What do you think?
Rate this book
Radiant Girl
A young girl's birthday is usually full of surprises and joy, but for Katya Dubko, it is truly the end of the world as she knows it. This coming-of-age story follows the life of Katya, an eleven-year old Ukrainian girl whose life is turned upside down after the Chernobyl disaster. Katya lives in a village near Chernobyl and her father works at the nuclear power station. Her family is steeped in Soviet patriotism and she believes that the station is a magical factory. When Katya is sent into the forest to play while her family prepares for her birthday, she meets a mysterious, other-worldly boy named Sammy, who tells her about the meltdown at Chernobyl. Sammy reveals the truth about the station and about blind Soviet patriotism, and Katya's innocent world is destroyed. With Sammy's help, she realizes she is no longer a little girl in a fairy tale but has become the author of her own life.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
100 people are currently reading
421 people want to read
About the author
Andrea White
6 books35 followersSince 2006, Andrea as published four books written for middle school readers. Surviving Antarctica was selected for the Bluebonnet list and a handful of other state lists, and the Texas State Reading Association awarded it the Golden Spur award for the best book by a Texas author. In 2012, Windows on the World won the Spirit of Texas award for middle school fiction.
For four years Andrea worked full-time at the Houston Chronicle, the daily for the fourth largest city in the country. One of her editorials was featured in a package that ranked as finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in Public Service in 2017.
She lives in Houston, TX with her husband, former Mayor Bill White.
For four years Andrea worked full-time at the Houston Chronicle, the daily for the fourth largest city in the country. One of her editorials was featured in a package that ranked as finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in Public Service in 2017.
She lives in Houston, TX with her husband, former Mayor Bill White.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
June 16, 2025
In Radiant Girl (2008) Andrea White has her 11 year old main protagonist and first person narrator Katya Dubko (whose voice feels nicely age appropriate as well as emotionally satisfying for in particular my inner middle grade reader although there is not all that much actual character development and depth encountered throughout Radiant Girl) living with her parents just outside of Chernobyl, Ukraine in April 1986 (or rather in what was then the Soviet Union, since in 1986 the Ukraine was still part to the U.S.S.R., as the Soviet Union was still intact as a mega-country until December 1991), with Katya's father, with Ivan Dubko working as a security guard at the nuclear power plant. And of course April 1986 was when the Chernobyl nuclear reactor exploded (spreading huge amounts of deadly radiation), so that yes, Katya's story for Radiant Girl is naturally about her and her family being caught in the middle of this disaster, not only having to by order and by force evacuate her tiny and idyllic village of Yanov for Kyiv (although White unfortunately uses the Russian spelling of Kiev in Radiant Girl) but that because Katya's father works for the power plant (and yes, even after the nuclear accident) then having to move back to the Chernobyl area and to deal with life near the so-called Dead Zone, that Radiant Girl shows and describes through Andrea White's text how everything in and about Katya's life totally and utterly changes when the Chernobyl disaster happens, from something as simple as her friendships and her hair to the more complex and worrisome health issues associated with Chernobyl (radiation sickness and that Katya's father indeed ends up with thyroid cancer).
Now for Radiant Girl White takes the horror of what happened with and at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor (both the explosion and also its aftermath), she skilfully as well as engagingly gives this all an emotionally immediacy, a delightfully personal touch (and that Andrea White certainly very much textually shows with Katya's voice how the nuclear disaster affects everyone, mothers, fathers, children etc.), and with the many and nicely footnoted solidly historical facts and details also making Radiant Girl feel more like Katya Dubko's actual memoirs rather than fiction (not to mention that even though White is not Ukrainian, her words and the obvious research done for Radiant Girl are impressive and also for the most part and wonderfully so absolutely pro-Ukraine and as such hugely anti Russia or at least anti Soviet Union). And indeed, I also with Radiant Girl do hugely appreciate the included sub-issues of family conflict between Katya’s pro U.S.S.R. and for most of Radiant Girl staunchly party-line father (well, at least until he becomes ill with thyroid cancer, starts to finally get more than a bit suspicious, to voice misgivings and increasing criticism, disenchantment) repeating the Communist Party line that nothing much was wrong and Ivan Dubko's increasingly doubting and questioning daughter (and that the very many and obvious undercurrents of hatred and mistrust for the party leaders, for the things they have put their people through in the name of the state and Communism do broadly make me smile and that I also agree with Katya Dubko being shown at the end of Radiant Girl by Andrea White as stating that the cover-ups regarding Chernobyl by the Soviet government was probably one of the main reasons why the Ukraine was also so very keen on leaving the U.S.S.R. in 1991).
