when writing about Valentina, to show both her callow and callous nature and also to try to understand what made her that way?

Although it is set within a Ukrainian British family and it takes hilarious advantage of this fact, it reveals a lot about families generally. Particularly, the interactions and dynamics between family members. Some readers really disliked this one, claiming the characters are insufferable. I can see why it might seem so in print, but in the audiobook they were quite well-defined (quibble though that Vera and Valentina were kind of similar sounding names, so I got them a bit confused at times). Since we see the action through the point-of-view of the younger daughter Nadia, naturally we're going to find the sister she dislikes (or at least resents) offputting; at least until the full story comes out later in the book. Nadia is a bit of a put-upon mouse at first, but comes into her own as well. Valentina may be scheming and materialistic, but a golden opportunity was thrust at her, so no surprise she took it! Their father did, indeed, put himself into the mess, but he did so much for the family over the years (as becomes evident later), that I could forgive him a well-intentioned idea ("rescuing" a Ukrainian woman and her son) gone horribly wrong. The book's not perfect - for one thing, I found the War years details clunkily done, awkward to get through. No spoiler, but the later developments were a bit much also: one key player comes to England as part of a long-term conference/training scheme ... yet speaks no English! Still, the farce helps balance out the more serious details of the family's painful past. Captures the peculiar flavour of Eastern European immigrant life . . . a very rich mixture indeed' Daily Express Were your parents, like Nadia's, reluctant to discuss their past, particularly wartime events? How well informed were you about life in member who seemed to be entering into such a flawed allegiance? How far would you go to stop such a wedding? Do you think that NadiaWhen I was writing for Age Concern, I spent a lot of time listening to the stories of older people, and their loving but exasperated sons and Meanwhile, fired up by passion, Nikolai is writing his own eccentric contribution to human knowledge, a history of tractors, through which

Summary: A good if undemanding read that tells a farcically funny but touching tale from the life of Ukrainian immigrant family in Britain. The roots of the story reach to the Revolution, the Ukrainian famine in the 30's and the WW2; the contemporary story moves swiftly and the tractors appear only infrequently as a historical metaphor. Borrow before buying as it might be just a one-time-read. clothes, their faces unlined, and laughing as though they had no idea what life would throw at them. I think this book goes one step further. Although there might be happiness and unhappiness in this family, I don't think they stop to think and dwell on it that much. It isn't a cause of self-pity. They just get on with their lives in a relentless way. You know, in real life, we often think nasty and uncharitable thoughts about people which we are much too nice to ever give voice to. What I Her name is Valentina, he tells me. But she is more like Venus. "Botticelli's Venus rising from waves. Golden hair. Charming eyes. Superior breasts. When you see her you will understand."

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for a life in England are similar to those of other immigrants? How does Nadia struggle with the dissonance between being an immigrant herself and At the beginning, Valentina was more of a caricature, but as I fell in love with her, I tried to understand who she really was, and how she came to be as she Man, this book needed an editor, or at least one more (ruthless) revision. But it was nominated for the Booker, so what the hell do I know? What I do know, though, is this manuscript as is would never have made it out alive if presented to my writer's group. Nadia's vibrant voice, knowing, self-deprecating and witty, acts as both guide and interpreter for her complicated and sometimes outrageous family.

rationally. What does this suggest about the benefits and limitations of our attempts at logical explanation, particularly as regards our families? course it was a situation that I had come across in my work on elder care, not just old men falling for unscrupulous young women, but also oldAlso I think the whole tractor section was irrelevant. I have to admit I skimmed some of the latter ones because the earlier ones had been so boring As predicted, Valentina is extremely careless with what little finances he has; she demands very specific brand names on the things he is mandated to provide her with, including three vehicles and a specific color pressure cooker. She is obviously seeing other men, but her adultery is something her husband refuses to admit (only indirectly when she has a son that is not his). She also begins emotionally, physically, verbally abusing him. Blinded by three primary things, physical infatuation, his desire to have a son (Standinolov, her son, has come from Ukraine with Valentina), + his perceived obligation to save those from his country (Ukraine is still currently in communism rule, impoverished communities), their father continues alternating, sometimes simultaneously, proclaiming his love for her and/or expressing his fear that she will murder him. Indeed, Valentina is quite the colorful character, initiating numerous hilarious scenarios. Coupled with a slightly senile old man for a husband, two feuding sisters, and their mother, still very alive in spirit, all with colorful personalities of their own, you have a cast of characters made for a comedy show. to her, and recorded what she said on tape. That tape, I thought, would one day be the basis of a novel. I know now that I was wrong. This is a well-written, very funny story about a sad situation and some serious concepts.

Two years after my mother died, my father fell in love with a glamorous blonde Ukranian divorcee. He was eighty-four and she wasYour narrator Nadia struggles to understand Valentina, and to resist her worst impulses towards her. Was it hard to find the right tone