A story of the strength of the human spirit, the personal cost of conflict, and how love can be found even in the darkest times.
About The Lost Daughters of the Ukraine
Halya, Liliya and Vika are no strangers to sorrow—they lost family during the Holodomor and loved ones in Stalin's purges. Now, war looms once more on the horizon, and these daughters of Ukraine must face devastation and loss as they fight to survive and protect the ones they love.
About Erin
Erin Litteken is an international bestselling author of historical fiction. She draws inspiration from her family roots, and in particular, her great-grandmother’s stories about life in Ukraine before, during, and after WWII. She lives outside of St. Louis with her husband and two children.
The Holodomor
Holodomor: from moryty holodom, to cause suffering and death by means of starvation. Stalin's man-made terror famine killed millions of Ukrainians in 1932-1933.
Praise for Erin's Work
Ukraine's tragic history painfully echoes its current crisis, and on every page the Ukrainian spirit shines out, unbowed, unbent, and unbroken... a compelling, timely read.
—Kate Quinn, New York Times Bestselling Author of
The Diamond Eye
I was utterly gripped by this beautiful novel from the very first page! ... A compelling and intimate story of love and survival. Everybody should read this story.
—Christy Lefteri, Bestselling Author of
The Beekeeper of Aleppo
This beautifully written snapshot of Ukraine's history is both timely and heart-rending... And how important a reminder that where there's life, there's hope.
—Fiona Valpy, Bestselling Author of
The Dressmaker's Gift
Emotionally riveting and honest... simultaneously shines an unflinching light on historical atrocities while it celebrates the resilience of the human spirit. You won't soon forget this stunning debut.
—Paulette Kennedy, author of
The Witch of Tin Mountain
The Memory Keeper of Kyiv is a meticulously researched novel... depicting a country whose people managed to dig deep enough to find the strength, determination and heart to survive.
—Deborah Carr, USA Today Bestselling Author of An Island at War
Breathtaking. Devastating. Erin Litteken's The Memory Keeper of Kyiv chronicles a defining but forgotten moment of Ukrainian history through the shared joys and griefs, lives and deaths of one indomitable family. This would be an important book at any time but is an absolutely vital one now.
—Amanda McCrina, author of
The Silent Unseen
“A stunning portrait of Ukraine
and its people, of strength, of endurance…
A remarkable read not to be missed.”
—Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of
Before We Were Yours
Women’s Fiction Writers Star Award Winner 2023
Winner of the She Reads Best Historical Fiction 2022
“A stunning portrait of Ukraine
and its people, of strength, of endurance…
A remarkable read not to be missed.”
—Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of
Before We Were Yours
Women’s Fiction Writers Star Award Winner 2023
Winner of the She Reads Best Historical Fiction 2022
Latest Blog Post
Ukraine: A Legacy of Resilience
One of my favorite things to do as a child was listen to my great-grandmother’s stories about Ukraine. I’d spend hours staring at the pictures on her wall–images of the places and people she and my great-grandfather left behind when they fled Nazi and Soviet oppression with their three young children during WW2. Most with Ukrainian heritage…
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The Lost Daughters of Ukraine, Reader Letter
It’s been over one year since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In that time, countless war crimes have been committed. Thousands of Ukrainian children have been kidnapped. Tens of thousands of soldiers and innocent civilians have died. Millions of families have been displaced. Throughout it all, the world has witnessed the strength and tenacity of…
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The Memory Keeper of Kyiv, Reader Letter
Dear Readers, The seeds of this story took root in my mind even before Russia invaded Crimea in 2014, and now I sit drafting this letter while the news of Russia’s brutal attack on Ukraine–its cities, its civilians, its future–plays on the television in the background. I never imagined the release of my novel on a past…
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