Four stars for Radiant Girl, very warmly recommended, and with me not only really and truly enjoying White's story, Katya as main protagonist but also appreciating all of the Ukrainian words, food items, culture and folklore Andrea White has delightfully smoothly incorporated into Radiant Girl, into her text, not to mention that the footnotes (see above) and especially the expansively detailed glossary make Radiant Girl not just entertaining but also educational, also wonderfully and gloriously enlightening.
Now for Radiant Girl White takes the horror of what happened with and at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor (both the explosion and also its aftermath), she skilfully as well as engagingly gives this all an emotionally immediacy, a delightfully personal touch (and that Andrea White certainly very much textually shows with Katya's voice how the nuclear disaster affects everyone, mothers, fathers, children etc.), and with the many and nicely footnoted solidly historical facts and details also making Radiant Girl feel more like Katya Dubko's actual memoirs rather than fiction (not to mention that even though White is not Ukrainian, her words and the obvious research done for Radiant Girl are impressive and also for the most part and wonderfully so absolutely pro-Ukraine and as such hugely anti Russia or at least anti Soviet Union). And indeed, I also with Radiant Girl do hugely appreciate the included sub-issues of family conflict between Katya’s pro U.S.S.R. and for most of Radiant Girl staunchly party-line father (well, at least until he becomes ill with thyroid cancer, starts to finally get more than a bit suspicious, to voice misgivings and increasing criticism, disenchantment) repeating the Communist Party line that nothing much was wrong and Ivan Dubko's increasingly doubting and questioning daughter (and that the very many and obvious undercurrents of hatred and mistrust for the party leaders, for the things they have put their people through in the name of the state and Communism do broadly make me smile and that I also agree with Katya Dubko being shown at the end of Radiant Girl by Andrea White as stating that the cover-ups regarding Chernobyl by the Soviet government was probably one of the main reasons why the Ukraine was also so very keen on leaving the U.S.S.R. in 1991).
Four stars for Radiant Girl, very warmly recommended, and with me not only really and truly enjoying White's story, Katya as main protagonist but also appreciating all of the Ukrainian words, food items, culture and folklore Andrea White has delightfully smoothly incorporated into Radiant Girl, into her text, not to mention that the footnotes (see above) and especially the expansively detailed glossary make Radiant Girl not just entertaining but also educational, also wonderfully and gloriously enlightening.
December 26, 2025
“Radiant Girl” is probably the best Chornobyl-themed book for young people written in English that I have read. Unlike most other texts about the catastrophe, which treat Ukraine as an exotic, dystopian place, the novel is well-written, well-researched, and captivating. Katya, the teen protagonist, is a believable and likable character who gradually learns to work through the trauma of losing her home and her pre-catastrophe life. I loved the references to folklore.
Still, “Radian Girl” has some problematic issues:
1) the author’s use of Ukrainian vs Russian words (why the use of Russian for the numbers of chapters is the characters seem to be mainly speaking Ukrainian?; why Kiev and not Kyiv; why Chernobyl and not Chornobyl; why sometimes “the Ukraine” and other times just “Ukraine”? The use of the article is very problematic);
2) her depiction of Ukraine in the late 1980s, which seems North American at times,
3) quite a loose approach to the differences between Russian/Ukrainian culture in general;
4) finally, Katya’s infatuation with Boris, who is significantly older, seems peculiar.
