In 1998, Kristin Molvik Botnmark and her family in Norway are eagerly awaiting the adoption of four-year-old Alexei from a Russian orphanage in the Murmansk region. 10-year-old Victoria is looking forward to becoming a big sister and is joyfully practicing her Russian. However, in the crises and aftermath of the Soviet Union collapse, the little boy gets lost in the political chaos that eventually led to the Russia we know today. Some years later, Victoria goes to Moscow to study, and without her parents' knowledge, she sets out to find Alexei. But in the end, she fails, and once again, Victoria feels she has lost to Russia. By chance, Victoria's parents find out about her endeavors, and together the three of them set off on a long quest to find out what happened to Alexei. In 2018, they find him in prison in Kabardino-Balkaria in the Caucasus. The story about Alexei exposes how orphans in Russia suffer under the regime; for many, the suffering will last a lifetime. The book also becomes a personal travelogue through a changing Russia. Original Norwegian title: Hva skjedde med Aleksej? Jakten pa en lillebror
A moving story of a Norwegian family's quest to adopt a Russian boy in need of care, an attempt that was crushed in the chaos of Russian politics. A significant strength of Kristin Molvik Botnmark's book is that she places the private experiences in a larger context with descriptions of the contemporary political and economic situation in Russia ... A testimony of resilience and humanity in dark times. Bernt Hagtvet, Professor of Political Science, University of Oslo
This book provides a remarkable and touching combination of literary storytelling and extensive source-based research. Using a wide range of primary and secondary sources, the author explores the underlying societal and structural factors that play a part in defining the lives of ordinary and vulnerable people in Russia. Elin Orjasaeter, Professor of Leadership & Organization, Kristiania University College
