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Under Ground
It is 1915 and sixteen-year-old Katka Kovich’s life in a small Slovenian village is in ruins. Her parents have died, her food is dwindling and the rent is due. When a stranger arrives bearing a note from an uncle, inviting Katka to join him and his wife in America, she leaves all that she has held dear to rebuild her life across the ocean. On the voyage to New York, she becomes friends with the stranger and begins to fall in love. But at Ellis Island, they are separated when he is detained by authorities as a suspected anarchist. Alone, Katka continues her journey to her uncle’s house on the rough and tumble Iron Range in northern Minnesota. Soon she is immersed in a lively community of iron miners and begins publishing an underground newspaper about their struggles and the heroism of the women on the Iron Range, as they are swept into a tumultuous strike that will change their lives forever. “Under Ground” is a work of fiction inspired by true events.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 4, 2015
20 people are currently reading
155 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
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August 2, 2024DNF on p. 16. The writing is a little clunky, and the dialogue is written grammatically incorrect to I guess indicate the characters aren’t native English speakers? But I would assume they’re not speaking English? I don’t know, I guess the galaxy brain interpretation is that it’s *actually* grammatically correct for the language they’re speaking, but I just don’t think that’s likely given the writing overall.
The plot did look interesting though!
The plot did look interesting though!
June 25, 2015
I actually finished this about a week ago but Goodreads quit working. ANYWAY, this book was chosen by the Minneapolis StarTribune to be serialized this summer. I like to read faster than the daily pace of the newspaper, so I downloaded the book on my kindle. I've lived in Minnesota all my life. Although the book is fiction, events & some of the people were real. The sacrifices of miners & the pioneers of labor unions are a part of Minnesota history, part of America's history. For me Labor Day will never be a day off with picnics. These people fought for worker's safety and rights. This book was a definite good read!
May 24, 2015
If you love historical fiction or labor history, this is a fascinating book about an iron miner's strike that changed labor practices throughout the United States. It's also a wonderful immigrant story and a love story. Really enjoyed this one.
July 20, 2015
Kudos to the author on her debut novel that is part of the 2015 Star Tribune summer serial. The reader is instantly drawn to the characters and to their harsh, yet realistic, conditions.I appreciated the author's commitment to showing a strong female protagonist and the attention to detail of this tumultuous time on the Iron Range. Katka's character will stick with me for years to come. What an interesting period of MN history! What a beautifully woven story of the commitment and perseverance of the workers (and their wives)for a better life for all! This novels "holds up all four corners of the house" for me.
December 20, 2019
A young woman from Slovenia emigrates to the USA, specifically to a small mining town in northern Minnesota. Mining is the main employment there, and the company takes advantage of the miners, paying them badly, ignoring safety precautions, housing them in company-owned, ramshackle shacks, doing anything they can to make a profit at the expense of the workers. Finally the workers get fed up and go on strike.
The incidents described in this book are historically accurate. The town, Biwabik, is an actual mining town in Minnesota. The strike and the events described here are historically accurate. The story is fictionalized by combing events or making composite characters who experience what really happened. The history was well researched; the book was written by a woman who is a descendant of Slovenian immigrant miners. It was an interesting book; I enjoyed the glimpse into Minnesota history and especially enjoyed the perspective of women's role in supporting and advancing the union cause.
The incidents described in this book are historically accurate. The town, Biwabik, is an actual mining town in Minnesota. The strike and the events described here are historically accurate. The story is fictionalized by combing events or making composite characters who experience what really happened. The history was well researched; the book was written by a woman who is a descendant of Slovenian immigrant miners. It was an interesting book; I enjoyed the glimpse into Minnesota history and especially enjoyed the perspective of women's role in supporting and advancing the union cause.
September 8, 2015
Historical fiction by local Mpls author. Easy read about the MN. mining industry on the iron range and the role of women during the miners strike in the early 1900s.
January 11, 2024
My mom shared this book with me as she and I are exploring our lineage to the Slovenian side of her family that immigrated to the US in the late 19th century. This book follows a similar journey to that of my great grandparents, teenagers leaving Slovenia and everything they knew in hopes of a better life in America, working in the mines of the iron range of Minnesota. It was both gut wrenching and uplifting to follow Katka’s story. The exploitation of immigrant miners and oppression of women in these low-income communities at that time left me aching for what my great grandparents survived through. There is also so much of this story that feels like it parallels the many fights for justice today. A reminder of the pervasiveness capitalism has had on the working class for many years. This book left me pensive and feeling more connected to my ancestors.
May 15, 2020
A nicely written story of immigration and love woven along with the historical 1916 iron miners' strike, their lives and the injustices during that period. Taking place in actual Minnesota mining towns made it all the more interesting to me being a life long Minnesotan. That is not to say this isn't a novel for everyone who is interested in history, immigration, and workplace injustices.
