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The Russländer
Katherine (Katya) Vogt is now an old woman living in Winnipeg, but the story of how she and her family came to Canada begins in Russia in 1910, on a wealthy Mennonite estate. Here they lived in a world bounded by the prosperity of their landlords and by the poverty and disgruntlement of the Russian workers who toil on the estate. But in the wake of the First World War, the tensions engulfing the country begin to intrude on the community, leading to an unspeakable act of violence. In the aftermath of that violence, and in the difficult years that follow, Katya tries to come to terms with the terrible events that befell her and her family. In lucid, spellbinding prose, Birdsell vividly evokes time and place, and the unease that existed in a county on the brink of revolutionary change. The Russländer is a powerful and moving story of ordinary people who lived through extraordinary times.
360 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
23 people are currently reading
816 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Birdsell
18 books15 followersSandra Louise Birdsell (née Bartlette) is a Canadian novelist and short story writer of Métis and Mennonite heritage.
Sandra is the fifth of eleven children. She lived most of her life in Morris, Manitoba and now in Regina, Saskatchewan.
Sandra left home at age fifteen. At the age of thirty-five, she enrolled in Creative Writing at the University Of Winnipeg. Five years later, Turnstone Press published her first book, the “Night Travellers” and two years after, “Ladies Of The House”. Both are published in one volume as Agassiz stories.
Two events shaped her worldview and influenced her writing, the first when Sandra was six years-old. Her sister died from leukemia. That left a four year gap before her next older sister. She felt alone even surrounded by 9 siblings. Her loneliness led her to ponder nearby parks and rivers, allowing her imagination to be wild.
The second event was the massive flood of Morris in 1950. Her first three successful stories in “Night Travellers” are based on it.
She is a Mom of three children and Grandma to four. Her husband, Jan Zarzycki is a filmmaker.
Sandra is the fifth of eleven children. She lived most of her life in Morris, Manitoba and now in Regina, Saskatchewan.
Sandra left home at age fifteen. At the age of thirty-five, she enrolled in Creative Writing at the University Of Winnipeg. Five years later, Turnstone Press published her first book, the “Night Travellers” and two years after, “Ladies Of The House”. Both are published in one volume as Agassiz stories.
Two events shaped her worldview and influenced her writing, the first when Sandra was six years-old. Her sister died from leukemia. That left a four year gap before her next older sister. She felt alone even surrounded by 9 siblings. Her loneliness led her to ponder nearby parks and rivers, allowing her imagination to be wild.
The second event was the massive flood of Morris in 1950. Her first three successful stories in “Night Travellers” are based on it.
She is a Mom of three children and Grandma to four. Her husband, Jan Zarzycki is a filmmaker.
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March 27, 2018I’m sure there is a fine story here, hidden within the folds of Mennonite minutiae but I was not engaged on any level. (Read: I was bored senseless.) I fidgeteted, squirmed and sighed my way through 79 pages. I then skimmed through a hundred more. Still nothing. I leave it to others to find their reading nirvana in these pages. Running for the exit.
September 15, 2014
It would be accurate but misleading to say that the Russlander tells the tale of a Mennonite community living in Russia that had to flee to Canada during the immediate aftermath of the Bolchevik revolution. The importance of Sandra Birdsell's book is that using the case of her own community she is able to illustrate what happened to many ethnic minorities living in Russia when the Tsarist system was overthrown. Even importantly it describes what happens wherever there are religious and linguist minorities governed by special rules when the regime they live under is overthrown by a group with leveller instincts.
Imperial Russia was comprised of hundreds of different linguistic communities belonging to a multitude of religions and sects. Some of the minorities were in Russia by virtue of conquest notably in central Europe and the trans-caucus. The Mennonites were in Russia by invitation as the Tsar was afflicted by the great problem of having too much territory and not nearly enough citizens to tax. Thus the Mennonites were offered the right to live in Russia on the mere condition that they farm industriously. They were allowed to use their own language and practice their own Anabaptist form of Christianity. They were not required to do military service and were exempt from serfdom. Because they were prosperous and lived under different rules than the Russian peasants around them they attracted jealously.
The Russlander then describes how a Mennonite community failed to understand the peril that their special status placed them in. When the Tsar fell, they found out soon enough. Properties were burned and families were massacred. We see all these events through the eyes of a young girl who is lucky enough to survive and move to Manitoba with other Russlanders (i.e. Mennonites Resident in Russian territory).
