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Escape from Mariupol: A Survivor's True Story
In early 2022, life in the port city of Mariupol, Ukraine was safe and predictable for Adoriana Marik. The 31-year-old tattoo artist loved walking her dog by the seaside and meeting friends at cafes and public gardens. But all that changed on February 24, 2022, when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his “special military operation.”
Adoriana was forced to hide in a filthy network of basements and underground tunnels. For more than a month, under deafening round-the-clock bombardment, she huddled with little food or water, and no heat, surrounded by groans from the sick and the smell of death. She decided to escape. ESCAPE FROM A Survivor’s True Story is the tale of her perilous journey to freedom, an incredible tale of a brave young woman’s indomitable will to survive. As told to award-winning author Anne K. Howard, the book is a must-read for those who appreciate tales of extraordinary courage.
Adoriana was forced to hide in a filthy network of basements and underground tunnels. For more than a month, under deafening round-the-clock bombardment, she huddled with little food or water, and no heat, surrounded by groans from the sick and the smell of death. She decided to escape. ESCAPE FROM A Survivor’s True Story is the tale of her perilous journey to freedom, an incredible tale of a brave young woman’s indomitable will to survive. As told to award-winning author Anne K. Howard, the book is a must-read for those who appreciate tales of extraordinary courage.
216 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2022
30 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
About the author
Anne K. Howard
6 books33 followersAnne K. Howard is a true crime author and a voracious true crime reader. As a practicing attorney, she is able to sift through large volumes of legal information and craft it into page-turning stories. Her book, "His Garden: Conversations with a Serial Killer" won the 2020 Independent Press Award, the Pencraft Literary Award for Best Non Fiction of 2018, and the 2019 Readers' Favorite Bronze Award for Best True Crime. The book and interviews with Howard are featured in an episode of "21st Century Serial Killers," airing on the Justice Network. She is featured on the EU reality show, "Trace of Evil," airing on the CBS Reality Channel. "Crime Watch Daily" also interviewed Howard for a show about the New Britain Serial Murders that first aired in January 2018.
Anne K. Howard graduated with Distinction from McGill University, where she studied English Literature. She thereafter graduated with Deans Honors from University of Cincinnati College of Law. She lives in Connecticut with her husband of 30 years, three dogs and one cat. Her children are adults now and are happily living their own lives.
Anne K. Howard graduated with Distinction from McGill University, where she studied English Literature. She thereafter graduated with Deans Honors from University of Cincinnati College of Law. She lives in Connecticut with her husband of 30 years, three dogs and one cat. Her children are adults now and are happily living their own lives.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
November 30, 2022
What an engrossing and important story. The war in Ukraine is a humanitarian disaster, and Adoriana’s story shows just one example of millions - but from a personal, human, real perspective. One thread in a fabric. It helps us truly understand what’s happening to regular people in Ukraine due to this brutal war - right now, on our watch. The author did a wonderful job of letting Adoriana’s voice come through. Undoubtedly, this was a challenge - the trauma that Adoriana endured is apparent. It doesn’t shy away from highlighting people of all stripes - generous, evil, greedy, selfish, foolish, leaders, blind followers. But the vignettes of true acts of kindness are actually very inspiring. They matter. And ultimately, that’s my big take-away.
November 23, 2022
I'm not really sure what to say about this book... I mean I can tell you that this book is amazing written. Emotionally felt. A must read! But to be able to express more than that... well that's just something I can't really put into words. Not many books make me like this but this one has.
December 6, 2022
A Survivor’s True Story And Her Perilous Journey To Freedom From Ukraine
Adorana Marik lives in the city of Mariupol Ukraine and is 31 years old and living a happy normal life. She is a tattooist goes out for lunch with friends, walks her dog visit her parents and sister and travels.
That all changes when the Russian President Vladimir Putin declares war on Ukraine on February 24th, 2022, this year. Suddenly planes are flying above dropping bombs which shake the ground, buildings collapse people scream as they try to flee to shelter as Russians arrive and are shooting.
What do you do when your life suddenly is turned upside down. Adorana grabs her dog whom she loves and flees her home with just the clothes on her back a bit of food and water. She finds shelter in an underground tunnel with hundreds of other people. It is filthy, freezing cold, and people are injured and dying. Young and old have to go to the toilet in a corner and soon run out of basic needs as what little toilet paper has gone water and food disappear and people also start to come down with covid. Some try to leave, and you hear them scream as a bomb land and kills them or they are shot. Everyone is petrified as the noise from above and the screams penetrate through the walls and doors.
