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Them Days
Discrimination, war in Europe, a pandemic. . .
Sofiya, a young Ukrainian immigrant, experiences all of this and more. It could be 2022, but it's Manitoba in the early 1900s.
Sofiya is the third consecutive girl born on a poor homestead near Gimli in 1903. She is bright and feisty but nothing more is expected of her than to be a domestic, and at age thirteen she is sent to be a maid to a wealthy family in Winnipeg. There, she experiences the condescension of the English towards the 'Bohunks', while her half-brother is interned during WW1, deemed an enemy alien.
While the Great War is raging in Europe, an undeclared war between the classes is being fought at home. This conflict comes to a head in the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 when the working classes rise up against their English masters, shut down the city and demand a better deal. The city is divided and everyone must choose a side.
Them Days takes you on Sofiya's journey, as she discovers what it means to be an immigrant and a woman, struggling to find love and her identity – at the same time that Canada is breaking free from Mother England's apron strings.
Sofiya, a young Ukrainian immigrant, experiences all of this and more. It could be 2022, but it's Manitoba in the early 1900s.
Sofiya is the third consecutive girl born on a poor homestead near Gimli in 1903. She is bright and feisty but nothing more is expected of her than to be a domestic, and at age thirteen she is sent to be a maid to a wealthy family in Winnipeg. There, she experiences the condescension of the English towards the 'Bohunks', while her half-brother is interned during WW1, deemed an enemy alien.
While the Great War is raging in Europe, an undeclared war between the classes is being fought at home. This conflict comes to a head in the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 when the working classes rise up against their English masters, shut down the city and demand a better deal. The city is divided and everyone must choose a side.
Them Days takes you on Sofiya's journey, as she discovers what it means to be an immigrant and a woman, struggling to find love and her identity – at the same time that Canada is breaking free from Mother England's apron strings.
332 pages, Paperback
Published April 22, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 26, 2022
Born in 1903 on a homestead in Manitoba, Sofiya is the third-born daughter of a poor Ukrainian immigrant family. Expected to work, at thirteen-years-old, Sofiya is sent to work as a maid for a wealthy English family in Winnipeg, where she experiences firsthand how prejudiced Canadian society really is.
While the first world war raged in Europe, a different type of war was being waged between the social classes in Canada. Ukrainian-Canadian men are arrested without charges and thrown into labor camps across the country. After the war, unemployment was high, and many workers were unable to make ends meet. Food and housing were near impossible to afford, and among the hardest hit were working-class immigrants. The continuous buildup of anger and resentment led to the largest strike in Canadian history.
As Sofiya navigates through this new and complicated world and its harsh political climate, she must figure out what her views are. Most importantly, she must find meaning in her own identity as an immigrant and as a woman of the twentieth century.
Them Days is a historical fiction novel by Canadian author Glenn P. Booth set in the early 1900s in Winnipeg, Canada. This well-researched novel depicts the harsh life of immigrants and the discrimination and prejudice they face in their day-to-day lives. The story follows the life of Ukrainian immigrant Sofiya, a young girl who´s bright, spirited, and enthusiastic about experiencing life to the fullest, which for her may sometimes include a harsh and difficult path. With her strong and positive character, she faces these obstacles in stride, and as the story progresses, the reader will witness her development as a person.
This coming-of-age story is narrated through the main character's perspective. It is incredibly interesting and provides an accurate description of early twentieth-century Canada and its social situation. The narrative is captivating and makes a topic that may otherwise sound dull seem incredibly fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it, the story flows beautifully, and the characters are very captivating. I suggest any historical fiction fan pick it up for an informative yet entertaining read.
While the first world war raged in Europe, a different type of war was being waged between the social classes in Canada. Ukrainian-Canadian men are arrested without charges and thrown into labor camps across the country. After the war, unemployment was high, and many workers were unable to make ends meet. Food and housing were near impossible to afford, and among the hardest hit were working-class immigrants. The continuous buildup of anger and resentment led to the largest strike in Canadian history.
As Sofiya navigates through this new and complicated world and its harsh political climate, she must figure out what her views are. Most importantly, she must find meaning in her own identity as an immigrant and as a woman of the twentieth century.
Them Days is a historical fiction novel by Canadian author Glenn P. Booth set in the early 1900s in Winnipeg, Canada. This well-researched novel depicts the harsh life of immigrants and the discrimination and prejudice they face in their day-to-day lives. The story follows the life of Ukrainian immigrant Sofiya, a young girl who´s bright, spirited, and enthusiastic about experiencing life to the fullest, which for her may sometimes include a harsh and difficult path. With her strong and positive character, she faces these obstacles in stride, and as the story progresses, the reader will witness her development as a person.
This coming-of-age story is narrated through the main character's perspective. It is incredibly interesting and provides an accurate description of early twentieth-century Canada and its social situation. The narrative is captivating and makes a topic that may otherwise sound dull seem incredibly fascinating. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it, the story flows beautifully, and the characters are very captivating. I suggest any historical fiction fan pick it up for an informative yet entertaining read.
October 10, 2022
A wonderful fictionalized account of Ukrainian immigrant Sophiya as she grows and comes of age in Winnipeg, Canada at the turn of the last century. The book is inspired by the author's family history of what his ancestors endured and the political climate they found themselves in. After reading this book, I often find myself thinking of Sophiya, especially in light of the current war in Ukraine. She's a sympathetic character and one that has stuck with me. This is a story all Canadians should read and should be in every classroom. We need more stories like this, and the author handles the telling of this story with sensitivity, and careful research, and he is an engaging storyteller. I'm sure I'll be reading it again at some point.
September 19, 2022
A view of Canada from very different eyes than my own. I’m embarrassed to say I knew so very little of this history. Of Canada’s prejudices, it’s acceptances, and the overall culture. It is a very well researched picture of Canada. I was so interested I looked up various occurrences and studied them. I could have gotten it all right here. While I have sometimes called such books rather “academic”, this one is never dry but rather a flowing story. Of interest to everyone.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews