Good Citizens Need Not Fear is a collection of linked short stories set in a housing complex in Ukraine in the years leading up to and following the fall of the Soviet Union. Residents of the 10-story housing complex, 1933 Ivansk Street, face struggles that US readers will be familiar with like poverty, health concerns, and government bureaucracy as well as uniquely Ukrainian threats like being spied on by neighbors and sent to Siberia.
I really enjoyed this engaging short story collection which places characters in relatable, yet Kafkaesque situations. The story, "Roach Broach," even revolves around a Madagascar hissing cockroach. (Did you know wearing a live bejeweled cockroach was once a trend?) In "Bone Music," a recluse imprints bootleg Western music onto X-ray films. In "Letter of Apology," a government official is tasked with acquiring a poet’s apology for telling a joke at The Party's expense.
Readers who appreciate thought-provoking global stories and darkly wry, pointed humor will enjoy Good Citizens Need Not Fear by Maria Reva. Reva was born in Ukraine and grew up in Canada. The stories in Good Citizens Need Not Fear offer an illuminating view of the history of Ukraine.
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