Your Presence Is Mandatory

by Sasha Vasilyuk

A riveting debut novel, based on real events, about a Ukrainian World War II veteran with a secret that could land him in the Gulag, and his family who are forced to live in the shadow of all he has not told them.

Ukraine, 2007. Yefim Shulman, husband, grandfather and war veteran, was beloved by his family and his coworkers. But in the days after his death, his widow Nina finds a letter to the KGB in his briefcase. Yefim had a lifelong secret, and his confession forces them to reassess the man they thought they knew and the country he had defended.

In 1941, Yefim is a young artillerist on the border between Soviet Union and Germany, eager to defend his country and his large Jewish family against Hitler's forces. But surviving the war requires sacrifices Yefim never imagined-and even when the war ends, his fight isn't over. He must conceal his choices from the KGB and from his family. Spanning seven decades between World War II and the current Russia-Ukraine conflict, Your Presence Is Mandatory traces the effect Yefim's coverup had on the lives of Nina, their two children and grandchildren.

From Germany's prison camps and forced labor system to the Soviet culture of pride and paranoia, Sasha Vasilyuk shines a light on one family caught between two totalitarian regimes, and the grace they find in the course of their survival.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, World War II, Russia, Ukraine, War, Historical

336 pages, Hardcover

First published April 23, 2024

About the author

Sasha Vasilyuk is a journalist and author of debut novel YOUR PRESENCE IS MANDATORY. She grew up between Ukraine and Russia before immigrating to San Francisco at the age of 13. She has a MA in Journalism from New York University and her nonfiction has been published in the New York Times, Harper’s Bazaar, Los Angeles Times, TIME, the Telegraph, USA Today, and elsewhere.

Besides writing, she has founded a leading wedding PR company and one of the first coworking spaces in the U.S. She also spent a year traveling alone around the world.

Reviews

[wow_42 · Rating 1 out of 5]

this is not a book — it’s a distorted narrative laced with echoes of russian propaganda.

maybe it's enough to parasitise Ukrainians and their history? yes, stop it.

appropriating someone else’s culture instead of creating your own is a well-known imperial pattern.

read history, and do not sympathise with «good russians».

[Y · Rating 1 out of 5]

A coloniser selling stories of a country they try to colonise, during the ongoing war. Disgusting

[murmur · Rating 1 out of 5]

A Ukrainian story told by Russian during Russo-Ukrainian war. What could go wrong?

[Train Noise · Rating 1 out of 5]

who else knows better on oppressing than the oppressor herself? shame to see such literature being promoted

[Анна Мейгеш · Rating 1 out of 5]

The colonizers write on behalf of the nation they oppressed. wow

[Yuri · Rating 1 out of 5]

this is nonsense. a russian writes a book about life in Ukraine, it is beyond nonsense, you just can’t make this up

[Jessie Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved SO MUCH about this book!

The themes of guilt and betrayal and fidelity and honor and protection and duty that are woven throughout.

The moments of gallows humor, the deep ironies and sheer randomness of survival, the tenderness and warmth stolen in small pockets of time.

The friendships! I was rooting for these characters to survive against all odds.

The unflinching examination of morality, which in a time of war (and its long aftermath) isn't easy to define.

The action! This isn't one of those pretty-word books where nothing happens. THINGS HAPPENED.

The different perspectives of those who leave vs. those who stay--and the life-long misunderstandings that result.

And finally, maybe most of all--the family. This family! With its secrets and lies and devotion and silence. An engrossing family saga that kept me turning the pages.

(This review is based on an advanced reader’s copy.)

[Анастасія · Rating 1 out of 5]

Colonizers shoudn’t be given a platform to speak about our history

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

omfg. this book is an absolute triumph. I can’t even imagine how much research and wrenching family history the author had to dig through to make this happen. i’m so in awe of her and of this deeply affecting novel.

[Mariia Bondarenko · Rating 1 out of 5]

ruzzians don’t have rights to write and talk about Ukraine or ukrainian history.

[Tetiana Dzhyhar · Rating 1 out of 5]

No russian voice in stories about Ukrainians.

[Svetlana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this sprawling family saga that sometimes veers into thriller territory. In particular, I was impressed by how Vasilyuk juggles many different narrators (all part of a big family), different time frames and different geographic locations. Even the most unlikely events are described in such vivid, convincing detail that I never paused to doubt them. Also, as someone who was born in the USSR, I found that this book genuinely reflected the reality I experienced growing up during the eighties and the nineties.

[Аджума Erin · Rating 1 out of 5]

The colonizers have no right to tell the history of the colonized. The executioner telling the story of the tortured sounds like another way of mocking the entire nation.

