Pat D. (pat0814) reviewed on 5/23/2017 + 379 more book reviews

This is a cautionary tale for anyone with an elderly male relative seeking a wife from another country. Two years after the death of his wife, Nikolai Mayevskyj, an 84-year old British resident and refugee from Ukraine, finds Valentina, a 36-year old Ukrainian with a young son. The relationship evolves from marriage to subsequent contentious divorce proceedings; meanwhile, Nikolai's daughters, previously estranged from each other, are reconciled through their shared hatred of the common enemy, Valentina, who is attempting to wrest control of Nikolai's meager fortune (surprise, surprise). The younger sister, Nadia, is also made aware of their family history through conversations with her sister and her father during the course of the novel, which includes Stalin's reign and the German invasion during World War II. Nikolai is writing a book entitled A Short History Of Tractors In Ukrainian (yawn), which is excerpted throughout the book. There are mildly humorous incidents and some heartbreakingly violent episodes between Valentina and Nikolai. The end of the book brings resolution and family restoration.

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