August 6, 2020
Historical fiction based on miner's strike that took place in Minnesota's Iron Range. It is the story of immigrants, both men and women, who struggle to change their lives by fighting for their rights as workers and families.
July 22, 2019
Great book
The Times back were unbelievably difficult and bad. I think some of fiction was a bit over done. Still a great read especially for all iron rangers.
The Times back were unbelievably difficult and bad. I think some of fiction was a bit over done. Still a great read especially for all iron rangers.
April 13, 2020
Great book written by my high school English teacher! Historical Fiction about the Iron Range in northern MN in the early 1900s when immigrants from all over were coming to work in the mines.
June 12, 2021
Very interesting historical perspective
February 27, 2017
History repeats itself -- why don't we learn?
"I continue to be surprised at the degree to which we relive history, no matter how much we claim to learn from or pine for our past." Quote from blogger Minnesota Brown, who has blogged about this strike and also about this book.
My grandparents lived in Keewatin and were Slovenian so I found this book particularly interesting. I had heard many oral stories of the mines and unions which were in my mind while reading. I knew there were many difficult times but learned more from the story.
"I continue to be surprised at the degree to which we relive history, no matter how much we claim to learn from or pine for our past." Quote from blogger Minnesota Brown, who has blogged about this strike and also about this book.
My grandparents lived in Keewatin and were Slovenian so I found this book particularly interesting. I had heard many oral stories of the mines and unions which were in my mind while reading. I knew there were many difficult times but learned more from the story.
June 14, 2015
I got the eBook version as did for the last Star Tribune serialized book. They were book more page turners than I could stand with a week between episodes. I am glad I read it. Good choices Star Tribune. Keep up the good work.
Ms. Marsnik created, and recreated, some wonderful characters. The events of the 1916 Mesaba Iron Range strike are well documented and have more than enough truthful excitement to carry this book along.
Reading this story made me want to attack folks at the top of the pyramid, or in this case, chain the mine owners underground and put a pick axe in their hand and let them eat the miners' rations for a couple of months; or years depending on my feelings at the time. Ms. Marsnik certainly got my blood boiling.
The love stories were between lovable people, handsome and beautiful. Katka evolves from frightened orphan to fearless journalist. I love her as much as does Paul.
In way of full disclosure, I have been forced to be a member of two unions, both of which I was glad to leave. There is, or in this case, certainly need for unions, but they can get to be just as hard line as the mine owners in this book. However, when management types get to act as if they don't put their pants on one leg at a time, it is time to give them a dose of reality. I really hope we never see such an obvious need as was reflected my Ms. Marsnik's Under Ground.
Ms. Marsnik created, and recreated, some wonderful characters. The events of the 1916 Mesaba Iron Range strike are well documented and have more than enough truthful excitement to carry this book along.
Reading this story made me want to attack folks at the top of the pyramid, or in this case, chain the mine owners underground and put a pick axe in their hand and let them eat the miners' rations for a couple of months; or years depending on my feelings at the time. Ms. Marsnik certainly got my blood boiling.
The love stories were between lovable people, handsome and beautiful. Katka evolves from frightened orphan to fearless journalist. I love her as much as does Paul.
In way of full disclosure, I have been forced to be a member of two unions, both of which I was glad to leave. There is, or in this case, certainly need for unions, but they can get to be just as hard line as the mine owners in this book. However, when management types get to act as if they don't put their pants on one leg at a time, it is time to give them a dose of reality. I really hope we never see such an obvious need as was reflected my Ms. Marsnik's Under Ground.
March 5, 2016
Slovenian here! I am happy that I read this book. It was great to have a main character from my country and it was interesting to follow her trip to USA. One of Slovenian poets did write about a problem of leaving Slovenia for Usa. He wrote how these people will never ever see the natural beauties of Slovenia and they will only imagine it in their heads while mining under ground. The book was written okay, it did not really hook me up, so I needed quite some time to finish it. Thanks god to brave strikers that risked their lives for a better tomorrow. We can see how capitalism ruined world a bit.
May 24, 2015
Being a Minnesota native who attended college in Duluth, I loved the storyline taking place on the Iron Range. I'd heard about the strike before but never grasped the details until now. The conditions in the mines were deplorable for a variety of reasons. The men, and especially, the women were very courageous. My only comments - the last 1/3 of the book got a little long and I assume the main character came from the former Yugoslavia but that wasn't mentioned in the book. The name of the country as it was in 1916 wasn't mentioned.
July 30, 2015
Personal history
Under Ground could be describing life for my great-grandparents.
This historical fiction gave me an understanding of life in the early days on the Iron Range. I had no idea as to what these early Rangers went through until I read this work. My great-grandfather was injured in a dynamite explosion in an Oliver Mine.
