The Woman at the Gates by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger

Setting

The Women at the Gates is based in Ukraine during World War II. Prior to the Second World War Ukraine was under Soviet occupation. The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists was a political organization fighting to achieve Ukrainian independence. During the 1940s, it split up into two factions - a moderate one led by Andriy Melnyk and a more radical one under the leadership of Stepan Bandera. In 1941, when Germany with its allies invaded Ukraine, some Ukrainians viewed the Nazis as their liberators and believed that with their assistance they will be able to establish an independent Ukrainian state. 

Storyline

In 1941, Antonia a university professor in Lviv in Western Ukraine was also a part of the clandestine Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, fighting to preserve her country's culture and traditions. She along with other members published a newspaper called Our Nation's Voice in defiance of the Soviet regime. When Germany invaded Ukraine, they collaborated with the Nazis against the Soviets. But instead, they fell right into the hands of an enemy from another's. After hiding and running from the Nazis and Soviets for a long time Antonia and her sister's family were eventually apprehended by Nazis and thrown into the labour camp.

My Thoughts

The Woman at the Gates would resonate with the reader as Chrystyna has borrowed from her own family history and experiences to weave a story of struggle, hardships and loss. Real-life events add authenticity to her narrative. Antonia's character is of a strong-minded woman who wants to have an independent identity for her country away from the ever-changing political landscape of Ukraine. She endured everything thrown at her but stood strong in her beliefs and came out as resilient as ever and a survivor. This book gave me an insight into Ukraine's struggle for independence and a new perspective about World War II. My concern with the book was that it was extremely slow and there are a plethora of characters whom you can easily lose track of. It took a lot of time to build up the story and I did struggle with it. All in all an informative read.

Rating - 3/5

Recommend - Maybe! (If you are interested in Ukraine's history)