American Ending

A Novel

By: Mary Kay Zuravleff

Narrated by: Mary Kay Zuravleff

A woman growing up in a family of Russian immigrants in the 1910s seeks a thoroughly American life.

Yelena is the first American born to her Old Believer Russian Orthodox parents, who are building a life in a Pennsylvania Appalachian town. This town, in the first decades of the twentieth century, is filled with Russian transplants and a new church with a dome. Here, boys quit grade school for the coal mines and girls are married off at fourteen. The young pair up, give birth to more babies than they can feed, and make shaky starts in their new world. However, Yelena craves a different path. Will she find her happy American ending, or will a dreaded Russian ending be her fate?

In this immersive novel, Zuravleff weaves Russian fairy tales and fables into a family saga within the storied American landscape. The challenges facing immigrants-and the fragility of citizenship-are just as unsettling and surprising today as they were 100 years ago.

American Ending is a poignant reminder that everything that is happening in America has already happened.

©2023 Mary Kay Zuravleff (P)2024 Tantor

Good over-arching themes, kind of educational

I liked the themes and the story in general, although they weren’t super crazy life-changing, for me at least! Really interesting and personal look into Russian-American and Orthodox cultures for an American Catholic who doesn’t know too much about either. Made me want to educate myself more on the subjects for sure! The narrator, who I believe is also the author, does this weird swallowing sound about every 5 minutes of the audiobook which was distracting for me BUT otherwise great narration. Overall, I would recommend this book to a friend!

shows a realistic version in an immigrant life

I like that it tells the story over the course years and included the pandemic and prohibition. early 1900s. Russian American story

Accurate and captivating

A beautifully rendered portrait of a Pennsylvania coal mining town, written with the kind of intimacy that only comes from deep research and family stories. I’d like to believe that Yelena carved out her own perfect American ending.

not much

I did not like the audio at all. she sounded like she was either eating or drinking

Rich characters make history come to life.

This story wove itself together from the fairytale premise, through the gritty realities of immigrant life to the conclusion of continuing your own story.
Mary Kay’s talent is definitely the ability to create diverse characters and make them interact as real people. The love hate relationship of sisters, the maturing appreciation of a mother’s words, all tell a story of real relationships.
The history combined with storytelling brings the coal mining and immigrant community to life.
She might have snuck in a couple Oklahoma references as well.
All in all, a great book. American Ending.