Adorana takes a chance and in a weakened condition, suffering from highs and lows she manages to get home and grab the last of her drinking water and survives to get through the bombing and makes it back to the shelter. The building opposite them suffers a direct hit and you can hear people scream from being trapped but you no you can do nothing as your own survival skills kick in. Looking around the frighting looks and emotional numbness on people’s faces as they wonder and process what is happening in their life’s at that very moment, the screams of frightened children, the wounded sick and dying people all just frozen where they lay makes Adorana realise after over a month her only way that she is going to survive is that she has to take a chance and escape.
With the clothes she has worn since the war started over a month ago no food and hardly any money, Adorana and her dog start her perilous journey and this book tells Adorana incredible story of survival the realisation how using her instincts, her strength to survive, strangers' hospitality as she is taken in showered, feed, and clothed. Adorana finds kindness comes in all forms along her journey when she needs it the most and this will help her restore her faith inhuman kind and lead to her eventual freedom.
An extremely heart rendering story of A Survivor’s True Story and her perilous journey to freedom from Ukraine. A must-read for those who appreciate tales of extraordinary courage. Thanks to Wildblue Press I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Adorana Marik lives in the city of Mariupol Ukraine and is 31 years old and living a happy normal life. She is a tattooist goes out for lunch with friends, walks her dog visit her parents and sister and travels.
That all changes when the Russian President Vladimir Putin declares war on Ukraine on February 24th, 2022, this year. Suddenly planes are flying above dropping bombs which shake the ground, buildings collapse people scream as they try to flee to shelter as Russians arrive and are shooting.
What do you do when your life suddenly is turned upside down. Adorana grabs her dog whom she loves and flees her home with just the clothes on her back a bit of food and water. She finds shelter in an underground tunnel with hundreds of other people. It is filthy, freezing cold, and people are injured and dying. Young and old have to go to the toilet in a corner and soon run out of basic needs as what little toilet paper has gone water and food disappear and people also start to come down with covid. Some try to leave, and you hear them scream as a bomb land and kills them or they are shot. Everyone is petrified as the noise from above and the screams penetrate through the walls and doors.
Adorana takes a chance and in a weakened condition, suffering from highs and lows she manages to get home and grab the last of her drinking water and survives to get through the bombing and makes it back to the shelter. The building opposite them suffers a direct hit and you can hear people scream from being trapped but you no you can do nothing as your own survival skills kick in. Looking around the frighting looks and emotional numbness on people’s faces as they wonder and process what is happening in their life’s at that very moment, the screams of frightened children, the wounded sick and dying people all just frozen where they lay makes Adorana realise after over a month her only way that she is going to survive is that she has to take a chance and escape.
With the clothes she has worn since the war started over a month ago no food and hardly any money, Adorana and her dog start her perilous journey and this book tells Adorana incredible story of survival the realisation how using her instincts, her strength to survive, strangers' hospitality as she is taken in showered, feed, and clothed. Adorana finds kindness comes in all forms along her journey when she needs it the most and this will help her restore her faith inhuman kind and lead to her eventual freedom.
An extremely heart rendering story of A Survivor’s True Story and her perilous journey to freedom from Ukraine. A must-read for those who appreciate tales of extraordinary courage. Thanks to Wildblue Press I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
November 12, 2023
This is a must read for everyone in society today who wants to put a face on the tragedy of Russia's war against Ukraine.
December 15, 2023
(The English review is placed beneath the Russian one)
А по ночам стоны, по ночам голоса:
Не думай о боли – попробуй уснуть.
А что небеса? – молчат небеса,
Они сами придумали эту войну,
Сами придумали эту войну.
В рецензии на книгу War Diary by Yevgenia Beloruset я написал, что опыт войны жителя Киева радикально отличается от того что пришлось пережить жителю Мариуполя. Думаю, даже не читая книгу «Escape from Mariupol» можно прийти к такому вполне логичному выводу. Следовательно, обе книги вносят огромным вклад в картину того, как выглядит война в глазах тех, кто непосредственно прошёл через неё. Это крайне важно не только для будущих поколений украинцев, русских и белорусов, но и для всех граждан свободного мира, которые забыли ужасы войны, о которых сегодня говорят лишь ученые, изучающие Вторую Мировую войну. Сегодня война для жителя большого города стала еле заметной угрозой, историческим событием непосредственно их не касающимся. Так вот, книга «Escape from Mariupol» подобно холодному душу, очень хорошо показывает, к чему мир может прийти, когда политики окончательно отрываются от реальности. Несмотря на то, что автор этой книги ничего не говорит об ответственность европейских и украинских политиков, я всё же считаю нужным сказать, что ответственность, пусть и меньшая, лежит и на них. Как правильно сказал Арестович (или как я его понял), если Украина рисовала Россию как исторического врага, то в какой-то момент этот враг, существовавший до этого только на словах, мог превратиться во врага реального. Следовательно, нужно было либо перестать портить отношения с Россией, либо готовится к войне и делать это задолго до 2014 года. Украина не сделала это ни после 2004 года, ни даже после 2014, когда стало очевидно, что полномасштабная война может разразиться в любую минуту. Как часто это бывает у славян, был выбран третий путь. Более того, читая эту книгу, мы видим, что украинское правительство было застигнуто врасплох из-за чего тысячи и сотни тысяч людей, подобно главной героини книги, были вынуждены самостоятельно покидать территории военных действий. Не отменяя большую ответственность России и российского правительства, включая президента Путина, нужно отметить, что, несмотря на события 2014 года, у украинского правительства не было никакого плана на случай немедленной эвакуации жителей восточной Украины. Поэтому, не смотря на то, что автор не критикует украинское правительство, для меня это очевидно, что никто из правящих кругов в Украине не озаботился спасением простых жителей ни Мариуполя, ни восточной Украины в целом.
Что касается книги и её главной ценности для читателя - это история человека, который прошёл через ужас войны и вышел, если уместно так сказать, победителем, т.е. не сломленным. Благодаря книге каждый может увидеть примерную ситуацию, в которой он может оказаться в любой момент. Думаю, сегодня никто не может сказать, что он на 100% уверен, что с его городом такая трагедия никогда не произойдёт. Увы, но как показала история 2014 года, а потом и 2022, политики живут в каком-то ином измерении, нежели простые люди.
Сама история действительно интересная. В книге мы видим реальность войны, а точнее, жизнь горожан в момент штурма города. Это важно отметить, ибо именно так и происходит настоящий штурм. Все те слова, что никто не пострадал, являются лукавством. Для любого мыслящего человека, очевидно, что «никто не пострадать» просто не может и книга это хорошо показывает. Я не могу гарантировать достоверность, однако с моей точки зрения именно так и выглядит ситуация когда армия штурмует город в котором не было проведено никакой эвакуации жителей. Разумеется, в будущем российская армия будет оправдываться тем, что это была задача украинского правительства вывезти всех жителей. Однако факт остаётся фактом – город бомбили в то время, когда жители города всё ещё жили в нём. Возникает вопрос: почему не дали покинуть город всем жителям? Несмотря на очевидные жертвы среди мирного населения было принято решение взять город любой ценой. Как это можно оправдать? Никак.
История не заканчивается после того как автор покинула Мариуполь. Как любой читатель может увидеть в этой книге, сбежать с территории объятой войной, это полбеды, ибо дальше начинаются бытовые трудности и более мелкие (по сравнению с боями в городе) трудности. Тут тебе и хаос общей ситуации, и жестокость, расцветшая благодаря невероятно тяжёлому положению беженцев включая многочисленные попытки нажиться на бедах этих людей и многие другие некрасивые ситуации, которые демонстрируют самое худшее, что есть в человеке. Я не могу сказать, что вторая половина книги - более бытовая/о бытовых проблемах - чем-то хуже первой. Несмотря на то, что теперь не падают бомбы главной героине на голову, жизнь беженца не становится сильно слаще. Истории, которые окружают главную героиню, пусть и не такие ужасающие (завышенные цены на товары, злость простых людей и пр.), но всё же показывают необходимость иметь полноценный план, предусматривающий не только эвакуацию жителей из города, но и их последующее размещение в каких-нибудь временных постройках с наличием всего необходимого (пусть временного, но для нормально существования). С моей точки зрения, и эта задача была выполнена очень «по-славянски», а не «по-европейски».
Отдельно отмечу присутствие в книге собаки Yola, которая сопровождает главную героиню на всём протяжении её бегства из страны. Это добавляет книге какого-то волшебства особенно заметного на фоне непрекращающегося кошмара.
