A review by tetiana
Bygone Badass Broads: 52 Forgotten Women Who Changed the World by Mackenzi Lee
3.0
Really entertaining, with amazing illustrations.
Unfortunately, the entry on Mariya Oktyabrskaya made me want to shake the book, yelling, “THIS IS NOT HOW IT WORKED!”
Two points that irked me the most:
Born into dirt-eating levels of poverty
Yeah, you know why? Because in 1930s her Ukrainian family underwent “dekulakization”, which left them, along with countless other well-to-do Ukrainian farmers (including my family), destitute.
She also didn’t start as Oktyabrskaya. Her maiden name is Garagulya, her husband’s original last name – Ryadnenko. Both are very Ukrainian-sounding, which is a strong factor in them taking a politically-appropriate name of Oktyabrskiye (after the revolution of 1917).
The confusion Lee experiences between Russia and Ukraine is typical of Americans, but not something I’m willing to overlook.
Also, this:
Being a good communist housewife, Mariya stayed home and hated the Nazis from a distance.
Communist housewife, LOL. It makes me doubt all the other entries as well. Not ideal for a historical nonfiction book. I mean, I had fun, but do I 100% believe what’s in here? Not really.
Unfortunately, the entry on Mariya Oktyabrskaya made me want to shake the book, yelling, “THIS IS NOT HOW IT WORKED!”
Two points that irked me the most:
Born into dirt-eating levels of poverty
Yeah, you know why? Because in 1930s her Ukrainian family underwent “dekulakization”, which left them, along with countless other well-to-do Ukrainian farmers (including my family), destitute.
She also didn’t start as Oktyabrskaya. Her maiden name is Garagulya, her husband’s original last name – Ryadnenko. Both are very Ukrainian-sounding, which is a strong factor in them taking a politically-appropriate name of Oktyabrskiye (after the revolution of 1917).
The confusion Lee experiences between Russia and Ukraine is typical of Americans, but not something I’m willing to overlook.
Also, this:
Being a good communist housewife, Mariya stayed home and hated the Nazis from a distance.
Communist housewife, LOL. It makes me doubt all the other entries as well. Not ideal for a historical nonfiction book. I mean, I had fun, but do I 100% believe what’s in here? Not really.