Red Harvest (GN)

Title: Red Harvest (GN)
Publisher: NBM
Writer/Artist: Michael Cherkas
Price: $ 19.99 US
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Website: www.nbmpub.com
Comments: This book is based on a true historical event Holodomor a famine in the Soviet Ukraine. 
  Mykola Kovalenko has a farm in Ontario, Canada where he and his family live. He is planning a trip to his old country and as he remembers about his childhood you begin to feel his pain. You will not fully feel it you cannot unless you have suffered as he has. 
  Mykola and his family had a good life while he was growing up. He enjoyed the simple things in life. Being with family, and lots of food. You can easily see change is coming whether it is liked or not it is on its way. 
  You can feel how the farmers feel about their losing their farms to the state. Many are against it yet they find they can do nothing to stop it. You will feel their hopelessness and feel sorry for what is happening to them. 
  The black and white art definitely suits the story. It is soft and subdued and brings out the hurt and pain these people are feeling. There is also anger from those who serve the State and think they are right. 
  The heartbreak that is caused to families is overwhelming. We see one split apart by one man Borys being overbearing and cruel. He cares for no one and nothing but himself and doing what he thinks is right for the State. Nadya for her family sacrificed way more than she wanted to yet she did it to help save her family. She was a true hero. 
  As we see family reunited it will bring a tear to your eye. People can survive anything or die trying. So much hardship was put on the Ukrainain people, yet they continued on. 

Richard Vasseur