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This book is packed with adventure and has somewhat of a historical fiction feel to it. I read this book because the title was very interesting to me.

Jake's family is moving to the Soviet Union. The Great Depression has hit northern Minnesota mining towns hard, and father hears of an opportunity to help establish a Utopian community of Finnish immigrants in the Soviet Union where all will work and all will share in the rewards. What starts out as a difficult adjustment becomes a family nightmare as Stalin takes over and begins to do away with anyone bold enough to disagree with his mandates. William Durbin is a Minnesota author, and often writes about Minnesota history. This story is set in the early 1900's in the Finnish communities of northern Minnesota, and northern Russia. It is based on real events that didn't come to light until the 1990's and the breakup of the former Soviet Union. A fascinating read. ( )