This is a truly great book whose importance greatly surpasses that of its nominal subject of how the Russlanders came to live in Manitoba. Read this book. In many ways it is also about the Yazidis of Kurdistan who are currently being threatened by ISIS.
Imperial Russia was comprised of hundreds of different linguistic communities belonging to a multitude of religions and sects. Some of the minorities were in Russia by virtue of conquest notably in central Europe and the trans-caucus. The Mennonites were in Russia by invitation as the Tsar was afflicted by the great problem of having too much territory and not nearly enough citizens to tax. Thus the Mennonites were offered the right to live in Russia on the mere condition that they farm industriously. They were allowed to use their own language and practice their own Anabaptist form of Christianity. They were not required to do military service and were exempt from serfdom. Because they were prosperous and lived under different rules than the Russian peasants around them they attracted jealously.
The Russlander then describes how a Mennonite community failed to understand the peril that their special status placed them in. When the Tsar fell, they found out soon enough. Properties were burned and families were massacred. We see all these events through the eyes of a young girl who is lucky enough to survive and move to Manitoba with other Russlanders (i.e. Mennonites Resident in Russian territory).
This is a truly great book whose importance greatly surpasses that of its nominal subject of how the Russlanders came to live in Manitoba. Read this book. In many ways it is also about the Yazidis of Kurdistan who are currently being threatened by ISIS.
August 20, 2017
Many books grab your attention right from the beginning, but dip in the middle after you're invested, finally picking up again at the end to finish on a relatively high note. This is not one of them. This book was just OK at the beginning, then began to build and build some more.
My impression of the first 100 or so pages is that the author was telling her own family history. In doing so, the main character, Katya, was probably her grandmother. I think it is hard to think of our grandparents - even parents - as children, to think we can know them as such. I felt the author was having a hard time breathing life into the character of Katya. At some point, though, Birdsell was able to cross that line between family history and living character. The other characters were believable, but not quite three dimensional.
The Goodreads description which includes But in the wake of the First World War, the tensions engulfing the country begin to intrude on the community, leading to an unspeakable act of violence would have you believe that the reader is totally unaware of this unspeakable act of violence. I have to correct that impression as page one is a brief newspaper account telling us of it. However, it is just a newspaper account and, even though is horrific, we do not feel the full impact until later.
There is little of the war in this. The story becomes not just post war, but the immediate aftermath of the Russian revolution. In the countryside, anarchists prevailed. Bands of people entered houses without permission and "rummaged," taking what they wished. The people were more than just hungry - bread was supplemented with clay flour and vegetable scrapings. Having gotten a response from a relative in Canada, one remarks "They don't know hardship. Here, if we were fortunate enough to own a cow, we'd have to pay the government eleven million rubles in tax, eighty million for a horse."
I might have given this just a high 3 stars had it continued on the plane of the beginning. But it didn't. Still, I cannot claim it is a 5-star read and will settle for 4-stars, perhaps slightly above the middle of that range.
My impression of the first 100 or so pages is that the author was telling her own family history. In doing so, the main character, Katya, was probably her grandmother. I think it is hard to think of our grandparents - even parents - as children, to think we can know them as such. I felt the author was having a hard time breathing life into the character of Katya. At some point, though, Birdsell was able to cross that line between family history and living character. The other characters were believable, but not quite three dimensional.
The Goodreads description which includes But in the wake of the First World War, the tensions engulfing the country begin to intrude on the community, leading to an unspeakable act of violence would have you believe that the reader is totally unaware of this unspeakable act of violence. I have to correct that impression as page one is a brief newspaper account telling us of it. However, it is just a newspaper account and, even though is horrific, we do not feel the full impact until later.
There is little of the war in this. The story becomes not just post war, but the immediate aftermath of the Russian revolution. In the countryside, anarchists prevailed. Bands of people entered houses without permission and "rummaged," taking what they wished. The people were more than just hungry - bread was supplemented with clay flour and vegetable scrapings. Having gotten a response from a relative in Canada, one remarks "They don't know hardship. Here, if we were fortunate enough to own a cow, we'd have to pay the government eleven million rubles in tax, eighty million for a horse."