Still, I recommend it, and I wish it were reissued for present-day readers.
Still, “Radian Girl” has some problematic issues:
1) the author’s use of Ukrainian vs Russian words (why the use of Russian for the numbers of chapters is the characters seem to be mainly speaking Ukrainian?; why Kiev and not Kyiv; why Chernobyl and not Chornobyl; why sometimes “the Ukraine” and other times just “Ukraine”? The use of the article is very problematic);
2) her depiction of Ukraine in the late 1980s, which seems North American at times,
3) quite a loose approach to the differences between Russian/Ukrainian culture in general;
4) finally, Katya’s infatuation with Boris, who is significantly older, seems peculiar.
Still, I recommend it, and I wish it were reissued for present-day readers.
April 9, 2017
This book was very well written and researched, which I appreciate. This I would say is historical fiction with a bit of fantasy and traditional Ukrainian folklore and mythology thrown in.
I truly devoured this book, not only because I am Ukrainian myself, but also because the story and the facts were put together nicely, I almost felt like I was reading a book written by the main character Katya Dubko herself, and not a fictional character of the author's imagination.
The book takes place in April 1986, it's Katya's 11th birthday. A birthday she will never forget. Her parents are setting up her surprise teen room and send her off out of the house. She goes to play in her favorite part of the woods where her magical boulder is, when she meets Vasyl, a strange little boy with piercing blue eyes, a strange but beautiful shade of blue.
He is distraught and warns her that the end of their world is coming.......tonight.
The end of the night Katya's birthday party is winding down, the guests are leaving, her father is off to his late night shift at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
The power plant blows up in flames and the town smells and tastes like battery acid.
The next day soldiers show up at the doors and evacuate the little village of Yanov to Kiev.
The Soviet government is quick to spread a bunch of propaganda and lies and refuses to acknowledge just how horrible the explosion really was.
Katya doesn't believe the lies and seeks out the truth and discovers just how horrifying the truth really is.
I highly recommend doing a bit of research on the Chernobyl incident before reading or even while reading the book and looking at photos, google maps and news articles, it really brings the story to life, especially that now more of the truth has come out. It really is a heartbreaking story.
I truly devoured this book, not only because I am Ukrainian myself, but also because the story and the facts were put together nicely, I almost felt like I was reading a book written by the main character Katya Dubko herself, and not a fictional character of the author's imagination.
The book takes place in April 1986, it's Katya's 11th birthday. A birthday she will never forget. Her parents are setting up her surprise teen room and send her off out of the house. She goes to play in her favorite part of the woods where her magical boulder is, when she meets Vasyl, a strange little boy with piercing blue eyes, a strange but beautiful shade of blue.
He is distraught and warns her that the end of their world is coming.......tonight.
The end of the night Katya's birthday party is winding down, the guests are leaving, her father is off to his late night shift at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
The power plant blows up in flames and the town smells and tastes like battery acid.
The next day soldiers show up at the doors and evacuate the little village of Yanov to Kiev.
The Soviet government is quick to spread a bunch of propaganda and lies and refuses to acknowledge just how horrible the explosion really was.
Katya doesn't believe the lies and seeks out the truth and discovers just how horrifying the truth really is.
I highly recommend doing a bit of research on the Chernobyl incident before reading or even while reading the book and looking at photos, google maps and news articles, it really brings the story to life, especially that now more of the truth has come out. It really is a heartbreaking story.
March 29, 2022
The content of this was very interesting (life experienced as a child in Chernobyl when Reactor 4 exploded) and it was simply written for Middle Grade.