[Melanie Hensey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweeping story of a Ukrainian Jew, and his family, during WW2 up until the 2015 Russian-Ukranian conflict. I now have a better understanding of what life might have been like during this time period for the people who lived through it. An engrossing story of love, family, secrets, and sacrifice which will touch your heart and stay with you for a long time.

[Дара Квітень · Rating 1 out of 5]

russians have no right to write about Ukraine and/or Ukrainians.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Your Presence is Mandatory is, in my opinion, a masterpiece. It provides a unique perspective in a very crowded field of WWII stories in historical fiction. This journey is heart-breaking and thrilling in equal measure, due to both the war narrative and the later family dynamics that pepper the book as a counter-balance. The truly beautiful and impactful piece of this novel is that it is a soldiers story, a Jewish person's story, but it is also the story of his family around him, as history and decisions made reverberate throughout their lives.

I was so captivated by this novel and have no hardy critiques. The writing is lovely, but clear and straightforward. The flow is dynamic yet heartfelt enough to be savored. It felt particularly significant to receive anecdotal glimpses of the past connections and disconnections between Ukraine and Russia, particularly with what the World is watching today. I found the themes of guilt, betrayal, the pressure we put on ourselves, and put on us by others to be masterfully woven into this story. Your Presence is Mandatory will clench your stomach, break your heart, but it will also open your eyes. To me, those are the best kinds of stories.

[JXR · Rating 5 out of 5]

epic historical fiction, i found it very relevant to the stuff going on nowadays and very interesting studying our main char Yelim. thanks for the arc

[Heather Fineisen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful tale of a Red Army Jewish artillery man survives the war. A chronicle of the shame and guilt of German prisoners of war and the lie Schulman lives with throughout his life. Adventures and harshness is shared through alternating chapters from war days and after war days. A subject I don't know much about from this perspective, especially. The characters were many but distinct. and have a certain humanity that relates to today's war in Ukraine. Historical, yet timely. Overall a good and unique read for me.

Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley

[Maria Kuznetsova · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a powerful novel about family secrets, legacy, loss, and intergenerational trauma and bonds that resonates more than ever with today's world. It also happens to have the bonus of being a page turner. Highly, highly, highly recommend!

[Lee Kravetz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good historical fiction tells a story set in a certain time and place; great historical fiction tells the story BECAUSE of a different time and place that looks remarkably, mirror like, like our. Your Presence Is Mandatory the latter and then some. It has the sweep of an epic, the pace of a thriller, the grace of a love story, and it works on all three levels. Most importantly, it moved me. It deserves every star. I was just amazed by this novel.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sasha is so good at imagining the past and making it come to life. As someone from both Ukraine and Russia, she has a unique vantage point to discuss the horrors of war. I highly recommend this book.

[Vanessa Hua · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous and gripping, nuanced and utterly compelling.

[Lizanne Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical fiction has the power to make history come alive. Your Presence is Mandatory is an epic novel that sheds light on the different way USSR treated their own soldiers who were captured by the enemy and held as POWs. As we follow Yerim Shulman throughout his life, a different picture emerges of life before, during, and after WWII for a Jewish Ukrainian man and his family. It’s a life that’s hard to imagine amid the comforts of our 21st century homes with all our conveniences and privileges. For me, that’s just one of the reasons this book is a must read. It’s dark and sad, but it’s a window to the present in Ukraine.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you, NetGalley and publishers.

Your Presence is Mandatory is a powerful debut work of literary and historical fiction. At its heart it is a story of survival and the human spirit. Spanning from WWII to the present day conflict in Ukraine, one family, and particularly the man who would become the patriarch of the family, Yefim, must make choices to survive and decide where their true loyalties lie, to a country, to each other, to themselves. Please give this one a try! You won’t be disappointed!

[Jenbebookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was compulsively readable, a strong 4 stars. I was engaged from beginning to end, the characters and storylines were interesting & compelling. I have no real complaints about this book. I thought it was interesting to be reading from the POV of a Russian POW during WWII, that’s a perspective I have not read from before.

What kept this from being a 5 star book was just that it didn’t feel especially different from every other WWII book I’ve read, it didn’t stand out, & also I didn’t love the fact that the entire storyline was predicated on the fact that being a POW was a shameful thing. That might be reality for Russians, but to me it felt ridiculous that his family would feel shame or embarrassment over his history, especially after having heard the whole story from his POV. I also was expecting a bit of a historical thriller, more of a mystery unfolding & that was not really the case. We more so just follow the story of our MC piece by piece, & based on the way the story is told in alternating timelines, a story unfolds but it’s not a historical thriller.