I might have given this just a high 3 stars had it continued on the plane of the beginning. But it didn't. Still, I cannot claim it is a 5-star read and will settle for 4-stars, perhaps slightly above the middle of that range.
August 3, 2011
I was really looking forward to this book but I was rather disappointed by it. The story is very good but I had a hard time getting into the book because of the way it is written. I think it's a shame; it could have been so much better!
February 14, 2009
I have now read this book through twice with several years in between readings and I have to say... one of the best books I've ever read. Much of that is due to the fact that the book chronicles the events of a typical Mennonite family living in Russia during this time period. Eventhough most of my family had already left for Canada at this time, I still enjoyed reading about the lifestyle my ancestors would have been living had they never left.
I learned a great deal about the traditions, relationships, social institutions and the wealth of Mennonite farmers during those days. And though it was hard to read, I took great interest in the slaughter of the family by the peasants as it struck at the heart of the deep-seeded and ugly roots of poverty at that particular time and place in history.
I highly recommend reading this book for all Mennonites. And for those who are not... read it and learn something about a peace-loving people who are willing to die for their beliefs.
I learned a great deal about the traditions, relationships, social institutions and the wealth of Mennonite farmers during those days. And though it was hard to read, I took great interest in the slaughter of the family by the peasants as it struck at the heart of the deep-seeded and ugly roots of poverty at that particular time and place in history.
I highly recommend reading this book for all Mennonites. And for those who are not... read it and learn something about a peace-loving people who are willing to die for their beliefs.
September 1, 2013
I very much enjoyed this novel. I am not a huge reader of historical fiction, but found the characters and plot compelling, and the historical aspects of the novel rang true to my limited knowledge. I have great admiration for Sandra Birdsell's ability to craft both setting and plot to create a wonderful novel that I would highly recommend. There is an aspect of mystery that keeps the story moving along even for other readers, like me, who do not normally choose this particular genre as their first choice.
July 17, 2014
This was a difficult book for me to read, but I kept at it for two reasons.
One is that my friend Janet Armstrong recommended it and she has good taste in books - better than me.
Secondly almost everyone on here who reviewed it LOVED it.
I just found it so slow that it was difficult to keep my interest.
Then I realized why.
My hope was that the book would stop being in Russia and would show the immigration to Canada - specifically Saskatchewan and Manitoba. I had hoped to find out more of the history about that part of Katys's life. I therefore thought that the writing should move "faster" so the Canadian part could begin. When I realized that there was not going to be any Canadian sections I was able to let go of those expectations and read the book the way it was meant to be read. But could only give it a 3.
One is that my friend Janet Armstrong recommended it and she has good taste in books - better than me.
Secondly almost everyone on here who reviewed it LOVED it.
I just found it so slow that it was difficult to keep my interest.
Then I realized why.
My hope was that the book would stop being in Russia and would show the immigration to Canada - specifically Saskatchewan and Manitoba. I had hoped to find out more of the history about that part of Katys's life. I therefore thought that the writing should move "faster" so the Canadian part could begin. When I realized that there was not going to be any Canadian sections I was able to let go of those expectations and read the book the way it was meant to be read. But could only give it a 3.
July 27, 2012
A stellar, solidly and poignantly told, historical narrative of the Mennonites who lived in Russia at the turn of the century. As I occasionally teach English at a Mennonite university, I like to teach at least one Mennonite novel -- this was a most excellent choice for me, and hopefully for my class.
July 31, 2021
I loved this story. I am sure that the similarities to my own heritage made it even more interesting to me. But the story was quiet with a slow build and information released like secrets to be reveled. It sucked me in and left me smiling.
December 2, 2025
I really enjoyed this, and knowing its story isn’t just fiction and it happened to thousands of families - including my own.
January 18, 2016
Reading this book was somewhat like gazing at a beautiful still life in a fancy art museum. Beautiful to look at but ultimately boring and you move on. This is how I feel about this book. There were many good things but, in the final analysis, I felt like I was gazing upon Katya's life rather than being immersed in it.
Many parts of the book were very interesting. I had no idea that there were ever Mennonites living in Russia (actually, I believe to be technical, they were living in Ukraine)and it was interesting to read about the Mennonites in general and also how they fared under the Tsars and then the Communists.
Much of the writing was lovely, the descriptions of the land and the seasons, how people change but the land endures. But the book was just way too long. Too many pages gazing at the painting and not feeling it.
