Out of Ukraine by Emily Gallo
Darwin’s theory puts forward the idea that life is motivated by two impulses: survival and reproduction. This exciting novel explores just how far the quest to reproduce will go. After the tragic death of their child Chloe, who contracted cancer as a toddler, Heather and Eric recover enough from their grief to try again. Their only hope is a willing surrogate in Ukraine. When the birth is imminent, Heather comes down with COVID and it is up to Eric and his mother Abby to make the trip and take custody of the newborn.
There are some routine hassles in the travel plans, but Eric and Abby make it to Kyiv, and the baby is born promptly and without complication. Eric takes custody of baby Jillian. What could go wrong? Well, just a few things: Russia invades, the American Embassy closes, the baby has neither birth certificate nor passport, transportation and communications services are in freefall, finding formula, diapers, lodging, and food for themselves is massively precarious, the temperature is in the basement, and a pandemic is raging. I forgot to mention that Abby is trying to maintain a vegetarian diet.
Out of Ukraine points up the collision between major world events and folks trying to carry on with their lives. Theorists of evolution wonder why human females live so long after their ability to reproduce has ended. The “grandmother theory” suggests that our babies are helpless for so long that they need backup from a grandmother to survive. Abby’s willingness to risk her own survival to rescue this infant would seem a case in point. This is an exciting, edge-of -your-chair read.
