Under This Unbroken Sky is the debut novel of author Shandi Mitchell, telling the tragic, moving tale of a Ukrainian immigrant struggling to reconnect with his family and heal together after being separated from them for nearly two years. It was published in 2009.
The plot centers around Teodor Mykolayenko, a toiling Ukrainian immigrant who has survived starvation, drought, and Stalin's purges, who is released from prison after 2 years for the crime of stealing grain. He finds his family, who are barely eaking out a living on the harsh Canadian prairie, and is determined to make a better life for them now that he finally is free. However, his idealistic plans are ruined by the reappearance of his wife's ex-husband and his scheming intents that cannot end well.
Under This Unbroken Sky is a deeply poignant and beautiful tale set in a harsh landscape. It was critically acclaimed, and awarded the Thomas Raddall Atlantic Fiction Award, Commonwealth Writers' Prize, among multiple others.