In my review of the book "War Diary" by Yevgenia Beloruset, I wrote that the war experience of a resident of Kyiv is radically different from what a resident of Mariupol had to endure. I think that even without reading the book "Escape from Mariupol" one can come to this quite logical conclusion. Consequently, both books make a huge contribution to the picture of what the war looks like in the eyes of those who went through it. This is important not only for future generations of Ukrainians, Russians, and Belarusians but for all citizens of the free world who have forgotten the horrors of the war, which today only scholars who study World War II talk about. Today, war for the inhabitants of a big city has become a barely noticeable threat, a historical event that does not directly affect them. The book "Escape from Mariupol" is like a cold shower, showing very well what the world can come to when politicians ultimately disconnect from reality. Despite the fact that the author of this book says nothing about the responsibility of European and Ukrainian politicians, I still think it necessary to say that the responsibility, albeit lesser, lies with them as well. As Arestovich correctly said (or as I understood it), if Ukraine painted Russia as a historical enemy, then at some point, this enemy, which existed before only in words, could turn into a real enemy. Consequently, it was necessary either to stop ruining relations with Russia or to prepare for war and to do it long before 2014. Ukraine did not do this either after 2004 nor even after 2014 when it became obvious that a full-scale war could break out at any minute. As is often the case with Slavs, a third way was chosen. Moreover, reading this book, we see that the Ukrainian government was taken by surprise, and thousands and hundreds of thousands of people, like the author of the book, were forced to leave the war territories on their own. While not dismissing the greater responsibility of Russia and the Russian government, including President Putin, it should be noted that despite the events of 2014, the Ukrainian government did not have any contingency plan for the immediate evacuation of the residents of eastern Ukraine. Therefore, despite the fact that the author does not criticize the Ukrainian government, it is obvious to me that no one from the ruling circles in Ukraine was concerned about the rescue of ordinary residents of either Mariupol or eastern Ukraine as a whole.
As for the book and its main value for the reader - it is the story of a person who went through the horror of war and came out (if it is appropriate to say so) victorious, i.e., not broken. Thanks to the book, everyone can see an example of the situation in which he may find himself at any moment. I think that today, no one can say that he is 100% sure that such a tragedy will never happen to his city. Alas, but as the history of 2014 and then 2022 showed, politicians live in some other dimension than ordinary people.
The story itself is really interesting. In the book, we see the reality of the war, more specifically, the life of the townspeople at the time of the storming of the city. This is important to note because this is how a real assault takes place. All those words that no one was hurt are a guile. To any thinking person, it is obvious that "no one gets hurt" simply cannot happen, and the book shows this well. I cannot guarantee the authenticity, but from my point of view, this is what it looks like when an army storms a city where no evacuation of the inhabitants has been carried out. Of course, in the future, the Russian army will justify that it was the task of the Ukrainian government to remove all the inhabitants. However, the fact remains that the city was bombed while the residents were still living there. The question arises: why were all the residents not allowed to leave the city? Despite the obvious civilian casualties, the decision was made to take the city at any cost. How can this be justified? There's no excuse.
The story does not end after the author has left Mariupol. As any reader can see in this book, escaping from the war-torn territory is half the battle because further domestic difficulties and more minor (compared to the fighting in the city) difficulties begin. There you have the chaos of the overall situation, the cruelty that has blossomed due to the incredibly difficult situation of refugees, including numerous attempts to profit from the misfortunes of these people, and many other ugly situations that demonstrate the worst that is in man. I can't say that the second half of the book - more domestic/about everyday problems - is any worse than the first one. Even though there are no bombs falling on the author's head now, the life of a refugee doesn't get much sweeter. The stories that surround the main character, although not as horrifying (commodity overcharging, the anger of ordinary people, etc.), still show the need to have a full-fledged plan, providing not only the evacuation of the inhabitants from the city but also their subsequent accommodation in some temporary buildings with the availability of everything necessary (albeit temporary, but for normal existence). From my point of view, this task was done in a very "Slavic" rather than "European" way.
I would like to emphasize the presence of the dog Yola, who accompanies the author throughout her escape from the country. This adds some magic to the book, especially noticeable against the backdrop of an ongoing nightmare.
А по ночам стоны, по ночам голоса:
Не думай о боли – попробуй уснуть.
А что небеса? – молчат небеса,
Они сами придумали эту войну,
Сами придумали эту войну.
В рецензии на книгу War Diary by Yevgenia Beloruset я написал, что опыт войны жителя Киева радикально отличается от того что пришлось пережить жителю Мариуполя. Думаю, даже не читая книгу «Escape from Mariupol» можно прийти к такому вполне логичному выводу. Следовательно, обе книги вносят огромным вклад в картину того, как выглядит война в глазах тех, кто непосредственно прошёл через неё. Это крайне важно не только для будущих поколений украинцев, русских и белорусов, но и для всех граждан свободного мира, которые забыли ужасы войны, о которых сегодня говорят лишь ученые, изучающие Вторую Мировую войну. Сегодня война для жителя большого города стала еле заметной угрозой, историческим событием непосредственно их не касающимся. Так вот, книга «Escape from Mariupol» подобно холодному душу, очень хорошо показывает, к чему мир может прийти, когда политики окончательно отрываются от реальности. Несмотря на то, что автор этой книги ничего не говорит об ответственность европейских и украинских политиков, я всё же считаю нужным сказать, что ответственность, пусть и меньшая, лежит и на них. Как правильно сказал Арестович (или как я его понял), если Украина рисовала Россию как исторического врага, то в какой-то момент этот враг, существовавший до этого только на словах, мог превратиться во врага реального. Следовательно, нужно было либо перестать портить отношения с Россией, либо готовится к войне и делать это задолго до 2014 года. Украина не сделала это ни после 2004 года, ни даже после 2014, когда стало очевидно, что полномасштабная война может разразиться в любую минуту. Как часто это бывает у славян, был выбран третий путь. Более того, читая эту книгу, мы видим, что украинское правительство было застигнуто врасплох из-за чего тысячи и сотни тысяч людей, подобно главной героини книги, были вынуждены самостоятельно покидать территории военных действий. Не отменяя большую ответственность России и российского правительства, включая президента Путина, нужно отметить, что, несмотря на события 2014 года, у украинского правительства не было никакого плана на случай немедленной эвакуации жителей восточной Украины. Поэтому, не смотря на то, что автор не критикует украинское правительство, для меня это очевидно, что никто из правящих кругов в Украине не озаботился спасением простых жителей ни Мариуполя, ни восточной Украины в целом.