October 13, 2013
I thought this was really well done. I am very interested in Chernobyl and Pripyat and have read a few books based in the area, as well as 'walked' it in the Ukrainian (Russian, perhaps?) version of Google street view. I've read all the tour reports and obviously have read a few nonfiction books on the topic too. I assume it's too do with my obsession with all things post apocalyptic - this is one of the closest accidents we've had in real world terms rather than fiction. I also very much believe in raising awareness of the issues that still exist today for the people who lived nearby and the people that still live there, as well as the existing problems in the area, which is still not safe and will not be for hundreds of years. I try to do my Christmas shopping through Chernobyl charities, and so on!
This book is a good young adult/early teen story. I'd be happy for my ten year old to read it, knowing I'll be able to answer any questions it raises, but it may be more suited for a slightly older child. I enjoyed it an adult, also. It does, as you could imagine, talk about death, and illness, as well as the concept of government cover ups and governments betraying the trust of their people, so not a light read for a youngster. Saying that, there's nothing graphic, violent, or sexual, so it might depend on which issues you are willing to introduce to your youngster!
It reads like a coming of age adventure book about a young girl, Katya, who lives in a small village in the Ukraine, half a mile from Pripyat, and whose father works at Chernobyl Nuclear Power station. Katya likes to explore the woods and imagine fairy folk, but she also likes motorbikes and has a crush on her bike-riding neighbour. One night, after an explosion at the Power plant, her whole life changes.
What I liked most was that this was an exciting fiction story about a young girl growing up, learning who to trust and believe, and how to think for herself, amidst a backdrop of upheaval and change. It works perfectly well just as that. However, what the author has also done, is to set this in a real world setting, surrounded by actual events as they unfolded, with real facts being used in amongst the fiction. It makes the whole tragic story seem real - as it was - and much more immediate than reading one of the many factual reports on the happenings at the time. It makes Pripyat in particular come to life and you can imagine what this now infamous ghost town must have been like before the accident. It doesn't bog you down in facts and figures and doesn't get stodgy or preachy - you discover the facts along with Katya and you feel her horror as she finds out the real details, but there's also a certain level of hope and a feel of life recovering and continuing.
Its a short, quick read at only 254 pages and easy to get into, with enough interesting characters and a likeable narrator in Katya that I think most people should give this a go - they might learn something while they enjoy the story, and I look forward to discussing it, and the topics it raises, with my son fairly soon.
This book is a good young adult/early teen story. I'd be happy for my ten year old to read it, knowing I'll be able to answer any questions it raises, but it may be more suited for a slightly older child. I enjoyed it an adult, also. It does, as you could imagine, talk about death, and illness, as well as the concept of government cover ups and governments betraying the trust of their people, so not a light read for a youngster. Saying that, there's nothing graphic, violent, or sexual, so it might depend on which issues you are willing to introduce to your youngster!
It reads like a coming of age adventure book about a young girl, Katya, who lives in a small village in the Ukraine, half a mile from Pripyat, and whose father works at Chernobyl Nuclear Power station. Katya likes to explore the woods and imagine fairy folk, but she also likes motorbikes and has a crush on her bike-riding neighbour. One night, after an explosion at the Power plant, her whole life changes.
What I liked most was that this was an exciting fiction story about a young girl growing up, learning who to trust and believe, and how to think for herself, amidst a backdrop of upheaval and change. It works perfectly well just as that. However, what the author has also done, is to set this in a real world setting, surrounded by actual events as they unfolded, with real facts being used in amongst the fiction. It makes the whole tragic story seem real - as it was - and much more immediate than reading one of the many factual reports on the happenings at the time. It makes Pripyat in particular come to life and you can imagine what this now infamous ghost town must have been like before the accident. It doesn't bog you down in facts and figures and doesn't get stodgy or preachy - you discover the facts along with Katya and you feel her horror as she finds out the real details, but there's also a certain level of hope and a feel of life recovering and continuing.
Its a short, quick read at only 254 pages and easy to get into, with enough interesting characters and a likeable narrator in Katya that I think most people should give this a go - they might learn something while they enjoy the story, and I look forward to discussing it, and the topics it raises, with my son fairly soon.
June 9, 2009
Very interesting and engrossing story about a young girl living in the Ukraine in 1986. Her father works at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant.
