Review of Our Man from the Ukraine

[Harty Muli]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Our Man from the Ukraine" by Allan LeLoup.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Harry Zakal—the main character in Allan LeLoup’s novel, Our Man from the Ukraine—and his twin brother, Paul, fled from their homeland, Lviv, Ukraine, in search of freedom from a politically instigated famine. Harry, whose father was Jewish and his mother Ukrainian, eventually settled in Kingston, Canada, where he got an engineering job with a Canadian multinational, Ferguson. Paul, on the other hand, settled in Poughkeepsie, New York, as a restaurateur. Not long afterward, Harry and his Scottish-born wife, Cynthia, sired three children, Raymond (Ray), Mary, and Charlie. However, Mary died young because of polio fever, while Charlie developed a cognitive impairment condition caused by oxygen deprivation during birth.

I liked LeLoup’s politically charged novel because it was a poignant reminder of how polarizing political rhetoric can be. Harry and Paul aptly demonstrated this when they ditched their homeland in favor of a foreign country across the political ideological divide. I also noted that the novel’s release date might have been timed to coincide with the ongoing war in Ukraine that stemmed from the deep-rooted political and ideological developments that led up to it. I thought this was an effective way of promoting the Ukrainian people’s cause toward self-determination. Through the character of Harry, LeLoup also captured fond memories of a peacetime Ukraine with its fields of wheat, its beautiful sceneries, its alluring buildings featuring foreign-inspired architecture, and its stunning women.

Thematically, liberalism and communism, among a few other “-isms,” were a few conflicting political ideologies that captured my interest and drove this narrative forward. Despite this, the novel had an ingeniously crafted plot twist that seemed to solve this problem of irreconcilable ideas. Readers will also benefit from learning about some events of historical importance, such as the great migration of people or refugees from Eastern Europe to North America, the Jewish cause, and the effects of the 1946 polio outbreak and its vaccine.

On the other hand, the book was poorly edited, and that was the only aspect I disliked about it. Because of the identified editorial errors, I rated the book 4 out of 5 stars.

Even though this novel is a work of fiction, it taps into some fundamental issues and realistic concerns about the political world we live in, its people, and its leaders. I recommend this book to any reader who finds world politics to be a bit difficult to follow. At the same time, the novel may come across as academic and intellectual because it includes material on some political governance systems practiced in various parts of the world over the years. If you are intimidated by such books, you may be better off reading elsewhere.

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Our Man from the Ukraine
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[Grace Elkana]

I must applaud Harry and Paul for doing right by their conscience; it takes a lot of heart to do what they did. In the end, politics should be about ideologies and not material gains.

[Landon Arroyos]

I love this book and read it with my sister. We came to the conclusion that politics should be more about the people and their desires rather than yours and what you believe is right for you.

[Etika Istiqomah]

I have to commend Harry and Paul for doing the right thing in their conscience. It takes a lot of heart to do what they did. After all, politics should be about ideology, not about material gain.

[Faruqinspired]

The political world we live in, its inhabitants, and its leaders are all addressed in this book, despite the fact that it is a work of fiction. Any reader who finds it a little challenging to understand world politics should read this book, in my opinion. However, because it contains information on several political government systems used in many places of the world over time, the story may come off as academic and cerebral. You might read somewhere else if such books make you feel uncomfortable.

[Chandelier Eden]

Sometimes back, I hated politics but I don't hate it anymore because I discovered that it had the power to make multiple people suffer or live happily. I just wish it is handled properly and without discrepancy. I enjoyed reading your review.

[Ian Ange]

Political world is cruel, you should just do the right thing and let then conscience wake them

[Cathy Pelicano]

"I found the story to be very predictable and not very original. However, the writing was well-done and the descriptions were vivid."

[Josephine Mercy]

Harry and Paul are two characters I will love to read more about. Great job.

[Annas Felix]

Ideologies have been at the bedrock of American politics (liberalists, communists, capitalists, socialists, and all). I like to see how these play a role in this narrative.

[Sarah Jeune]

it takes a lot of heart for them and it’s a really good story. This story shows good leadership and morals to each person

[Patty Allread]

Conflicting political ideologies are something we hear about every day in the United States. It would be interesting to discover how these "isms" and the conflicts they bring are viewed in other parts of the world, such as Easter Europe. Excellent review!

[MALESELA RATHOTSE]

At the same time, the novel may come across as academic and intellectual because it includes material on some political governance systems practiced in various parts of the world over the years. If you are intimidated by such books, you may be better off reading elsewhere.

[Wren Michaels]

Politically charged novels are not typically a genre I reach for, however your review makes this one sound really interesting

[Ngozi Christiana]

I have always loved the world of "-isms" and political concepts. That's why I think this book will be perfect for me.