In 1941 Yefim Shulman, a seventeen-year-old Ukrainian Jew, was in the army. He was more than willing to fight for the Soviet Union in order to stop Hitler. The aftermath of just one battle led to a series of events that he decided to keep secret. At first, it was for his own survival and later for the benefit of his family.
YOUR PRESENCE IS MANDATORY, by Sasha Vasilyuk, is based on actual events and spans seven decades. Brought alive in vivid detail is what life was like for Yefim from WWII to the present war between Ukraine and Russia.
Yefim may not have been perfect, but he loved his wife, children and grandchildren. He was considered a war veteran and a hero. After all, he had made it to Berlin. He knew what the consequences would be for himself and his family if he ever told the truth about the years he was gone. However, concealing the truth from the KGB was not easy. It was not until after Yefim had died did his family discovered the secret he had harbored for so many decades. Did this affect his legacy?
YOUR PRESENCE IS MANDATORY is a debut novel and I found it to be profound and informative. I learned a great deal by reading this book and I consider this to be a good thing. Well written and engrossing, this book is well worth reading.
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