Ratings7
Average rating4.1
An inspiring memoir of resilience by a young survivor of the war in Ukraine, as told through her diary entries—a harrowing and ultimately hopeful survival story. Yeva Skalietska’s story begins on her twelfth birthday in Kharkiv, where she has been living with her grandmother since she was a baby. Ten days later, the only life she’d ever known was shattered. On February 24, 2022, her city was suddenly under attack as Russia launched its horrifying invasion of Ukraine. Yeva and her grandmother took shelter in a basement bunker, where she began writing this diary. She describes the bombings she endured while sheltering underground and her desperate journey west to escape the conflict raging around them. After many endless train rides and a prolonged stay in an overcrowded refugee center in Western Ukraine, Yeva and her beloved grandmother eventually find refuge in Ireland. There, she bravely begins to forge a new life, hoping she’ll be able to return home one day. Hardcover with dust jacket; 128 pages; 7.5 in H x 5 in W.
Reviews with the most likes.
Rating: 5 stars of 5
You Don???t Know What War Is reminded me, in a way, of The Diary of Anne Frank. It is a heart-wrenching account of Russia???s atrocious invasion of Ukraine from the eyes of a young girl who has just celebrated her 12th birthday. Yeva starts her story on a normal day before her world was upended, then brings us with her as she journals her way through the hours, days and weeks to come as she and her family leave their home as refugees to seek safety from the nightmare of war.
This little book (you can probably read it in about an hour) will touch your heart, make you cry and forever stick in your memory. It???s beautifully written.