Also, as other reviewers pointed out, there were too many minor characters that were really unnecessary to the story. Fine if they made a brief appearance but the author went on way too long about some of them. For example, there was an elderly spinster boarding with a neighboring family. I believe they called her Tante Anna. Pages were devoted to Tante Anna, how much the students loved her, how her room always had a strange odor (which turned out to be spoiling cheese hidden in the pockets of her clothes), taking her to the railroad station, finding the cheese, making the station smell. What was the point? I didn't much care about Tante or her cheese.
Final analysis, I would give this book 3.5 stars.
Many parts of the book were very interesting. I had no idea that there were ever Mennonites living in Russia (actually, I believe to be technical, they were living in Ukraine)and it was interesting to read about the Mennonites in general and also how they fared under the Tsars and then the Communists.
Much of the writing was lovely, the descriptions of the land and the seasons, how people change but the land endures. But the book was just way too long. Too many pages gazing at the painting and not feeling it.
Also, as other reviewers pointed out, there were too many minor characters that were really unnecessary to the story. Fine if they made a brief appearance but the author went on way too long about some of them. For example, there was an elderly spinster boarding with a neighboring family. I believe they called her Tante Anna. Pages were devoted to Tante Anna, how much the students loved her, how her room always had a strange odor (which turned out to be spoiling cheese hidden in the pockets of her clothes), taking her to the railroad station, finding the cheese, making the station smell. What was the point? I didn't much care about Tante or her cheese.
Final analysis, I would give this book 3.5 stars.
February 11, 2018
In _The Russländer_, Sandra Birdsell gracefully and stunningly evokes a time and place that would be otherwise foreign to most modern readers. This is one of the best novels I have read in a long time.
As other reviewers have noted, the book is difficult to read in several regards. While the first half of the book has a slower pace, it is because the author is trying to establish a cohesive sense of setting and characters--not easy to do given the unique and largely untold story of Mennonite colonies in Revolution-era Russia. I would advise readers in the first few chapters to really pay attention to characters' names and relationships. The author tends to sort of plop you down in the middle of the action and expect the reader to pick up on all the connections on their own. I wasn't paying much attention to the names (many of which are similar/ alliterative: Abram, Auguste; Dietrich, David) early on and that caused a frustrating sense of disorientation later in the book.
All in all, though, the extra effort is worth it. Among other things, it provides a stunning portrait of the ramifications of the Mennonite practice of pacifism. I think a peaceful stance toward war is in style right now, but we often don't realize how true pacificism extents into everyday life and even when it comes to defending one's children, home, or honour. This novel draws out that theme and many others in its haunting, moving tale.
As other reviewers have noted, the book is difficult to read in several regards. While the first half of the book has a slower pace, it is because the author is trying to establish a cohesive sense of setting and characters--not easy to do given the unique and largely untold story of Mennonite colonies in Revolution-era Russia. I would advise readers in the first few chapters to really pay attention to characters' names and relationships. The author tends to sort of plop you down in the middle of the action and expect the reader to pick up on all the connections on their own. I wasn't paying much attention to the names (many of which are similar/ alliterative: Abram, Auguste; Dietrich, David) early on and that caused a frustrating sense of disorientation later in the book.
All in all, though, the extra effort is worth it. Among other things, it provides a stunning portrait of the ramifications of the Mennonite practice of pacifism. I think a peaceful stance toward war is in style right now, but we often don't realize how true pacificism extents into everyday life and even when it comes to defending one's children, home, or honour. This novel draws out that theme and many others in its haunting, moving tale.
July 9, 2017
In The Russländer, Birdsell focuses on a few years in the life of a single character. Nearly the entire novel is devoted to the youth of Katherine (Katya) Vogt, a Mennonite girl who grows up in Russia in the tumultuous days of the First World War and the Russian Revolution.
I know the book received strong acclaim.I am not convinced. I had a hard time getting through this book. I failed to get into it. The story is certainly of historical importance but there are too many characters without a appropriate introduction or apparent relevant role. Not a favorite.
I know the book received strong acclaim.I am not convinced. I had a hard time getting through this book. I failed to get into it. The story is certainly of historical importance but there are too many characters without a appropriate introduction or apparent relevant role. Not a favorite.