An explosion shakes the night and fire pours through the roof of Reactor no. 4 but no warning is given. Much later the children are sent home from school and warned "the out of doors is not safe." Katya's father works at the plant but will not acknowledge the danger the radiation poses to him or his family. It is days later when the government finally moves to evacuate the communities around the plant.
The author explores the feelings and fear that rages through Katya as she realizes her country is not telling the truth about the disaster and is not protecting them.
White's storytelling kept me turning the pages and empathizing with Katya and her family. This was an engrossing read, full of facts and background about the disaster that I never knew or had forgotten.
Well done!
An explosion shakes the night and fire pours through the roof of Reactor no. 4 but no warning is given. Much later the children are sent home from school and warned "the out of doors is not safe." Katya's father works at the plant but will not acknowledge the danger the radiation poses to him or his family. It is days later when the government finally moves to evacuate the communities around the plant.
The author explores the feelings and fear that rages through Katya as she realizes her country is not telling the truth about the disaster and is not protecting them.
White's storytelling kept me turning the pages and empathizing with Katya and her family. This was an engrossing read, full of facts and background about the disaster that I never knew or had forgotten.
Well done!
May 28, 2019
Highly recommended to read! In her novel Andrea White emphasizes the necessity to reread the event in the intergenerational perspective in order to remember the details which can help us to prevent from erasing the boundary between the true event and the myth, built around the Chernobyl disaster: ‘The further we move in time from the disaster, the more it seems like a myth — and the more difficult it becomes to grasp its real-life roots and consequences’ (Plokhy, 2018). The writer manages to show Katya Dubko’s personal story against the technological disaster. The writer does not emphasize the nature of the disaster, the authoritarian regime, but highlights the shifts of the teenager’s value system in the context of the political, ecological, social and cultural transformation of the transitive society. Andrea White focuses the readers’ attention on the cultural component of the historical context – from the Cold War rhetoric to Perestroika’s time and to the final moment of the station’s functioning when it was closed under Ukraine’s independence. The variety of everyday life details help readers realize a single person’s life situation against the premises and the stages of the Ukrainian society’s transformations on its way from being one of the Soviet republics to the independent state.
June 5, 2019
This was an interesting quick read. Chernobyl is such a fascinating subject and to centre around a child who has limited understanding of what's going on made the book more compelling.
June 20, 2018
kindle freebie ---> link
a book for younger teens about the chernobyl disaster with a drop of slavic folklore.
a book for younger teens about the chernobyl disaster with a drop of slavic folklore.
May 9, 2020
Historic Fiction Beautifully Meets Ukrainian Folklore
The combination of historical events and context surrounding the Chernobyl incident beautifully meshed with old world Ukrainian folklore gives this piece an interesting seperation not only for literature surrounding Chernobyl, but also in the historical fiction genre. Emotional, historically accurate, raw coming of age piece that was likely the experience of so many young people.coming of age in the Ukraine and effected by the incident and its myriad of aftermath effects that continue to pelt upon the families of Pripyat and the surrounding areas evacuated from the Dead Zone.
The combination of historical events and context surrounding the Chernobyl incident beautifully meshed with old world Ukrainian folklore gives this piece an interesting seperation not only for literature surrounding Chernobyl, but also in the historical fiction genre. Emotional, historically accurate, raw coming of age piece that was likely the experience of so many young people.coming of age in the Ukraine and effected by the incident and its myriad of aftermath effects that continue to pelt upon the families of Pripyat and the surrounding areas evacuated from the Dead Zone.
November 1, 2020
My son (age 11) and I read this book together and found it to be an excellent way to learn about the Chernobyl power plant. He struggled to identify with the female lead who didn't have access to video games and loved being in the forest. It gave him a perspective of the world outside of his own spaces. The main characters emotions through the text were relatable, particularly as she navigated the stages of youth like all children do, but against such a unique backdrop. It also helped my son understand the impact of politics and information sharing (or lack thereof) on people's viewpoints. I recommend this book.