Что касается книги и её главной ценности для читателя - это история человека, который прошёл через ужас войны и вышел, если уместно так сказать, победителем, т.е. не сломленным. Благодаря книге каждый может увидеть примерную ситуацию, в которой он может оказаться в любой момент. Думаю, сегодня никто не может сказать, что он на 100% уверен, что с его городом такая трагедия никогда не произойдёт. Увы, но как показала история 2014 года, а потом и 2022, политики живут в каком-то ином измерении, нежели простые люди.
Сама история действительно интересная. В книге мы видим реальность войны, а точнее, жизнь горожан в момент штурма города. Это важно отметить, ибо именно так и происходит настоящий штурм. Все те слова, что никто не пострадал, являются лукавством. Для любого мыслящего человека, очевидно, что «никто не пострадать» просто не может и книга это хорошо показывает. Я не могу гарантировать достоверность, однако с моей точки зрения именно так и выглядит ситуация когда армия штурмует город в котором не было проведено никакой эвакуации жителей. Разумеется, в будущем российская армия будет оправдываться тем, что это была задача украинского правительства вывезти всех жителей. Однако факт остаётся фактом – город бомбили в то время, когда жители города всё ещё жили в нём. Возникает вопрос: почему не дали покинуть город всем жителям? Несмотря на очевидные жертвы среди мирного населения было принято решение взять город любой ценой. Как это можно оправдать? Никак.
История не заканчивается после того как автор покинула Мариуполь. Как любой читатель может увидеть в этой книге, сбежать с территории объятой войной, это полбеды, ибо дальше начинаются бытовые трудности и более мелкие (по сравнению с боями в городе) трудности. Тут тебе и хаос общей ситуации, и жестокость, расцветшая благодаря невероятно тяжёлому положению беженцев включая многочисленные попытки нажиться на бедах этих людей и многие другие некрасивые ситуации, которые демонстрируют самое худшее, что есть в человеке. Я не могу сказать, что вторая половина книги - более бытовая/о бытовых проблемах - чем-то хуже первой. Несмотря на то, что теперь не падают бомбы главной героине на голову, жизнь беженца не становится сильно слаще. Истории, которые окружают главную героиню, пусть и не такие ужасающие (завышенные цены на товары, злость простых людей и пр.), но всё же показывают необходимость иметь полноценный план, предусматривающий не только эвакуацию жителей из города, но и их последующее размещение в каких-нибудь временных постройках с наличием всего необходимого (пусть временного, но для нормально существования). С моей точки зрения, и эта задача была выполнена очень «по-славянски», а не «по-европейски».
Отдельно отмечу присутствие в книге собаки Yola, которая сопровождает главную героиню на всём протяжении её бегства из страны. Это добавляет книге какого-то волшебства особенно заметного на фоне непрекращающегося кошмара.