November 8, 2012
An excellent, moving story of the Mennonite people In Russia (now Ukraine) at the time of the revolution. With many friends and relatives of Mennonite antecedents, and having visited villages in the former Molochna and Chortitza Colonies in Ukraine, the book had special meaning for me. I recommend it for anyone interested in Mennonite history or in just a good read about good people in difficult times.
January 31, 2012
How can you not like a book where everyone gets slaughtered?!
Actually this was not as painful to read as I anticipated - the story was gripping and the historical and cultural aspects were fascinating. It will be really interesting to contrast the Mennonites of this book with those in the next book I'm reading - A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews.
Actually this was not as painful to read as I anticipated - the story was gripping and the historical and cultural aspects were fascinating. It will be really interesting to contrast the Mennonites of this book with those in the next book I'm reading - A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews.
February 10, 2024
The Russlander is a very good novel about a young Mennonite girl living in Russia in the early 20th century, and how she came to immigrate to the Canadian West eventually. I expected the book to cover her time in Russia and also her experiences once she made it to Canada, but the author focused almost exclusively on Russia. That turned out just fine however, as I learned a great deal about the Mennonite experience in Russia. I had been unaware that so many had immigrated to Russia from Germany and that a significant number had been forced to leave for Canada in the 1920s. The book showed how the Mennonites had prospered in Russia for a long time until WWI and the Russian Revolution changed things dramatically for the worse. In fact, the Mennonites were victims of brutal atrocities at the hands of the Communists during and after the revolution. I thought the best part of the book was how it showed the impact of the revolution 0n several small farming communities, rather than focusing on the big political events driving the revolution in the big cities. I learned a great deal about how the revolution impacted average people throughout Russia. The author portrayed with great realism, the chaos and brutality faced in those years of dramatic change. My only complaint about the book would be that it ended too quickly for me. I would have liked a few chapters about the details of how the main character got the news about escaping Russia and how she finally made it to Canada. Overall, I found The Russlander to be well worth reading.
August 17, 2022
This character-driven novel takes the reader into the world of a young Mennonite girl, Katya, living in a Colony on the Ukrainian steppes in early 20th century. She is a girl who rails against inequities or unfairness, which is counter to her religious teachings, so she must try to control her anger by stroking a piece of sheepskin in her pocket. The conflict in the early part of the novel involves her father's job as overseer of their Colony (and his daughters being denied the high school that the Colony's leader's children attend), but Katya is slowly seeing how the poor Russians that her father hires for the farm work live in abject poverty, so the inequities in her small world pale in comparison.
When the First War breaks out, the drama obviously increases and the stakes get higher, the tragic outcome ultimately being that she loses most of her family in November 1917 and she and two younger sisters find refuge with her grandparents in a small Mennonite village nearby. Raiding is rampant, and indiscriminate violence is meted out by various Russian factions, and she and her sisters are further removed to a family that had kept her older sister during the early part of the war. There Katya's defiance slowly resurfaces and she evolves from being a traumatized person to one that finds her way again. Unfortunately, this takes place in the last 50 pages, so quite a wait.
The first third of the book is very lyrical with ample descriptions of the countryside where Katya lives. She is a girl who observes well and we gather little details about the people through her. This part can seem very slow to read if you want a plot-driven novel. If you're interested in history, especially of the Mennonites who became Russlanders, you will find a rich tapestry here, giving a view into the community and its struggles to survive in Russia in the early 20th century.
When the First War breaks out, the drama obviously increases and the stakes get higher, the tragic outcome ultimately being that she loses most of her family in November 1917 and she and two younger sisters find refuge with her grandparents in a small Mennonite village nearby. Raiding is rampant, and indiscriminate violence is meted out by various Russian factions, and she and her sisters are further removed to a family that had kept her older sister during the early part of the war. There Katya's defiance slowly resurfaces and she evolves from being a traumatized person to one that finds her way again. Unfortunately, this takes place in the last 50 pages, so quite a wait.
The first third of the book is very lyrical with ample descriptions of the countryside where Katya lives. She is a girl who observes well and we gather little details about the people through her. This part can seem very slow to read if you want a plot-driven novel. If you're interested in history, especially of the Mennonites who became Russlanders, you will find a rich tapestry here, giving a view into the community and its struggles to survive in Russia in the early 20th century.
