"A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian: A Novel" by Marina Lewycka

Reviewer: Linda

The main characters in this book are Ukrainian immigrants in the U.K. The narrator is the youngest daughter, and she doesn’t remember WWII. Her father and older sister, however, have vivid memories, memories they have never shared with the narrator. The book weaves the tale of the father’s marriage to a much younger Ukrainian (Russian?) gold-digger who is looking for permanent residence with tales of the past. The narrator and her sister have not spoken since their mother died, yet the gold-digger, as a common enemy, gets them back together. And they both learn lessons about the value of family.

A very entertaining and moving story.