The Soviet Sisters

The Soviet Sisters by Anika Scott is a historical fiction novel that takes readers back to the Soviet Union during the 1930s. The story follows the lives of two sisters, Katya and Masha Ivanova, who are the daughters of a high-ranking official in Stalin's regime.

The book begins with a prologue that sets the stage for the rest of the story. It's 1930, and the Ivanova family is on vacation in the countryside. While exploring the woods, the two sisters come across a group of children playing near a river. One of the children, a young boy, is drowning in the water, and the sisters quickly jump in to save him. However, as they bring the boy to safety, they are caught by a group of NKVD agents, who accuse them of spying and sabotage. The prologue ends with the sisters being taken away by the NKVD, and the rest of the book follows their journey through Stalin's oppressive regime.

The novel is divided into four parts, each of which follows a different stage of the sisters' lives. Part One takes place in 1933, three years after the prologue. The sisters have been released from prison and are living in a small village in Siberia, where they are struggling to make a life for themselves. Masha, the younger sister, has been scarred by their experience in prison and is afraid to trust anyone. Katya, on the other hand, is determined to fight against the injustices of the regime and has become involved with a group of dissidents who are trying to bring down Stalin's government.

Part Two takes place in 1935, and the sisters have moved to Moscow. Katya has become a journalist and is working for a newspaper that is critical of the Soviet government. Masha, meanwhile, has fallen in love with a young doctor named Lev, who is also a dissident. The two sisters find themselves caught up in a web of political intrigue and danger as they try to navigate their way through Stalin's regime.

Part Three takes place in 1937, and the sisters' lives have taken a dramatic turn for the worse. Stalin's purges are in full swing, and anyone who is perceived as a threat to the regime is being arrested, tortured, and killed. Katya and Masha find themselves once again imprisoned and subjected to brutal interrogations by the NKVD. They are forced to confront the horrors of Stalin's regime and the betrayal of those they thought were their allies.

The final part of the book takes place in 1941, during World War II. The sisters have been released from prison and are living in Moscow once again. They are now working for the Soviet government, but they are still haunted by the traumas of their past. As they try to rebuild their lives in the midst of war, they must confront their own fears and doubts and find a way to move forward.

Overall, The Soviet Sisters is a gripping and thought-provoking novel that offers a fascinating glimpse into the realities of life in Stalin's Soviet Union. Anika Scott's writing is both evocative and engaging, and her characters are complex and fully realized. The book is a powerful reminder of the importance of freedom, justice, and human rights, and it will leave readers with a deep appreciation for the resilience of the human spirit.