May 10, 2025
This was a tough read for me. Much of this book reflected the life and struggles of my grandparents and their families. I’m grateful that there are some Menno’s who went through this that were able to recount their stories and have them recorded.
July 31, 2023
This was a fascinating and horrifying story of the Mennonite experience in Russia in the early 20th century. The writing style felt a little disjointed and obscure, but it was a good read.
March 1, 2025
this was a slow read, but not necessarily in a bad way! i would highly recommend this book to anyone who has some form of connection to the mennonite faith/community, or anyone who lives in the regions of canada (mostly manitoba, saskatchewan, & parts of ontario) where they originally settled upon coming to canada. even though it’s fiction, i found it to be super informative, and (in my opinion!) a bit more of an accessible way of learning about this piece of my family’s history.
November 24, 2018
This book was so interesting. My Mennonite ancestors immigrated from Russia in the 1870’s, and my parents always told me the hardships of those who had stayed behind. The last names, the foods, the stories of the Tsar visiting the German Mennonites were all so familiar to me.
January 15, 2018
I absolutely loved this story of a Russian Mennonite family and the events that precipitated their migration to Canada, but perhaps that is largely because it could very well have been the story of my own grandparents. Katya Vogt is an old woman in Winnipeg when she is asked to tell the story of her immigration to Canada to a young man who is recording the oral histories of elderly Mennonites. The tale she tells is one of violence and terror, as the quiet estate farm she grew up on is destroyed by angry peasants and the various factions fighting for control during the Russian Revolution. In Russia at the invitation of the tsar, the Mennonites invoked the wrath of the local peasantry who were jealous of the special privileges granted to them, and their relative success and wealth.
Although this story takes place in a different part of Russia than where my family lived, I suspect the experiences were similar. My grandparents, like most of the Mennonite immigrants, did not talk much of the revolution and its aftermath. I have heard a few stories from elderly aunts and uncles who were young children during the difficult years following the revolution, prior to my family's emigration in 1927, but books like this are the best source of information that I have as those relatives are now long gone.
This was an interesting look at the Mennonite way of life and the structure and traditions of the communities in Russia. The story starts a bit slow and seems a bit vague, as the narrator was a young child at the beginning of the story, and her understanding of events not always accurate, and her memories not always complete. As she matures, the story becomes more clear and her perspective more mature. Occasionally, a few letters are cleverly included to enhance our understanding. It gave me a new understanding of my grandparents and many of the older Mennonites I have known. This is definitely not a feel good story, and we know the ending will not be happily ever after, but it is the story of the resilience of a people who managed to survive and forge a new life in yet another new land in their long history of migration.
Although this story takes place in a different part of Russia than where my family lived, I suspect the experiences were similar. My grandparents, like most of the Mennonite immigrants, did not talk much of the revolution and its aftermath. I have heard a few stories from elderly aunts and uncles who were young children during the difficult years following the revolution, prior to my family's emigration in 1927, but books like this are the best source of information that I have as those relatives are now long gone.
This was an interesting look at the Mennonite way of life and the structure and traditions of the communities in Russia. The story starts a bit slow and seems a bit vague, as the narrator was a young child at the beginning of the story, and her understanding of events not always accurate, and her memories not always complete. As she matures, the story becomes more clear and her perspective more mature. Occasionally, a few letters are cleverly included to enhance our understanding. It gave me a new understanding of my grandparents and many of the older Mennonites I have known. This is definitely not a feel good story, and we know the ending will not be happily ever after, but it is the story of the resilience of a people who managed to survive and forge a new life in yet another new land in their long history of migration.
April 21, 2014
Imagine the darkest scenarios you can imagine, now multiply those by ten and you’ve got a pretty good idea of the living conditions in Russia during the first World War.
Sandra Birdsall's story “The Russlander” is a profound novel focusing on the life of a small Russian girl during the first World War and the rebellion that followed shortly after. The storyline follows Katya and her father, the overseer in a mennonite community, as they adjust to live settling in the Canadian plains. Conflict arises within the mennonite community due to pressures from the rest of Canada and the anger felt by the Russian working class due to the large gaps in the social classes and the abuse of the poor by the rich.
Though there are numerous names and interactions to remember and keep straight, Sandra’s attention to detail makes for a powerful and moving story. But it’s this vast amount of information necessary to understand the story and the mature nature of the story itself that restrict it’s audience to those who are more matured. The story, though information fulled, makes you feel that you yourself are a settler in Canada dealing with a large number of angry working class Russians and pressure from outside the community, and because of this the book is near impossible to put down.