In my review of the book "War Diary" by Yevgenia Beloruset, I wrote that the war experience of a resident of Kyiv is radically different from what a resident of Mariupol had to endure. I think that even without reading the book "Escape from Mariupol" one can come to this quite logical conclusion. Consequently, both books make a huge contribution to the picture of what the war looks like in the eyes of those who went through it. This is important not only for future generations of Ukrainians, Russians, and Belarusians but for all citizens of the free world who have forgotten the horrors of the war, which today only scholars who study World War II talk about. Today, war for the inhabitants of a big city has become a barely noticeable threat, a historical event that does not directly affect them. The book "Escape from Mariupol" is like a cold shower, showing very well what the world can come to when politicians ultimately disconnect from reality. Despite the fact that the author of this book says nothing about the responsibility of European and Ukrainian politicians, I still think it necessary to say that the responsibility, albeit lesser, lies with them as well. As Arestovich correctly said (or as I understood it), if Ukraine painted Russia as a historical enemy, then at some point, this enemy, which existed before only in words, could turn into a real enemy. Consequently, it was necessary either to stop ruining relations with Russia or to prepare for war and to do it long before 2014. Ukraine did not do this either after 2004 nor even after 2014 when it became obvious that a full-scale war could break out at any minute. As is often the case with Slavs, a third way was chosen. Moreover, reading this book, we see that the Ukrainian government was taken by surprise, and thousands and hundreds of thousands of people, like the author of the book, were forced to leave the war territories on their own. While not dismissing the greater responsibility of Russia and the Russian government, including President Putin, it should be noted that despite the events of 2014, the Ukrainian government did not have any contingency plan for the immediate evacuation of the residents of eastern Ukraine. Therefore, despite the fact that the author does not criticize the Ukrainian government, it is obvious to me that no one from the ruling circles in Ukraine was concerned about the rescue of ordinary residents of either Mariupol or eastern Ukraine as a whole.
As for the book and its main value for the reader - it is the story of a person who went through the horror of war and came out (if it is appropriate to say so) victorious, i.e., not broken. Thanks to the book, everyone can see an example of the situation in which he may find himself at any moment. I think that today, no one can say that he is 100% sure that such a tragedy will never happen to his city. Alas, but as the history of 2014 and then 2022 showed, politicians live in some other dimension than ordinary people.
The story itself is really interesting. In the book, we see the reality of the war, more specifically, the life of the townspeople at the time of the storming of the city. This is important to note because this is how a real assault takes place. All those words that no one was hurt are a guile. To any thinking person, it is obvious that "no one gets hurt" simply cannot happen, and the book shows this well. I cannot guarantee the authenticity, but from my point of view, this is what it looks like when an army storms a city where no evacuation of the inhabitants has been carried out. Of course, in the future, the Russian army will justify that it was the task of the Ukrainian government to remove all the inhabitants. However, the fact remains that the city was bombed while the residents were still living there. The question arises: why were all the residents not allowed to leave the city? Despite the obvious civilian casualties, the decision was made to take the city at any cost. How can this be justified? There's no excuse.
The story does not end after the author has left Mariupol. As any reader can see in this book, escaping from the war-torn territory is half the battle because further domestic difficulties and more minor (compared to the fighting in the city) difficulties begin. There you have the chaos of the overall situation, the cruelty that has blossomed due to the incredibly difficult situation of refugees, including numerous attempts to profit from the misfortunes of these people, and many other ugly situations that demonstrate the worst that is in man. I can't say that the second half of the book - more domestic/about everyday problems - is any worse than the first one. Even though there are no bombs falling on the author's head now, the life of a refugee doesn't get much sweeter. The stories that surround the main character, although not as horrifying (commodity overcharging, the anger of ordinary people, etc.), still show the need to have a full-fledged plan, providing not only the evacuation of the inhabitants from the city but also their subsequent accommodation in some temporary buildings with the availability of everything necessary (albeit temporary, but for normal existence). From my point of view, this task was done in a very "Slavic" rather than "European" way.
I would like to emphasize the presence of the dog Yola, who accompanies the author throughout her escape from the country. This adds some magic to the book, especially noticeable against the backdrop of an ongoing nightmare.
October 19, 2023
The human and geopolitical impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine is enormous and distressing. The story of this Ukrainian escaping the conflict demonstrates the human effects on real people. 4 stars as a read on a 5 star topic.
November 26, 2022
An excellent story written with heart. Experience one Ukrainian woman’s journey from her normal life through the ravages of war as her city is bombed. She and her dog manage to survive and get out to the Czech Republic with other refugees. Eventually, she is sponsored to come to Connecticut with her dog Yola.
March 22, 2023
It's Hard To Comprehend How Bad Mariupol Was.
As an Australian living in peace on our 'remote' island here in Perth WA, I find it hard to comprehend how bad it was for Adoriana. How fortunate she was to escape. A truly wonderful story!
The story only adds to my distaste of Putin.
Go for glory, Ukraine.
As an Australian living in peace on our 'remote' island here in Perth WA, I find it hard to comprehend how bad it was for Adoriana. How fortunate she was to escape. A truly wonderful story!
The story only adds to my distaste of Putin.
Go for glory, Ukraine.
December 6, 2022
This is a must-read book.
Based on Adoriana Marik's harrowing experience leaving her home country of Ukraine, author/lawyer, Anne Howard translates her story from email correspondence via her refugee hostel in Czech Republic, where she is safe.
