Ask the Author: Rob Ottesen

“I’ll be answering questions about my new book this week, so ask away!” Rob Ottesen

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Rob Ottesen Oleh, you have asked the right question. I have been waiting for someone to ask me this, because the narrative arc of this novel is not intended to be a simple one. Ultimately the story follows Natasha's experience, which is a "person vs. self" challenge. At the beginning of the story, she is intent upon finding a man who can provide a better life for her. This quest ultimately ends in tragic failure - not only with Hasan, who is cruel, but also with Carl, who dies unexpectedly. What Natasha finally discovers is that she has her own intelligence and the ability to care for herself. Because of this - and because of her loyalty to Carl, who she perceives as the man who saved her from a life of poverty - she never remarries. These events take place during the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution, which has its own, simultaneous narrative arc. As Natasha is discovering her true self, so is the country of her birth. It is a messy process, but Ukraine must deal not only with the threat from Russia. It must deal with such internal issues as corruption and a lack of respect for patent, trademark, and copyright laws, which drive out foreign investment and opportunity. My goal in this book was to show how the challenges of a country are reflected in the lives of its people. In a sense, Natasha and Alexander are case studies of this theme.

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