Under This Unbroken Sky
This was a most enjoyable book. I loved the detail of the characters and the description of the land. The reader really gets the feel for the hard life that these people lived. There was an element of surprise as you went along which kept it from being predictable. I would recommend this book.
Rated of 5
by Andrea S. (Lafayette, IN)
Well done telling of life on the plains of Canada
This book was a very intense look at a little piece of Canadian history I was not familiar with. Ukrainian families were recruited to come and settle the plains of Canada in the 1930's during the Stalin era. Under This Unbroken Sky is the story of two of those families. The writing is rich and evocative, the characters are well drawn. You feel as if you are in the room with them, doing what they are doing, seeing the animals in the barn, or working the fields. It is not a light and happy tale, but a look at people who move far to change their lives and how it doesn't always turn out the way they plan.
Rated of 5
by Gail B. (Albuquerque, NM)
Seeking an Unbroken Sky
At a time when the Dust Bowl was raging across the American plains, Ukrainian families fled the misery and oppression of Stalin's regime to make a fuller life in the Western Canada prairie.
This is the story, drawn from the author's family history, of a family determined to succeed in a new home. Despite one tragic event after the other, the family continues to dream of a bountiful future, living free under an unbroken sky. Yet, try as they may their luck never changes, never improves. They fall victim to every disaster possible -- natural as well as humanly induced. Ultimately, even the most innocent events have profound effect on their fate. Shandi Mitchell tells this immigrant tale with vigor and empathy and eloquence that make it a gripping read.
Rated of 5
by Maxine D. (Effingham, IL)
Under This Unbroken Sky
This was not an easy book to read, but somehow I was reluctant to put it down, and when I finished it I realized how deeply I had been drawn into the lives of this extended family.
The writing is sharply expressive, the landscapes vividly described; the reader is truly there. There is no happy ending, just a continuation of the will to survive no matter how long dreams must be deferred or how many hopes are dashed.
Rated of 5
by Suzanne G. (Tucson, AZ)
Under This Unbroken Sky (Should it be Broken Sky?)
To start with, I had no idea that Canada invited Ukrainian immigrants. This book kept my interest to the end. In the beginning, I was apprehensive at each page turn: What possibly could go wrong with the characters next? I felt I was reading the unfolding of a scary movie. The author's descriptions and details were vivid and believable. I could not wait for the end, yet having been warned the the ending was tragic, I knew I was asking for some disappointment with the story.
Not so--as it was as it had to be and the family moved on. My mother was born into a family of farmers who'd traveled by train from the Midwest to homestead in Washington state. Her stories of the near poverty (although c. 1910) reminded me that farming was not easy at all--even in later years.
Rated of 5
by Doris K. (Angora, MN)
Under This Unbroken Sky
This book is very well written. The author's description of people's feelings, seasons of the year, landscapes, etc. are done in a wonderfully clear manner. For example: the bitter but awesome winter is familiar to me as I live in northern Minnesota. Many tragedies come to the family. Each character faces these setbacks in their own way, giving a true insight into their strengths and weaknesses. I found the book fascinating and one that I will remember for a long time.
Rated of 5
by Marta M. (Tustin, CA)
heart- wrenching
This was a beautifully written novel. It kept me riveted from the first page. The characters are fully drawn and it was a pleasure to read such lyrical writing. I only gave it 4 stars because I have a hard time with depressing novels. This should be a favorite of book clubs all over North America.
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