Howard paints an elaborate picture of what was going on then and what life was like before the war, weaving the countries politics and Adoriana’s childhood into the story, helps us understand how she became independent and a survivor. Watching her mother paint growing up taught Adoriana how to draw from a young age., which later transformed into a tattoo business keeping her very busy. Her beloved Husky, Yola, was always kept nearby and proved to be very important to her survival.
When the Russians started bombing Mariupol, she quickly learned how desperate life had become. Fearing for her life she was forced to live underground in a shelter with over 200 other displaced people, becoming malnourished and dehydrated. She kept herself busy helping others who were injured, having recently taken a first aid course. Things deteriorated quickly, and with the continued bombing, she knew she had to find a way to escape.
This is the story of power and destruction with all the terror you can think of. This is her story of how she managed to survive finding out who her true friends are. In the end she met some wonderful people that enabled her path to freedom.
Howard keeps you captivated with colourful detail and emotion. The mental and physical strength needed to keep going and focus on the one thing, staying alive, she thanks Yola for that.
Based on Adoriana Marik's harrowing experience leaving her home country of Ukraine, author/lawyer, Anne Howard translates her story from email correspondence via her refugee hostel in Czech Republic, where she is safe.
Howard paints an elaborate picture of what was going on then and what life was like before the war, weaving the countries politics and Adoriana’s childhood into the story, helps us understand how she became independent and a survivor. Watching her mother paint growing up taught Adoriana how to draw from a young age., which later transformed into a tattoo business keeping her very busy. Her beloved Husky, Yola, was always kept nearby and proved to be very important to her survival.
When the Russians started bombing Mariupol, she quickly learned how desperate life had become. Fearing for her life she was forced to live underground in a shelter with over 200 other displaced people, becoming malnourished and dehydrated. She kept herself busy helping others who were injured, having recently taken a first aid course. Things deteriorated quickly, and with the continued bombing, she knew she had to find a way to escape.
This is the story of power and destruction with all the terror you can think of. This is her story of how she managed to survive finding out who her true friends are. In the end she met some wonderful people that enabled her path to freedom.
Howard keeps you captivated with colourful detail and emotion. The mental and physical strength needed to keep going and focus on the one thing, staying alive, she thanks Yola for that.
December 1, 2023
A friend recommended A Survivor's True Story to me and it seems that there was no credit deducted when i listened via Audible. (Thank you Audible.)
Its understandable and justifiable, but sometimes Adoriana is so angry. Sometimes Adoriana wants to argue some sort of logic, but there is no logic with madmen. (In my opinion) Putin just wants the land back (rubble or not) and doesn't care about the Ukrainian people; at this point he doesn't want to look weak and won't stop.
I thought it was troubling/disgusting that it seemed like there wasn't a process to remove corpses for burial. Her "friends" were pretty horrible, I'm glad she parted ways with them.
It is pretty amazing that Adoriana found her way to the US.
Thanking my friend for the recommendation. I'm glad that i was able to read A Survivor's True Story via Audible. Definitely worth a read to hear her witness of war first hand. I hope that writing this book has been therapeutic for her.
Its understandable and justifiable, but sometimes Adoriana is so angry. Sometimes Adoriana wants to argue some sort of logic, but there is no logic with madmen. (In my opinion) Putin just wants the land back (rubble or not) and doesn't care about the Ukrainian people; at this point he doesn't want to look weak and won't stop.
I thought it was troubling/disgusting that it seemed like there wasn't a process to remove corpses for burial. Her "friends" were pretty horrible, I'm glad she parted ways with them.
It is pretty amazing that Adoriana found her way to the US.
Thanking my friend for the recommendation. I'm glad that i was able to read A Survivor's True Story via Audible. Definitely worth a read to hear her witness of war first hand. I hope that writing this book has been therapeutic for her.
June 28, 2023
Escape from Mariupol: A Survivor's True Story will take you inside Russia's war in Ukraine, to the stinking, wretched shelters in basements, where everyone's humanity is tested by brutal circumstances. With 31-year-old Adoriana, you'll experience the random, casual brutality of callous Russian soldiers who have no respect for life as you run for your life. The book is honest and clear in its depiction of Russia's scorched-earth attack on its democratic neighbor as well as the decency of others that very often keeps us alive. A must read at a time democracy is under threat.
December 14, 2023
This story chronicles a woman's escape from the Ukraine after the country was invaded and basically destroyed by Russia. She tells the story written by Anne Howard. The conditions the Ukranian people had to live with if they survived all the bombs being dropped were described in all the horrendous details. Her survival is nothing short of a miracle. The good people who come into her life and offer help will renew your faith in humanity. Yes, the horrendous people who carried out atrocious acts against fellow humans were disturbing, but it is worth the read to hopefully help give a clearer picture of what the refugees faced, what they left behind, and why for many there was no hope for the future.
