Red Harvest: A Graphic Novel of the Terror Famine in Soviet Ukraine

Between 1932 and 1933, millions of Ukrainians died as a result of famine. The Holodomor Genocide causes was a direct result of Stalin’s Soviet Union’s collectivization of small private farms. //Red Harvest// is the story of one family’s struggles during these chaotic times in the heart of the Ukrainian Breadbasket. Mykola’s nightmares haunt him. But as he plans to return to Ukraine to remember such a tragic episode in history, Mykola finds a family picture from his childhood, triggering the memories that make up his story of survival.

Red Harvest by author and artist Micheal Cherkas is a historical graphic novel about the Holodomor Genocide. As a Ukrainian growing up in Ontario, Canada, Cherkas was interested in the area’s history, including the darker episodes. He tells his story through the memories of a child growing up during that time. Working with only black and white, Cherkas portrays the tragedy and helplessness felt by millions of people at that time. The Holodomor Genocide is little known by many outside the Ukrainian community. With the recent war of Russia once again trying to force its dominance on the area, this is a crucial reminder of not letting history repeat itself.