International Bestselling Author
ERIN LITTEKEN
Available April 24, 2023
A story of the strength of the human spirit, the personal cost of conflict and how love can be found even in the darkest times.
Summer 1941. War rages in Europe. The Germans march towards Ukraine. Halya, Liliya and Vika are no strangers to sorrow. They lost family during the Holodomor, loved ones in Stalin's purges, and war looms once more on the horizon.
Vika lives in fear for her children. She and her sister survived the terror famine by leaving their whole family behind. Now, years later, many believe the Germans will free them from the Soviets, but she’s not so sure. Should they stay in Volhynia or flee the approaching Eastern front?
Liliya has lost too much in her 17 years. As those around her join the resistance, Liliya wonders how she can fight for her friends, family, and country. When the choice is made for her, can she find the will to survive and protect those still with her?
Twelve-year-old Halya is struggling to discover who she is. But as the war escalates, can her mother Katya’s tactics keep her safe from the Nazi soldiers rounding up slave laborers? How can a child survive the horrors of war on her own?
These daughters of Ukraine will face devastation and loss as they fight to survive and protect the ones they love.
Praise for The Lost Daughters of Ukraine
Erin Litteken has a gift for prose that is both no-nonsense and tenderly emotional—much like her strong, stubborn characters who hold on dearly to their humanity and to each other through years of trauma and tragedy. A beautiful, hard-hitting tribute to her own family's history and to the people of unbowed, unbroken Ukraine.
-Amanda McCrina,
Author of Traitor, The Silent Unseen, & I'll Tell You No Lies
Litteken’s compelling, well-researched and moving storytelling soars as it brings to life a harrowing slice of history while intricately highlighting the past that echoes to the present day.
-Marina Scott,
Author of
The Hunger Between Us
"A stunning portrait of Ukraine and its people, of strength, of endurance, of the fight for survival during the forced famine, the Holodomor, but also a tender story of Katya, a grandmother whose hidden history holds the power to guide her granddaughter through the darkness of loss and grief, toward life and a limitless future. A remarkable read not to be missed."
-Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of Before We Were Yours
“Breathtaking. Devastating. Erin Litteken's The Memory Keeper of Kyiv chronicles a defining but forgotten moment of Ukrainian history through the shared joys and griefs, lives and deaths of one indomitable family. This would be an important book at any time but is an absolutely vital one now.”
-Amanda McCrina, author of Traitor & The Silent Unseen
"The Memory Keeper of Kyiv is a truly enlightening read - I learned so much about the history of Ukraine, as well as the many time-honored traditions that are still in use today. Katya's heartbreaking story - paralleled with Cassie and Anna in the present day - kept me turning the pages. I recommend this to anyone looking for a personal way to connect with Ukraine's history, and how it ties into current tragic events."
–M.B. Henry, author of All the Lights Above Us
"Erin Litteken pens a powerfully moving debut in The Memory Keeper of Kyiv. Two timelines unfold at breakneck pace: sixteen year old Katya witnesses the arrival of Soviet activists to her tiny Ukrainian village and struggles to hold her family together through Stalin's systematic starvation of her country--seventy years later, a young widow struggles to understand why her tough-as-nails grandmother is haunted by ghosts and hoarding food as if it will be taken away at any moment. Ukraine's tragic history painfully echoes its current crisis, and on every page the Ukrainian spirit shines out, unbowed, unbent, and unbroken. This is a compelling, timely read."
-Kate Quinn, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Rose Code & The Diamond Eye
“I was utterly gripped by this beautiful novel from the very first page! Litteken has weaved a compelling and intimate story of love and survival. It is harrowing, haunting and chilling in its portrayal of history, illuminating the horrors of the Holodomor in a way which brings us to the heart of the people and families who suffered. And yet, at the same time, it is sensitive, beautiful and inspiring. Everybody should read this story especially now. The Memory Keeper of Kyiv is written by an author who understands the depths of both loss and love. I cannot recommend it highly enough.”
–Christy Lefteri, author of
The Beekeeper of Aleppo
"The Memory Keeper of Kyiv is a meticulously researched novel brilliantly depicting the horrific events of Stalin’s systematic destruction of a country...
Reading this story felt all the more poignant in the current climate knowing that the proud people of Ukraine are once again suffering appalling atrocities as they fight to survive at the hands of others determined to ruin them.
A captivating, heartfelt debut which was at times achingly painful to read."
–Deborah Carr, USA Today bestselling author of An Island at War
“Emotionally riveting and honest, The Memory Keeper of Kyiv is both timely and timeless—a brave and important book that simultaneously shines an unflinching light on historical atrocities while it celebrates the resilience of the human spirit. Litteken seamlessly intertwines the past with the present as she follows a Ukrainian family’s heart-wrenching journey through genocidal famine and grievous loss while elevating their bravery, strength, and selfless love. You won’t soon forget this stunning debut.”
-Paulette Kennedy,
author of Parting the Veil
“Erin Litteken’s passion for Ukrainian culture and history is evident through this sensitive, impactful tribute to a little-known, deeply important time. Heart wrenching and heart warming, The Memory Keeper of Kyiv is a story of unwavering courage and unyielding hope.”
--Gabriella Saab, author of
The Last Checkmate
--Gabriella Saab, author of
The Last Checkmate
"This beautifully written snapshot of Ukraine’s history is both timely and heart-rending, sensitively bringing to life the culture of a nation devastated by an enemy invader. How shocking it is that it’s a history that’s being repeated today. And how important a reminder that where there’s life, there’s hope."