Sandra has a way of writing which ensures that not a single word is there without a purpose, and because of this has created a timeless piece that I would recomend to anyone.
Sandra Birdsall's story “The Russlander” is a profound novel focusing on the life of a small Russian girl during the first World War and the rebellion that followed shortly after. The storyline follows Katya and her father, the overseer in a mennonite community, as they adjust to live settling in the Canadian plains. Conflict arises within the mennonite community due to pressures from the rest of Canada and the anger felt by the Russian working class due to the large gaps in the social classes and the abuse of the poor by the rich.
Though there are numerous names and interactions to remember and keep straight, Sandra’s attention to detail makes for a powerful and moving story. But it’s this vast amount of information necessary to understand the story and the mature nature of the story itself that restrict it’s audience to those who are more matured. The story, though information fulled, makes you feel that you yourself are a settler in Canada dealing with a large number of angry working class Russians and pressure from outside the community, and because of this the book is near impossible to put down.
Sandra has a way of writing which ensures that not a single word is there without a purpose, and because of this has created a timeless piece that I would recomend to anyone.
January 12, 2008
I read this book just after The Road. I was on holiday, and my husband was pleading with me to get ready, everyone was waiting for us in the lobby, but I just couldn't put the book down and had to finish it before supper! It starts off with meandering memories of a girl and her Mennonite family in Russia, and the community there. There are tensions between her father and the rich Mennonite family that owns the land. But when the Russian revolution starts, life becomes incredibly frightening. It is not what the soldiers do on a field that makes war so evil, it is what your neighbour does to his neighbour when law and order break down.
October 3, 2011
I've been wanting to read this novel for a long time. It deals with the daily lives of a Mennonite family in Russia just before the revolution after which their whole world changes and they must now deal with much suffering and ultimately severe brutality at the hands of anarchists & Bolsheviks. My grandparents were Mennonites who emigrated from Russia during the early 1920's and I wanted to get a better sense of how they lived, what they had to deal with and why they eventually decided to come to Canada.
March 21, 2012
This was one of those books that started out SO SLOWLY that I almost stopped reading it a couple times. You have to have some knowledge or at least care a little bit about the Russian Revolution to understand the historical context (I had neither). But once I got into the story and really started to care about the characters, I couldn't put it down. The story of both having and losing family love and romantic love, as well as some of the beautiful backdrops was a huge suprise to come out of a book I got for $3 from a publisher's clearing house type store. Loved it!
August 11, 2014
Excellent read. This is Russia through the time of the revolution and First World War, focussing on the plight of the Mennonites, as they became the enemy of all, having lost the protection of the tsar. This was when and where my mother grew up and came to Canada in 1923, so for me this was particularly poignant and I felt I had been given some greater insight into my mom's life. How I wish I has asker her more while she was alive, although her time before immigrating was so painful that she rarely spoke about it.
June 9, 2018
Some books are like popcorn, you gobble them all and they’re gone. This isn’t one of them. But it’s worth it. The Russlander here is Katya, a Mennonite, living in Russia in 1910 (in today’s terms, more likely the Ukraine, near Odessa). She lives on a wealthy farm where her father being treated as a laborer on despite being a family member. Tumultuous times are coming: WWI, the Russian Revolution, and all the mini revolutions that accompanied it. Her family is part of a massacre. She survives and eventually moves to Winnipeg where this story unfolds.
Fascinating!
Fascinating!
January 1, 2013
This ia the story of Katya Vogt and her life on a wealthy Mennonite estate in Russia.In the wake of the first world war Russia becomes a communist country amid violent times and through violent events Katya emigrated to Winnipeg .This is her book of memories from her life there and the events that led to her leaving Russia to build her life in another country .Good story with many details of life in Russia at that time in history
August 10, 2016
Outstanding historic fiction! Birdsell's story of German Mennonites in what was then Russia (now Ukraine) prior to WWI told by an old woman in Canada. Katherine Vogt Heinrichs tells the detail of her childhood that she has up until now avoided telling her children and grandchildren through the war and Revolution. Birdsell manages to capture the innocence of the young Katya and the pain, weariness and simple joy of the grandmother as she looks back after a full life in Canada.
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