The Rooster House: A Ukrainian Family Memoir

Beskrivelse

A powerful memoir tracing four generations of a Ukrainian family, centered around a mysterious mansion known as the Rooster House. Victoria Belim uncovers hidden family secrets while exploring Ukraine’s turbulent history.

An intimate exploration of family legacy and Ukraine’s complex past through the lens of a haunting family home.

In the Ukrainian city of Poltava stands the Rooster House, a stately mansion marked by two striking red roosters guarding its entrance. Though it appears unthreatening, Victoria’s great-grandmother always avoided passing by it during her childhood in the 1980s. Fast forward to 2014, amidst Russia’s annexation of Crimea, Victoria visits her grandmother in Bereh, a small village near Poltava that held special meaning in her youth.

Shortly before this visit, Victoria discovers her great-grandfather’s diary, which contains a cryptic entry about an uncle, Brother Nikodim, who disappeared in the 1930s while fighting for a free Ukraine. Despite her efforts, no one in the family, especially her grandmother, is willing to talk about him. This mystery sparks Victoria’s determination to uncover his story.

Her quest leads her back to Ukraine repeatedly, navigating post-Soviet bureaucracy, traveling to remote, dilapidated villages, and interviewing elderly survivors from that era. Ultimately, her search brings her full circle to the Rooster House itself and the dark secrets hidden in its basement.

Filled with vivid, larger-than-life characters and marked by the haunting presence of those lost to history, The Rooster House is a gripping journey into a wounded nation’s past. It is also a heartfelt tribute to resilience and hope in the face of despair.

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