Readers with an interest in foreign countries, travel, and geography will be delighted with Ukranian Vignettes. Author Maria K. paints a vivid picture of growing up in Ukraine from the 1970's through the end of the Soviet Union through a collection of personal essays that explore all manner of life.
The book is well organized, first introducing the reader to her family members who are the main characters in the story. The essays range from joyous, to sad, to humorous as the author offers perspective on things like school, vacations, and social events.
I enjoyed most the detail in the stories that allowed me, the reader, to compare and contrast the experiences of family life and school with mine in the United States. The subjects in the book I found a bit lacking were perspective on Americans, British, and Canadians (foreign English speaking countries), and the collapse of the Soviet Union. It does not take away from the book, however it is a topic I’m sure many readers will be thinking about as they read.
The writing style of the book is done very nicely, and is easy to read from start to finish. I see this as no small accomplishment for our author who learned English as a second language.
Overall, I give the book a high recommendation for readers who want to understand growing up in the former Soviet Union.