Sydney via Siberia

On a midsummer's night in 1941, a family is illegally arrested, by order of Stalin, in cosmopolitan Riga, Latvia, and deported in cattle wagons to the frozen wilderness of Siberia.

 

Sixty years later, the son, Laimonis aka Lucky, now an actor, visits Sydney and recounts the events to his long-lost sister, Mara, and her household. Mara, an architect, missed out on arrest and suffers survivor guilt. Her son, Andy, is a depressive musician and her daughter, Zinta, a wayward activist, their problems probably effects of the initial trauma. There are many family secrets, and a mysterious old man who spooks Lucky in the supermarket. Lucky's tale helps each family member reach some stability.

 

This is a fast-paced and informative novel about survival, resilience, family and love, appealing to anyone interested in how history shapes us, or in their Latvian heritage.