads YA fiction (no judgement! I just don't), but this was terrific. Fast-paced and emotionally compelling, with real weight and emotional gravity to the story. The novel renders both the experience of the early Covid pandemic and the Ukrainian famine vividly. I enjoyed the ride, but also came away having learned a lot about an episode of history I didn't previous know about. Highly recommended for middle-grade readers *and up*, both boys and girls.

This was a gift, but I have ordered additional copies for friends, specifically adult friends with grandchildren.I was unfamiliar with the word Holodomor. Readers such as I will learn its meaning, plus harsh details about Ukrainian life in 1933.The book is alarmingly timely. Marsh wrote this novel based on her Ukrainian family's history, but by press time it had became sadly relevant about Russia and Ukraine and despots, another good reason to read it RIGHT NOW. It seems to me that the book is most appropriate for age 12 to adult; 10 seems young to me but my 10 year old grandson tells me otherwise.I AM certain the book is a great read for ages 12 and beyond. It works on many levels. The descriptions of the evolving relationships between family members of different generations are profound. Plus it is a mystery story, hard to set down. I read it at one sitting, late into the night.Once again, following Nowhere Boy, Katherine Marsh has combined reality, history, and experiences of the young in a compelling story. Her work just keeps getting better and better.Bravo!!And now back to my video game...

I was looking for book titles for our middle school's book reading competition and came across The Lost Year as an anticipated title for 2023. I was grateful to Katherine Marsh for her advance copy and found the book to be similar to the books written by Alan Gratz as the storyline follows three characters and weaves their lives together (with an amazing twist I didn't see coming). Most of all, I was thoroughly shocked as I found myself reading about an historical event and genocide I never knew existed, Holodomor. Holodomor was a man-made famine in Soviet Ukraine from 1932 to 1933 that killed millions. The Lost Years is an essential historical fiction book for any library collection. I would give it a 4.5 stars as I wanted to less about the modern day character and know more about what the historical characters would have went through during the famine, but a little research on my own satiated that.

If you only read one book this year, make it "The Lost Year." This book is a poignant story for all ages. The author masterfully intertwines the stories of teen girls living during the Holodomor, the tragic 1930s Ukrainian famine with the life of Matthew, an American boy living during the outbreak of Covid, with a stunning plot twist at the end. The inclusion of Matthew balances the gripping famine tale with a contemporary and relatable storyline for middle-grade readers. This book is also particularly timely given the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Everyone should read this powerful novel.(Review written by a 13 year old.)

This book has every lesson a teenager (actually, anyone) needs to learn: empathy, history, curiousity and perseverance. The young man learns of the Russian oppression of the Ukrainians during the Holodomor of the 1930's when the Soviets starved farmers to make them collectivize. His mother takes his games away and he becomes mesmerized by the past that his grandmother recorded. Wonderfully written, we go on the journey with him.

What an engaging, powerful, moving, educational story! I could not put the book down! It weaves the trials of the past and present, spanning continents and experiences over the generations. Although the struggles are disturbing, the story is also enlightening. I highly recommend this book for all ages.

Well written, poignant and relevant. This middle grade novel will be great for adults, too.The Ukrainian history explored in this novel is necessary backstory to the tragedy unfolding today.