(book review)

This review will be dedicated to the wonderful book by Ukrainian writer Ivan Bagryany “Tiger Hunters.”

This is truly the most exciting Ukrainian adventure novel Ive read! This is a story written during 1943-1944 about a Ukrainian young man, Hryhoriy Mnohohrishny, who escapes from the death train who carried his hard labor. The Soviet authorities tortured him for almost 2 years and sentenced him to 25 years in exile for crimes he didnt commit. In the Siberian forest, he saves the girl Natalka from an angry bear, and her family threats him as their own son. The novel is permeated with tense moments, flashes of happiness and sorrow, dynamism and many descriptions of the protagonists` feelings. As you read the book, you keep empathizing, worrying, and rejoicing with the characters. Do you know what I felt when I finished reading this book? Absolute delight and probably a hundred emotions at once.

Among the undeniable advantages I can name the main idea of ​​the “Tiger Hunters.” It is clearly traced in a quote from the book “But – the brave ones are always having happiness.” The author showed the steadfastness of the entire Ukrainian people, our strength of spirit and will to live independently through the image of the main character. This topic is extremely inspiring, as well as the detailed description of wild nature and animals in the book, which can also be added to the pros.

As a minus of the novel, I can emphasize some depressive plot lines. Although if you look at all Ukrainian literature, you will find almost no positive. Also, not everyone may like the open finale of Gregory’s story. Ivan Bagryany forces readers to think independently about the future of the book’s heroes. Who knows if they find their own happiness and where life will bring them? As one of the heroes in the book said, “It is better to die running than to live rotting.” Maybe that’s the answer to my question.

To sum up, I can rate “Tiger Hunters” at 9.5 out of 10, because the novel as a whole is noteworthy. The topic of freedom and justice will always be relevant today. I definitely recommend this book to everyone! You will definitely not regret reading it and even add it to your list of favorite works, just like me.