Book Review: Dominica’s Story

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Dominica’s Story is a quick but captivating read, focusing on a young girl’s beginnings in war-torn Ukraine and the heartbreak and hope that followed. This book is proof that even when things appear dire, often the light filters in through the cracks.

Dominica and her older sister, Sonya, were two of five siblings and the only two who were separated from their family in 1945 due to the devastating effects of World War II. Dominica was four or five years old with blond hair and blue eyes, two physical traits the Nazis desired as they planned to create a “Greater Germany.” When Dominica and Sonya (age 12 or 13) spent time in a hospital to recover from shrapnel wounds, Dominica was seized by German soldiers and recruited to be a potential future German. Sonya, ever fiercely protective, fought to stay with Dominica and both girls were put on a train to Germany.

Not long after, the Germans surrendered but the sisters were already many miles apart from their family and had no way of knowing if any of their family members had survived the war. After spending time at the International Displaced Children’s Center, they eventually immigrated to the United States.

Dominica’s journey continued in the United States, where she learned English, excelled in academics, and started her own family, becoming a mother to four girls. The strong connections in the Ukrainian community in the United States helped her discover her parents and sisters were still alive and she was able to reconnect via telephone and eventually fly her parents to the United States.

Dominica’s early life hardships were many, but she remained steadfast and hopeful in the beauty each day can bring. She was thankful for the reunion with her parents and sisters, and treasured raising her daughters and watching their families grow. This book is a true testament to the resilient nature of the human spirit and a powerful read.