I did appreciate the author’s note at the end, letting us know that a majority of the book was based off the actual life of her grandfather.

I’d still recommend this to anyone looking to read a WWII story.

[C. Veda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I agree with Gary Shteyngart and The New York Times that this book is s “Wonderfully written, elegiac, and necessary. Sasha Vasilyuk uncovers the history behind the recent headlines with great skill and grace.”

I feel sorry that this talented author is being so maligned by bots, especially since she has killed herself to advocate for the Ukrainian people against Putin’s invasion and tirelessly fundraise for Ukrainian refugees while experiencing personal loss in the conflict - all discoverable through her non-fiction writing and reportage.

There are many Russians like the author, on the right side of history who, unfortunately, get slaughtered by the large pogrom of anti-Russian sentiment without consideration of the individual.

Many Ukrainians claim Russian descent and are on the side of Ukrainians. The author bravely attempts to paint a nuanced portrait of her family’s heritage, naked in its truth, and lay out the impact of decades of conflict and Russian interference.

[Ashley Elliott Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Your Presence is Mandatory was an emotional rollercoaster of a book. Things I loved about this book:
- It was real. The war-time experiences, the emotions, the familial relationships, the fear, regret and guilt.
- Yefim. He tries so hard to stay alive, to support his family, and to keep his secret. The shame that he experiences from holding this inside his entire life is overwhelming.
- Yefim and Ivan's friendship. How he cared for his friend as long as he could.
- The storyline moves, and there's never a dull moment.

I had no negatives to report about this book, but it was hard to read at a time like this with what is happening in the world.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this book.

[Devi Laskar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent novel!

[Ollie Skyba · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ A Book That Speaks to the Heart of Identity, History, and Resilience ✨

Some books are more than stories—they’re bridges between generations, mirrors of shared pain, and reminders of truths the world must not forget. Your Presence Is Mandatory by Sasha Vasilyuk is one such book, and it’s deeply personal to me.

The author, a Jewish descendant of Ukrainian ancestors, writes with a voice that feels like a kindred spirit—someone who understands where we’re from, who has heard similar stories from their grandparents, and who carries the weight of shared history. Though born in Ukraine, their journey led through Russian-speaking environments shaped by the Soviet regime’s attempts to erase identity and culture—something I understand intimately.

This story, rooted in their family history but beautifully fictionalized, follows a Jewish man surviving the horrors of WWII and life as a POW. It’s a tale of secrets kept for decades, of identity lost and rediscovered, all under the shadow of the Soviet Union’s cruelty. It’s not just a book about survival—it’s about the damage done when a regime seeks to strip people of who they are.

What makes this book even more significant today is how it speaks to the roots of modern Russian aggression against Ukraine. It shows the continuity of cruelty, the ideology that led to oppression then, and how it has now grown into a new war.
Yet, incredibly, there has been unfair criticism of this book on Goodreads. This deeply upset me because the book doesn’t justify Russian aggression or erase Ukrainian identity—on the contrary, it highlights the importance of Ukraine’s independence, its unique identity, and the suffering caused by attempts to keep it in Russia’s shadow.

I began this book with a heavy heart, thinking of my family who still lives in Ukraine and the daily worry we carry for them. But reading it and sharing it with my American and international friends feels vital. Stories like this help emphasize to the world that Ukraine and Russia are not the same, that their values, identities, and histories diverge sharply—and that the “common history” many speak of was one of oppression and tragedy for Ukraine.

One scene from the book will stay with me for a long, long time: Yefim’s recurring nightdream of a dark-haired woman holding an infant in her arms. For me, it’s the perfect symbol of hope, love, and belief in the future.

This is a book I’ll recommend not just for its powerful storytelling but because it helps educate and build understanding. It’s a piece of literature that contributes to the fight for Ukraine’s voice to be heard, for its history to be known, and for its sovereignty to be respected.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC of this book*

This book is a heartbreaking examination of the weight of secrets. Our main character feels oppressed by the state and by his own internal fears and he keeps his true history from his family. After his death, the family find a letter than explains the real history and are left to grapple with what it means to really know both people and history.

This book handles flashbacks very well. I was always able to tell what timeline and narration we were in. The main characters were all unique and complicated, though some of the side characters blended together. This is a story that follows the horrors of war and state oppression from the 1930s all the way through the fighting in the Donbas in 2015. The two main characters are so defined by their war experiences that the reader is left with a feeling that there is nothing else as certain in the world as men firing weapons.

This is an understated story that I think some will find slow, however, I found it compelling and tragic throughout. The fear was visceral and the stakes were so high that the characters motivations were truly earned and I felt such anxiety whenever the house of cards threatened to fall. Savor this read and you will not regret it.