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Reviewed by Keith Mbuya for Readers' Favorite
It is 1941, nine years after the devastating Holodomor in Ukraine. Two years earlier, fifteen-year-old Konstantin “Kostya” Lysenko had missed out on the mass recruitment of the Red Army for boys over the age of eighteen, unlike his older brothers, Petro and Grisha, when World War II began. The war has taken a chilling turn as the Germans invade the USSR, and now seventeen, Kostya is eager to enlist. However, because of his age, he is turned down. Like the many residents of his hometown, Mariupol, he dreads the possible reach of the fast-approaching Germans. True to his fears, the Germans arrive, and he is taken as a prisoner of war. This marks the beginning of his tumultuous and harrowing journey. Find out how it all goes down in Kostya by Scott Zimmerman.
If you are looking for a historical novel flavored with drama, thrills, gritty realism, and suspense, Kostya by Scott Zimmerman is a must-read. Here, Zimmerman weaves a compelling, visceral tale of survival, resilience, love, sheer luck, fate, and sacrifices. The raw, dynamic prose transported me back to the 1930s-40s Europe, giving me a glimpse of the harsh circumstances Ukrainians faced under Stalin’s rule and World War II. The vivid imagery captured the setting and mood with cinematic precision. As I followed the events from the famine to Mariupol’s invasion, and Kostya’s stints in the German and Russian labor camps, I got a clear image of the suffering that innocent casualties of the war were exposed to. I must applaud Zimmerman for delivering this heart-stopping and incredible story in such an intriguing way. It would make a great historical movie. I will definitely read this story again. I’m eagerly awaiting the next installment.
