Daughter

 

Daughter / Tamara Duda
trans. from the Ukrainian by Daisy Gibbons
Oakville, ON: Mosaic Press, 2022, c2019
350 p.

This is a stunning read; it's the story of a woman from Donbas as the Russian invasion of 2014 begins, following the Maidan protests. She's a stained glass artist with a workshop, but as the Russian occupation begins she becomes a supporter of the Ukrainian defence forces, along with the men in her workshop. These artists start organizing logistics and getting clothing, food and supplies to the Ukrainian troops in the area. This requires much care; fake names online, braving their way through checkpoints, facing violence and potential for death with every mission. 

The story is based on the true experiences of a variety of people, and there is an afterword with those people telling their story in their own words. But the story is a fictional account of this era, and it's told in bare and straightforward prose, but is immensely compelling. It starts with 'normal' life, our main character working at a successful arts business and beginning to participate in the Maidan protests at the local square. She still thinks that these are normal days, but when she sees a protest become violent, with people killed right beside her, she realizes that life is changing. 

And at this point she must make her choice; many people in the city are waiting for the Russians to arrive to calm things down (ha!) but she decides that "ours" for her are Ukrainians. Luckily, her staff agrees, and they all work together in new ways as they begin to support the Ukrainians. Things are intense for a few months, and then as conditions get worse - her apartment is shelled, there is a lack of food, water, utilities in one part of town, but not another - there comes the realization that this isn't a short term effort, that it's going to drag on. This was published originally in 2019, by which time the conflict had been ongoing for five years; this year the story takes on even more resonance. 

It's a tough read in parts; Duda doesn't hide the realities of war - rapes, bombings, the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in the summer of 2014 (particularly gruesome), torture, oppression. It can be difficult to read, but the grit and spirit of resistance is there. The ending is sad but realistic, and I think as we look back a few years from today's perspective, current events seem inevitable. 

The book is designed well, also. Each section/chapter has a black and white photo of the region on the first page, overlaid with the same kind of stained glass grid as the cover. It really does give it a documentary feel. 

I feel that this is a must read for everyone in the current situation. It's a powerful inside look at the daily reality of war and resistance. And it may give you some more context to understand the ongoing conflict. Highly recommended.