The Sky Unwashed (Hardcover)

by Irene Zabytko (Author) "In the village of Starylis, during the less politically oppressive days of the Gorbachev era in the Soviet Union, the citizens working on the kolhosp,..." (more)
Key Phrases: Slavka Lazorska, Alex Anderson, Marta Fedenko (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Ukrainian-American Zabytko's poignant debut novel was inspired by the true story of villagers who defied the forced evacuation of their Ukrainian town after the nuclear accident at Chernobyl in the 1980s. The narrator is septuagenarian Marusia Petrenko, a hard-working grandmother who lives with Yurko, her only son; his wife, Zosia; and their two small children, Katia and Tarasyk, in a tiny house where only a thin curtain separates Marusia's quarters from the rest of the family's. Like many of the townspeople in Starylis, Zosia and Yurko work at the nuclear power plant in nearby Chernobyl. The drama begins one spring weekend in 1986, when several of the village's men do not return home from their shifts at the plant. One by one, the people of Starylis begin to notice a strange metallic taste in the air and to suffer from itchy, watery eyes. The official word is that there has been "a fire" at the plant, according to the militsiia who round up villagers for evacuation to Kiev. But in Kiev things are not much better. The Petrenko family is eventually separated: Marusia stays with Yurko, who is suffering from radiation sickness, and Zosia takes her children to Moscow in hopes of a better life. Over the months that follow, Marusia battles to reunite her family and to return to Starylis, which has been declared uninhabitable due to radiation. While readers may find the English transliterations of names in both Russian and Ukrainian a bit confusing (the city is Kiev on one page and Kyiv on the next, for example), this is a minor irritation in an otherwise quietly insightful novel about a indomitable individual defying the state in order to return to her home. (Mar.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Zabytko's riveting first novel explores the aftermath of the 1986 nuclear explosion in Chernobyl through the lives of inhabitants of a tiny Ukranian village. Starlis is a farm town that had become, before the accident, a bedroom community for plant workers. The book follows the foced evacuation of its townspeople to unfamiliar urban centers and charts their attempt to understand what has happened. The bureancratic shuffling and callous doublespeakl that greet their queries about both the environment and the health risks they face are vividly rendered. Throughout, Zabytko - who is Ukranian American - evokes powerful impages of listless, despondent children and wheezing, red-eyed adults, but it is her portrayal of a group of ederly women who defy government dedict and return to their homes that provides the story with heart. Readers will undoubtedly be moved by thier courage, fortitude, and spirit. Although the book occasionally veers into Anit-Communist cant, it is more often poignant and inspiring. Highlt recommended for public and academic libraries. - Eleanor J. Bader, New School for Social Research, Eugene Lang Coll., Brooklyn, NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 280 pages
• Publisher: Algonquin Books; 1st edition (March 31, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565122461
• ISBN-13: 978-1565122468
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #683,099 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An original tale, June 7, 2000

By	M. Desoer (Bay Area, California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"The Sky Unwashed" opens with the portrayal of life in a small Ukrainian village on the outskirts of Chernobyl. There is an obvious cultural divide between the old-timers who continue to till the communal land, and the younger generation who toil at the plant. However, none of them seem to fully comprehend the ticking time bomb which looms in the distance.

The horror of the Chernobyl accident, and the mishandling of the situation by the Soviet government, are disturbing. When one of the elder women of the town finds herself alone in Kiev after a governmental evacuation, she determines that she has no real alternative other than to return to the poisoned village, where others soon join her.

I couldn't put this book down. The characters are fascinating -- especially the tenacious old women who have seen so much hardship their whole lives. Their strength shines through, as they treat the radiation poisoning as just another hurdle in their lives which must be overcome.

Coincidentally, I finished reading "The Sky Unwashed" on the day that the Ukranian government finally agreed to close down the remaining reactor... Hopefully, the rest of the harm can be repaired.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If you like Camus, but wish he was more positive..., June 1, 2000

By	Daria Nebesh (Washington DC area) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you like Camus you will love Zabytko. This book reminds me of Albert Camus's works, but a bit more spiritual and a little less negative. However, the insight of a character faced with tragedy is presented in a Camus-like manner. Looking into the human spirit along with all the human falabilities and still finding humans appealing is one of Zabytko's strengths in this work.

Also, Zabytko has done something that the Ukrainian-American community should have done years ago: introduce the Ukrainian culture, mindset, and spirit to non-Ukrainians. The Ukrainian diaspora has often demanded political recognition, but it has failed to spark much interest in it's culture beyond pysanky (Easter eggs) and varenyky (pierogies). This book is what I hope is a beginning to uncovering to non-Ukrainians the complex society of Ukraine--one that is saturated with ancient traditions and torn by Soviet oppression. I encourage anyone and everyone who is curious about Ukraine, the human spirit in the face of tragedy, and loves character development to read "The Sky Unwashed." Afterwards, I garuntee the reader will be impatiently waiting for more from this fine writer.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Should be on Oprah's List!, April 21, 2000

By A Customer

As exciting a discovery as Amy Tan, Gish Jen, or even Isaac Bashevis Singer. Zabytko makes an entire culture accessible to English readers, in this timeless, moving, and unforgettable story. I don't think there has been a Ukranian writer with this combination of pathos and humor since Nicholas Gogol. This is not just a story about Chernobyl (although the story is riveting)- this is one of the rare books that could change the way you look at the world.