The impact of Covid-19
The main theme in the novel is the impact of Covid-19. Many people died during the pandemic, and those who survived lived under strict guidelines. For instance, the interaction of people was restricted. Schools and other institutions were indefinitely closed. The novel's protagonist, Mathew, is among the people who were affected by Covid-19 restrictions. For instance, Mathew could not go to school and became lonely every day because he was never allowed to play with other children. Mathew’s father was stuck in France because the airspace was closed in response to combating the spread of Covid-19.
Sadism
Sadism is a key topic in the novel. Papa Stalin intentionally engineered the Ukraine famine to eliminate people involved in the Ukrainian political movement that demanded independence. Papa Stalin was a sadistic leader of the Soviet Union and wanted to rule forever. Millions of people died in the engineered 1930s famine. The author shows how some leaders can use evil means to eliminate their competitors at the expense of poor civilians.
A Family Secret
A family secret is an important theme in the novel because the grandmother has hidden vital information from her family members for decades. When Mathew unpacks his grandmother's boxes, he finds a black-and-white photograph that reveals the disturbing secrets of the family's past. The discussion between Mathew and the grandmother about the photo reveals dark family secrets. For instance, close family members died in the 1932 horrific famine in Ukraine. The Soviet Union government covered the impact of the famine, and many people in the current generation do not know what happened.
