The Russian Daughter: A Novel

by Sarah Klassen

With the Czarist empire in turmoil, a young Mennonite couple in what is now Ukraine adopts a Russian baby. Over the next years their lives twist, alter, and face very unexpected challenges. Amalia and Isaak Albrecht’s new family is not at all what they had dreamed of; nevertheless, it is a treasure essential for them to nourish and protect in the violent and unstable era of the Russian Revolution.

In plain, direct language, Sarah Klassen offers a story of hardship, uncertain loyalty, and strange moments of gratitude. At the novel’s centre is the surprising and defiant Sofia, the adopted Russian daughter, so unlike everyone around her, yet still needing love. This quiet, delicately written novel explores themes of belonging, responsibility, and the places we call home.

Genres: Historical Fiction

268 pages, Paperback

Published February 27, 2023

Reviews

[Clif Hostetler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel follows the life of a Mennonite family living in Ukraine during the early 20th century spanning the final years of the Czar into the early years of Bolshevik/Communist rule. Anybody familiar with history knows this story may not have a happy ending, and the author eliminates any doubt by providing a prologue in which we learn that the adopted Russian daughter, now an adult, is on a train ride to the village where she grew up, and she expects to find none of her family members still living there because she knows they recently emigrated from Russia.

The suspense for the reader in the story that follows involves wondering how long the peaceful village life being described will transition into this foretold end. Then at the end of the book there’s an epilogue that describes what she finds after arriving at her destination.

The book’s narrative centers on a Mennonite family that adopts a Russian infant girl. The girl grows up with a physical disability of a crooked back, and her duel identity as both Russian by origin and Mennonite by nurture leads to mixed feelings about whether she belongs in the close knit community. Family and community life is filled with complex combinations of relationships, and readers who make it through the book will become concerned about their welfare.

At first the relative insignificance of the small village spares them of some of the early violence from the revolution, but they don’t know which direction things will go in the future. The threat of violence isn’t the only danger because typhus and drought must also be contended with. The Mennonite community has lived in Ukraine for over a hundred years, but they tend to be a target of revolutionary talk because they speak German and tend to be wealthier than the neighboring Russian peasants, many of whom are landless and work for the Mennonites as maids and hired hands.

This story is a work of fiction that describes specific historic place and time affected by revolution. The part about a Mennonite family adopting a Russian daughter is based upon an account told by the author's mother who was an émigré from Ukraine much like the characters in this story. The author's knowledge of the Ukrainian culture and setting is informed by her having taught English in Kharkiv.

[Rachel Zehr · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hard read, its sparse desolation spinning its way through trauma from the first lonely image of a woman traveling by train to the final lonely image of (the same) woman traveling by train. The narrative style leaks sadness, and the understated retelling of horrific events magnifies their effect.

[Marlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story addresses the diverse experiences of individuals and their families within cultural groups. Before WWI, a childless Russian Mennonite couple adopts an orphan from a peasant family. This child's struggles with her identity are further complicated by the conflict in Russia before and during the Revolution. It is a fascinating story that Klassen tells in an engaging way. I would have liked to have seen more depth of the interior world of the characters to understand why they were motivated to make the choices they did. Overall, an interesting read.

[Darlene Karalash · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quiet, introspective story that incorporates many historical threads from the Winnipeg author's Mennonite ancestors who lived in Russian territory during the end of Czar Nicholas II's reign. If you're looking for action and drama, this is not the book for you! Instead, the overall theme of this novel is "Life is Messy", as the main characters struggle with unrequited dreams, brokenness, sorrow and loss as they try to come to terms with the chaos that ensues with the Russian Revolution. And, all does not end well neither! Not for the faint-hearted.

I have a personal connection with the author and am looking forward to hearing her speak at the next Winnipeg Free Press Book Club meeting.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is basically the story of my ancestors - not the details so much as the setting (in what is now Ukraine, and was then part of Russia) and the historical reality. So it was intriguing to me, and I gained a lot of insight about what life was probably like for my grandparents (both sets) as they were making the decision to emigrate to Canada.

I appreciated that the author included the perspective of the indigenous Russians in this story - not only the Mennonites who were forced to flee, yes, but were also in a relatively privileged position until then, at the expense of the local Russian people.

Beautiful writing and well drawn characters.

[Samuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another story of the Mennonite experience prior to and during the Russian Civil War, and into the 1920s when many Mennonites in Russia made the decision to leave for Canada. It follows one family--Isaak and Amalia Albrecht, and their adopted Russian daughter, Sofia.

The story is told well in small chunks that somehow never get below the surface. The whole family seemed closed in, failing to communicate with one another.

Sarah Klassen is a very skilled writer; I hoped for something more. I wonder if the editorial process removed some of the soul.

[Dorothy Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel explores the themes of belonging, responsibility, and the places we call home. I was happy to read the epilogue at the end of the book.

[Natasha]

Thanks Lori Klassen for this book I really enjoyed reading it.