An evocative debut novel of historical fiction, set in the heart of Ukraine, and ultimately spanning to the frozen reaches of Siberia.

Our story begins 1904 with Dunia, a nine year old girl growing up in the idyllic village of Kobeliaky, Ukraine, where her family lives off the land, cultivating crops, raising sheep, and weaving exquisite carpets. Life flows in harmony with the seasons, offering a sense of peace and purpose. Dunia marries and starts her own family, but the tides of history bring devastating change. When Stalin rises to power, the regime’s collective farming policies seize the land and uproot the people. Dunia’s unwavering religious beliefs lead to her arrest and exile to the Siberian gulags.

In the face of unthinkable loss and relentless hardship, Dunia’s faith becomes her anchor. Transforming through her experiences, she discovers unexpected grace and strength in the bleakest circumstances. Her journey is one of resilience and survival, but also of spiritual evolution, as she learns to let go and embrace the unexpected in her path to survival and renewal.

Dunia: A Garden in the Gulag is a heartfelt tribute to the power of faith, the endurance of the human spirit, and the legacy of family history. It invites listeners into a world shaped by love, loss, and the unyielding determination to thrive against all odds.