Bears or Wolves – take your choice. In March 1944 in the Ukraine, Emil and Adeline Martel and their extended family must decide whether they will wait for the Soviet bear’s incursion or follow the wolves – Nazi’s who have promised to protect pureblooded Germans and lead them to safety. Many families with German heritage have farmed land in the Ukraine for generations. They have already seen Stalin’s terror ridden regime.
The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan is historical fiction in a specialized form that I have really enjoyed lately. He was introduced to the Martels, who are a real family, and began speaking to survivors, traveling to crucial locations in the story, retracing critical parts of the Martels’ journey, and researching extensive archives and publications of the time. While it classifies as fiction, the people are real, and the story authentic. I blogged in April on a similar book, View from Pagoda Hill, where Michaela McCall wrote historical fiction based on her mother’s family.
With their knowledge of the bears, the Martels and their extended family choose to follow the wolves. Their journey puts a personal feeling on the history of the last part of World War II as they experience hunger, sickness, betrayal, and danger. Family members drop out for various reasons until only Emil, Adeline, and the two boys are left on the trek, and then Emil is taken prisoner. Yet, through it all, even as their spirits waver from time to time, Emil and Adeline hold on for one more day.
Advice from her early employer stays with Adeline and helps her cope, “I’m trying to give you the keys to a long and happy life. . . Our job in life is to endure, to be kind, and to constantly put the past behind us and not dwell too much on the future.” Emil finds a similar impetus for hanging on for survival from his Romanian friend Corporal Gheorghe who finds hope in the darkest places.
As sometimes happens, since I recommend books so regularly on my blog, a faithful reader may recommend another one I need to read. This is one of those and a very timely recommendation since it covered the period when I had to sit in my recliner for my new knee to be iced!