Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What did you think of the novel’s dual-timeline structure, shifting between Katya’s life during the Holodomor and Cassie’s life in 2004? How did this structure affect your reading experience and your connection to the characters in each timeline?

2. Many readers come to historical fiction to learn about events they knew little about. How did reading this story affect your understanding of the Holodomor, much like other novels such as Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale or Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See illuminated aspects of World War II for a wide audience?

3. The story is filled with moments of intense tragedy and deep resilience. Which storyline, Katya’s or Cassie’s, did you find more compelling, and what was it about that character’s journey that held your attention the most?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Bobby advises Cassie that she can hold space for both her love for Henry and a new life with Nick. Have you ever had an experience that validates or refutes Bobby’s advice? Whether that experience involves a person or not, have you ever been conflicted over the idea of experiencing new love in your life?

2. Cassie feels a deep sense of guilt as she develops feelings for Nick, worrying it’s a betrayal of Henry’s memory. Have you ever been in a situation where you felt you needed to base your actions around how it would affect your relationship with somebody else? How did you resolve or navigate this dilemma?

3. The discovery of Bobby’s journal completely reshapes how Cassie and Anna understand their family’s history and their mother’s identity. Think about a time when learning a new piece of information about your own family’s past changed your perspective on a person or a memory.

4. Katya is driven by the promise she made to Pavlo to record their story so it would never be forgotten. Have you ever felt a responsibility to be the “memory keeper” for a person, a family story, or an event in your own life?

5. Anna reflects on puzzling aspects of her childhood, like her mother’s strict rules about food, which only make sense after she learns about the Holodomor. Think to your own unique family or home traditions. How were these traditions shaped by history and the experiences of older generations?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The guide notes that the Holodomor was a man-made famine suppressed by the Soviet Union and denied by some Western journalists like Walter Duranty. What does the novel suggest about the role of storytelling in countering official narratives and fighting against the erasure of historical atrocities?

2. How does the book explore the challenges and resilience of a diaspora community trying to preserve its culture far from its homeland? What do the experiences of Bobby, Nick, and their families reveal about maintaining cultural identity across generations?

3. The narrative shows how the Soviet regime empowered local collaborators like Prokyp, turning neighbors against one another. What does this reveal about how authoritarianism can corrupt a community from within, and where do we see similar dynamics of division playing out in the world today?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does the recurring symbol of the sunflower evolve throughout the story? What does its transformation from a sign of joy to a trigger for pain, and finally to a symbol of healing, reveal about Katya’s journey?

2. What narrative purpose does Birdie’s selective mutism serve, and how does her silence mirror the unspoken trauma that has haunted her family for decades?

3. The leatherbound journal is a central symbol in the novel, functioning as an act of resistance. How does its role compare to other famous diaries written under oppressive regimes, such as The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank?

4. What did you think when it was revealed that Kolya was actually Cassie’s grandfather, Nicholas? How did this twist alter your interpretation of Bobby’s life story and the theme of rebuilding life after loss?

5. The theme of intergenerational trauma is central to the story. In what specific ways do Bobby’s experiences manifest in the lives of her daughter, Anna, and her granddaughter, Cassie, before they even know the truth of her past?

6. Consider the two main antagonists in the historical timeline, Comrade Ivanov and Prokyp. How do their different motivations, one ideological and the other opportunistic, illustrate the various ways that evil can operate under a totalitarian regime?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine you are adapting The Memory Keeper of Kyiv into a film. Which scene from the book do you believe would be the most powerful or the most challenging to translate to the screen, and why?

2. The epilogue offers a deeply satisfying reunion when it’s revealed that Halya is alive. Picture the scene where Cassie and an elderly Halya meet for the first time. What do you imagine they would say to one another?

3. Cassie and Nick use Bobby’s embroidered rushnyk in their wedding ceremony, weaving a piece of the past into their future. If you were to create a modern-day rushnyk for their family, what new symbols would you add to represent their combined story of loss, resilience, and new beginnings?