June 25, 2024
Excellent insight on the impact to the civilians in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A true story written in 2022 about a girl who was in Mariupol Ukraine when the Russian takeover happened. It's crazy to read a story that sounds like it happened in WWII, and know that it's happening now. You see it up close and personal through her eyes. I especially liked the contrasting people she met, those who were selfless angels in helping her, those that were mean, selfish, or did not value life, those that were fearful and would rather turncoat and loose their freedom in hoping for safety, and those that were brave and fought for their freedom selflessly. It makes me think about myself and how I would react at being a refugee overnight, and also how I would treat refugees.
February 20, 2023
This first hand account of the devastation wrought by the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and the near total destruction of Mariupol is horrific and heart wrenching. While the narrator survived and made it to safety, many others did not. In addition, she has clearly suffered PTSD. Kudos to Adoriana for documenting this horror and for her sponsor in the US, Anne Howard, for compiling her story into a fast paced book, complete with references. I could not put this book down. Read it and weep, and support Ukrainians in any way you can.
February 27, 2023
Heartbreaking and wonderful
This autobiography is heartbreaking and wonderful at the same time. Adoriana's story is very touching. It's terrifying what's happening to our homeland, and seeing this awful disaster through the eyes of someone who lived it is valuable. It's also heartwarming to see that in every situation there are people who want to help others. Kindness exists, and it was important for me to see that it's as common as evil.
This autobiography is heartbreaking and wonderful at the same time. Adoriana's story is very touching. It's terrifying what's happening to our homeland, and seeing this awful disaster through the eyes of someone who lived it is valuable. It's also heartwarming to see that in every situation there are people who want to help others. Kindness exists, and it was important for me to see that it's as common as evil.
February 25, 2024
This is an engrossing memoir of the author's flight from her Ukrainian homeland to the Czech Republic and eventually to the United States. There are no holds barred. The hated she expresses for the Russian occupiers and Vladimir Putin for the destruction of her country and the loss of her homeland is palpable. If you want to know how modern warfare affects the people in its way and their mindset, this is a good book to start with.
February 12, 2023
A fascinating story of how an average person copes when her city is besieged and bombarded. I read it in one sitting because I got so engrossed.
The first half of the book is pretty gut wrenching as she deals with life in Mariupol.
The second half gets less climactic but there is still the suspense (much like the author herself must have felt) of not having any idea how it will turn out.
The first half of the book is pretty gut wrenching as she deals with life in Mariupol.
The second half gets less climactic but there is still the suspense (much like the author herself must have felt) of not having any idea how it will turn out.
April 16, 2023
"Escape from Mariupol" alludes to only one of the several dramatic episodes in this civilian war memoir. After being nearly present and a victim of the Mariupol theatre airstrike, the author persisted in occupied Ukraine while struggling to find a way to freedom ... with a dog.
March 16, 2025
An incredible story about a woman who survived the inhumane and disastrous war between Ukraine and Russia. Difficult to read at times due to the brutal violence toward civilians, poverty, and the destruction of the beautiful country of Ukraine, the author provides readers with the truth and an actual account of what's going on.
A must read.
A must read.
June 7, 2023
This book is fabulous and perfect for a book club. We need to remember to understand this war from a humanitarian point of view. This survivor's real report is bone chilling and tragic. This is a unique story that is far more poignant than hearing a news report.
February 16, 2023
Excellent, informative and readable.
March 1, 2023
Beautifully written and well worth reading. I highly recommend it.
March 20, 2023
A gripping account of a woman caught in the crosshairs of Russia's war on Ukraine. Mariupol was one of the first cities hit and was the epicenter of destruction. A must-read.
October 1, 2023
Very informative with what is going on in Ukraine.
October 31, 2023
What a powerful, engrossing story. I cannot imagine having my beloved country invaded by a madman and everything I know being blown asunder.
July 17, 2025
Spellbinding!
I hated for this book to end! I wanted the story to continue to learn what became of Adoriana and her dog Yola!
I hated for this book to end! I wanted the story to continue to learn what became of Adoriana and her dog Yola!
September 2, 2025
The book could have been written without author's own comments, which are just hypocritical talking points of American empire
November 16, 2024
Audiobook
December 10, 2022
Ukraine
The story of a Ukrainian refugee that lived in Mariupol. It will bring you to tears. Adoriana's escape from Ukraine is an emotional roller coaster ride. Adriana documents her escape and what she and other refugees had to endure. Thankfully she is safe in America now.
The story of a Ukrainian refugee that lived in Mariupol. It will bring you to tears. Adoriana's escape from Ukraine is an emotional roller coaster ride. Adriana documents her escape and what she and other refugees had to endure. Thankfully she is safe in America now.
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