I recommend Under Ground to all Iron Rangers and their extended families, to history buffs, to those who want to know why Unions needed to be formed. I hope more books are written about the Range!
Under Ground could be describing life for my great-grandparents.
This historical fiction gave me an understanding of life in the early days on the Iron Range. I had no idea as to what these early Rangers went through until I read this work. My great-grandfather was injured in a dynamite explosion in an Oliver Mine.
I recommend Under Ground to all Iron Rangers and their extended families, to history buffs, to those who want to know why Unions needed to be formed. I hope more books are written about the Range!
August 17, 2015
Focuses on the struggles of immigrants working in Minnesota's Iron Range during mining strike of 1916. Fictional characters interact with historical ones and bring this world to life. Although it is an historical narrative, the characters are real and appealing, so the story rarely bogs down. Marsnik highlights the roles women played in labor unrest -- the sort of details that history books often leave out. The story is well-told and interesting--the StarTribune serialized it this summer and I grew impatient after a week or two and bought the book.
September 8, 2015
This was the Star Tribune serialized book for summer 2015. It's the story of the evil steel mine company, the miners who are abused by the company and the resulting strike. The book takes place in 1916 and is character-driven and action packed.
The text seemed edited in places, maybe to suit the serial format, but the story was interesting and held my attention. It was a novel, but based on true events and I hadn't read about the mine strikes on the Iron Range before. Again, we're lucky to be living when we are and where we are.
The text seemed edited in places, maybe to suit the serial format, but the story was interesting and held my attention. It was a novel, but based on true events and I hadn't read about the mine strikes on the Iron Range before. Again, we're lucky to be living when we are and where we are.
March 11, 2016
Read online in 106 parts and that format was a bit choppy for me. Had a nice "up north" meal to complement our book club reading. Insightful look at the mining activity ~1915. Seems like the author had researched the subject and era extensively. There were parts that were brutal, bloody, and unsettling to me but I assume that is what that time was like.
Many of the characters were knitters which gave me a smile!
Many of the characters were knitters which gave me a smile!
July 30, 2015
Perhaps, instead of trying to build a family tree we should take a leaf out of Megan Marsnik's book and track down family history, stories and anecdotes and combine it with researching some history of the time and the place and create a sense of what our forebears lives were like. A page-turning holiday read by a friend of a friend.
July 23, 2015
Good accounting of life in northern Minnesota in the early 1900's, during the early formation of unions and the iron ore miners. I teach 6th grade Minnesota history and while parts of it may not be appropriate for use in the classroom, it gave me good background information for use in teaching that topic.
September 7, 2015
It would have been a page turner if it wasn't serialized in the Star Tribune. It worked very well in that format. The writing wasn't the best throughout but the story was engaging and the characters likeable. I need to figure out a way to read more books in the format besides building a time machine. I still wouldn't read Dickens though.
September 9, 2015
I read this as the Star Tribune's summer serialized novel, which may have influenced my feelings about it. The short daily format became tedious and tiresome. I learned something about the important events in Minnesota labor history that the book chronicles, but I regret that I was never drawn into the story.
September 24, 2015
The book is the definition of average. The story is historical fiction and engaging. The characters are warmly drawn. However, the author has no ear for storytelling; the tone is so matter of fact that the drama is compromised. Other than the sexual references and the rape scenes, the book is written at about the 6th grade level and appears to be aimed at the YA audience.
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February 4, 2016Really interesting history (historical fiction, but well-grounded in fact) of the Iron Range mining conditions, immigrants and unionization. I thought she did a really great job with the speech patterns of the various ESL speakers; in some books accents become like caricature, but this was very naturally done.
June 14, 2015
Minnesota SISU
Iron range historical fiction.. Brings to life the time my grandparents lived in Pool Location and were owned by the Oliver. Had that can't put down suspense.Great read.
Iron range historical fiction.. Brings to life the time my grandparents lived in Pool Location and were owned by the Oliver. Had that can't put down suspense.Great read.
August 2, 2015
a pretty good book
It is kind of boring in the beginning but part way into the story it gets your attention and holds right up to the end.
It is kind of boring in the beginning but part way into the story it gets your attention and holds right up to the end.
October 8, 2015
Ideal for a young reader who wants to learn more about women's roles and unions.
February 15, 2019
I worked throughout the Minnesota Iron Range in the 1980s' and '90s, which of course biases my opinion of this work. The story captivated me because it captured much of the local day-to-day life of the mine workers, their families and communities, and the dominant iron mining culture and workers' strong union affiliations which continued throughout the twentieth-century. It is a solid, hard-edged tale defined by immigrants set in an area that is remote even to many Minnesotans. The author's historical appreciation of the area is top-notch, and the narrative fits the locale effectively. Like many other readers, I would love to see a print edition of this work published.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews