Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by daniyoung
The Rooster House: My Ukrainian Family Story by Victoria Belim
3.0
For my StoryGraph "Read the World" challenge, I needed to read a book set in Ukraine by a Ukrainian author. That's how I came across "The Rooster House" by Victoria Belim. Victoria grew up in Ukraine before moving to the U.S. and Europe.
In 2014, following Russia's annexation of Crimea and as cities from her past (Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Mariupol) were plunged into conflict, she felt compelled to return. While visiting her elderly grandmother, she became determined to unravel a family mystery sparked by a simple line about her great-grandfather’s brother: “Brother Nikodim, vanished in the 1930s fighting for a free Ukraine.”
This memoir is a heartfelt journey about family, secrets, and the search for closure. The author’s involvement in this story is evident, and I appreciated how everything came together. I learned much about Ukraine’s history and complicated relationship with Russia—struggles I was unaware of until reading this book.
However, I sometimes found the pacing slow, with some sections weighed down by overly detailed descriptions. Despite this, the family mystery kept me engaged, and I was eager to see how it would unfold. I admired Victoria’s determination to uncover the truth, even when faced with challenges.
Having also uncovered family secrets myself, I connected personally with her journey. I stand with the Ukrainian people, who continue to resist Russia’s aggression in 2025. I’m grateful to have discovered this book, which gave me a deeper understanding of Ukraine’s history and resilience.
In 2014, following Russia's annexation of Crimea and as cities from her past (Kyiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Mariupol) were plunged into conflict, she felt compelled to return. While visiting her elderly grandmother, she became determined to unravel a family mystery sparked by a simple line about her great-grandfather’s brother: “Brother Nikodim, vanished in the 1930s fighting for a free Ukraine.”
This memoir is a heartfelt journey about family, secrets, and the search for closure. The author’s involvement in this story is evident, and I appreciated how everything came together. I learned much about Ukraine’s history and complicated relationship with Russia—struggles I was unaware of until reading this book.
However, I sometimes found the pacing slow, with some sections weighed down by overly detailed descriptions. Despite this, the family mystery kept me engaged, and I was eager to see how it would unfold. I admired Victoria’s determination to uncover the truth, even when faced with challenges.
Having also uncovered family secrets myself, I connected personally with her journey. I stand with the Ukrainian people, who continue to resist Russia’s aggression in 2025. I’m grateful to have discovered this book, which gave me a deeper understanding of Ukraine’s history and resilience.