June 5, 2020
It was a childhood favourite...like when i was 11 or 12....of course I am going to recommend it to you, especially if you are interested in folklores and Chernobyl. It is also a story about accepting uncomfortable truths and I DIG that. It's also a very short read so that's a bonus.
September 4, 2020
I loved this book after a long time I have read such an amazing book. well cant deny that it was enthralling , some what mysterious as to what will happen next,romantic at the same time and well researched. It ticked all the boxes for me . I cant tell but it is truly a must read from my side.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2022
One of my favorite YA authors. A young girl lives just outside Chernobyl when the 1986 meltdown happens. The story of how her family copes in the aftermath including being moved to another city, dealing with radiation sickness, and more. Well researched and written.
April 22, 2018
A book for young young adults, but interesting in its depiction of the impact of the Chernobyl disaster - which I didn’t know a lot about - on one family.
September 3, 2019
Couldn't handle the HBO show, so I read this, but it also made me cry.
These middle school books are dark.
These middle school books are dark.
February 8, 2021
simplicity at its finest
October 6, 2021
no. i don't like this book. so sorry but i don't want to read it ever again
November 19, 2021
Three and a half stars. Very good story-telling, but the otherworldly elements seemed misplaced and unnecessary.
August 16, 2024
Is a nice little story like semi fantasized retelling of the Chernobyl events
September 5, 2024
Super quick read, hard to put down, fun story (as fun as Chernobyl can be LOL).
June 9, 2024
Earlier this year, I learnt about the Chernobyl tragedy and have becomed very interested in the topic. During a research on Chernobyl based books, "Radiant Girl" appeared. It is an easy, fast paced read with a simple vocabulary. "Radiant Girl" is a sweet, heartwarming book in which the tragedy is explained in a simple way for readers all ages to understand. Overall a pretty good book!
September 22, 2019
I really enjoyed the mix of historical fiction and Ukrainian folklore. This well researched book actually includes footnotes to show where certain data came from, not something I generally see in historical fiction, but something I appreciated.
This story is about a young girl who lives through the Chernobyl explosion and shows the fallout that this disaster had on her and her family.
This story is about a young girl who lives through the Chernobyl explosion and shows the fallout that this disaster had on her and her family.
December 8, 2011
Radiant Girl
by Andrea White
There has been all kinds of stuff about North Korea allegedly trying to start a nuclear program lately, and the rest of the world is screaming...no way! There is a reason for this, because back in the day (1986 to be exact) The U.S.S.R. (Russia) used nuclear power. No problem, right? Except when one of the reactors exploded and nuclear radiation destroyed a part of the world still known today as The Zone of Alienation or The Red Zone. 14, 000 people were put on buses and they never got their homes or their property back. They were trying to avoid dying from radiation poisoning, which is what happens when nuclear plants explode and contaminate the environment. Radiant Girl is the story of Katya Dubko, a child when the reactor explodes and the government evacuates her city, and a very changed girl later in her teens after losing everything. The book made me run to the internet to learn more about Chernobyl—and I remember when it happened! Once you get past the first few chapters, the book improves. The illustrations make it feel like a kid's book when you first start reading, and the way Russian people call each other by their first and last names is weird, but once you move past that, the book does a better job at holding your attention. If you want to know about Chernobyl, check out this website http://www.tourkiev.com/chernobyl.php
by Andrea White
There has been all kinds of stuff about North Korea allegedly trying to start a nuclear program lately, and the rest of the world is screaming...no way! There is a reason for this, because back in the day (1986 to be exact) The U.S.S.R. (Russia) used nuclear power. No problem, right? Except when one of the reactors exploded and nuclear radiation destroyed a part of the world still known today as The Zone of Alienation or The Red Zone. 14, 000 people were put on buses and they never got their homes or their property back. They were trying to avoid dying from radiation poisoning, which is what happens when nuclear plants explode and contaminate the environment. Radiant Girl is the story of Katya Dubko, a child when the reactor explodes and the government evacuates her city, and a very changed girl later in her teens after losing everything. The book made me run to the internet to learn more about Chernobyl—and I remember when it happened! Once you get past the first few chapters, the book improves. The illustrations make it feel like a kid's book when you first start reading, and the way Russian people call each other by their first and last names is weird, but once you move past that, the book does a better job at holding your attention. If you want to know about Chernobyl, check out this website http://www.tourkiev.com/chernobyl.php
June 4, 2013
Katya is an 11 year old girl living in a small village near the Chernobyl nuclear plant in the Ukraine. On her 11th birthday, there is a terrible accident at the plant in reactor 4 and her life is changed forever. Her father employed at the plant continues to believe that the accident has been contained and it is safe to continue there so he can provide for his family. The families of her village have to leave and live in Kiev for two years. During this time the villages are totally destroyed, animals killed and the ruins buried. Another village is constructed in an area outside of the "Dead Zone" and Katya and her family move to it. THis is a coming of age story with the backdrop of worst nuclear tragedy in history. A YA novel it is a quick read but the subject is disturbing as well as informative.
July 24, 2009
Katya is a young girl who lives with her family in the part of the USSR known as Ukraine. Her father works at a nuclear power station called Chernobyl. Yes, it is that nuclear power station and it is that time, the hours just before and just after the station explodes.
I did and I didn’t like this book. Chernobyl is a powerful setting for a novel. The little Ukrainian elements were intriguing, but I wish they had felt less like elements added to the story to give the story a genuine Ukrainian feel. Katya and her friends seemed very American to me. I couldn’t help feeling they should have done more things different from 21st century American teens, given the time and place of the story.
I did and I didn’t like this book. Chernobyl is a powerful setting for a novel. The little Ukrainian elements were intriguing, but I wish they had felt less like elements added to the story to give the story a genuine Ukrainian feel. Katya and her friends seemed very American to me. I couldn’t help feeling they should have done more things different from 21st century American teens, given the time and place of the story.
Read
February 1, 2014Radiant Girl is a story based off the nuclear power explosion that occurred in the Ukraine. The main character Katya, is an average Ukrainian girl who attended school, had many friends, was really close with her family and helped out around the house. Her dad was a worker at a nuclear power station so he always kept everyone updated with the daily news on Chernobyl. After the disaster occurred, nearly everything changed Katya's life, she knew she was willing to overcome many obstacles in her life to become stronger and share her story. I really recommend this book to anyone who was really interested in this 9 weeks unit. This book had many unpredictable moments that kept it very suspenseful, and yet had a very warm, touchy ending.
February 10, 2014
I really loved this look at the Chernobyl disaster. Taking this interesting look at history made it less of something I saw on the news, and more of something I could understand! I am truly fascinated with the events that followed the disaster in Chernobyl, and think this book did a good job of making it more "human."
February 14, 2014
Hard book to put down!
Hard book to put down!
the book is about a young, coming-of-age girl who has to deal with the effects of Cherbobyl. In addition to the nuclear struggles, she has many spiritual happenings that make her question reality, while dealing with everyday life. The time period covers a few years.
Hard book to put down!
the book is about a young, coming-of-age girl who has to deal with the effects of Cherbobyl. In addition to the nuclear struggles, she has many spiritual happenings that make her question reality, while dealing with everyday life. The time period covers a few years.
October 19, 2015
Touching, heart-rending story
This is a well told story of a girl coming of age in the heart of Chernobyl territory...her hopes, dreams, and courage as she faces the future in a world that has stolen her past. This book had me gripped from start to finish. It is poignant and heartfelt...most definitely worth the read!
This is a well told story of a girl coming of age in the heart of Chernobyl territory...her hopes, dreams, and courage as she faces the future in a world that has stolen her past. This book had me gripped from start to finish. It is poignant and heartfelt...most definitely worth the read!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews