Sonya Vselubska / Tie2.lt

In recent years, Ukrainian literature has been attracting more and more interest. Through literature, whether classic or contemporary, one can find answers to various questions and concerns that relate not only to the national identity but also to the personal. Today, Ukraine is experiencing a powerful wave of reading culture, with new books being actively published and classic literature regaining popularity in schools.

This selection features some of the most popular books read by Ukrainians over the past three years. These books are often discussed among friends and consistently rank high in sales at bookstores. The selection combines examples of both contemporary prose and non-fiction, as well as classic works and poetry that have become relevant in light of the full-scale invasion.

“I See You’re Interested in Darkness” by Illarion Pavliuk

“I See You’re Interested in Darkness” tells the story of criminal psychologist Andriy Hayster, who is sent as a consultant to the village of Buskiv Sad. One night, a little girl suddenly disappears there, but the case is not being rushed to be solved. Although a serial killer is operating in the village, the additional problem is that sheer evil is primarily bred by the indifference of the residents.

This is a story about the darkness within everyone and about the honesty that does not always triumph over forgetting for the sake of peace. Illarion filled the book with numerous allusions, including images based on the works of Bosch, and the details of emotionally heavy moments are grounded in the memories of himself and his close ones, particularly using recollections of the war in Afghanistan. Literary critics have repeatedly noted the ease of writing that compels readers to finish the book in one breath. “I See You’re Interested in Darkness” became the best-selling book in Ukraine in 2023, and by 2024, it topped the charts of the most popular e-books.

“Field Research on Ukrainian Sex” by Oksana Zabuzhko

Oksana Zabuzhko is a well-known Ukrainian writer and feminist literary scholar. Back in the independent Ukraine in 1996, she published a novel that created a genuine resonance. The book contains erotic scenes, and the author contemplated the Ukrainian female identity of a free woman in a free country. In particular, “Field Research on Ukrainian Sex” is dedicated to reflections on how the post-Soviet transformation of the Ukrainian people is unfolding and the problems her society faces. Later, in an interview, Zabuzhko mentioned that this novel is the result of her “internal dialogue that had lasted throughout her youth with Kundera.” The novel hints at an autobiographical aspect and tells about the complicated relationship between a Ukrainian poetess and a sculptor, alternating these stories with episodes from the lives of people around the protagonist.

When Zabuzhko finished the text, the publishing system was still at a Soviet level. However, over the past 28 years, the book has had 17 reprints, becoming one of the most translated Ukrainian works in history and finally gaining a new wave of popularity among Ukrainian readers in recent years.

“The City” by Valerian Pidmohyl’nyi

“The City” tells the story of an ambitious young man, Stepan Radchenko, who moves from a village to the big city of Kyiv to get an education. There, he builds a new life, meets similar young men and women, and, accepting the urban order, tries to conquer the city.

“The City” is perhaps the first example in Ukrainian literature where the main theme is urbanism. The book reflects the conflict between rural and urban life, with the story focusing on the psyche of the characters and raising philosophical questions about existence—something that was very unusual for national literature but exactly what was needed at the end of the 1920s. Pidmohyl’nyi illustrates the dramatic development of the protagonist under the pressure of the city through his relationships with women, who serve as sources of creative inspiration and catalysts for change. Overall, “The City” is a very easy-to-read novel filled with irony and vivid descriptions, which makes it feel like contemporary Ukrainian literature. Perhaps that is why the theme of the young ambitious soul on a rocky path to development remains eternally relevant.

“Ask Mieychka” by Yevheniya Kuznetsova

The book tells the story of two sisters, Mieychka and Lilychka, who decide to spend the summer in their childhood home. There, they must confront the secrets of the past to find new directions in life. Many of the problems faced by the female protagonists are related to men, and the leading themes of the book are generational inheritance, female mutual support, and motherhood.

It can be said that the main character of the book is the home, which, like a person, is dependent on the feeling of home. It is important how the author was able to describe the utopian atmosphere of the native home, where tranquility reigns. Readers often describe “Ask Mieychka” as a real find in Ukrainian literature, as a book that helps both to distract and to inspire. In particular, the book is written in a very accessible and simple language, making it popular among those learning the Ukrainian language. This is why Kuznetsova’s book has become increasingly popular over time, with sales doubling in 2023 compared to 2021.

Anthology of Ukrainian Poetry of the 20th Century

In 2017, the publishing house “A-BA-BA-HA-LA-MA-HA” released a unique book. “Anthology of Ukrainian Poetry of the 20th Century” is a voluminous collection featuring significant poetry from the most prominent Ukrainian poets of the 20th century—from Tyutchev to Zhadan. This edition, with its blue cover, is the most popular, as it is the most compact in form while also being a unique poetic anthology.

The “Anthology of Ukrainian Poetry of the 20th Century” has received considerable recognition and awards, including the Grand Prix at the All-Ukrainian ranking “Book of the Year-2017.”

The book has 2016 pages and is now found on the shelves of many Ukrainians worldwide, as it contains poems for every taste and occasion. Inside the anthology, one can find both classics that are part of school curricula (Taras Shevchenko, Ivan Franko, Lesya Ukrainka) and more contemporary authors who are still writing poetry today (Oksana Zabuzhko, Serhiy Zhadan, Vasyl Herasymyuk). Commenting on this book, Serhiy Zhadan himself stated that poetry should be accessible, and this anthology “should be in every hotel room in Ukraine.”

“Tiger Catchers” by Ivan Bahrianyi

This novel by the well-known Ukrainian classic Ivan Bahrianyi was written while he was in Western Ukraine in 1943. While in Nazi-occupied Western Ukraine, the author wrote the novel in just 14 days. The basis of the novel lies in autobiographical events, as Bahrianyi fell under Stalinist repression in the 1930s and spent several years in exile.

The work tells the story of the descendant of a famous Cossack family, Hryhoriy Mnohoryshny, and NKVD Major Medvyn, with their clash symbolizing the struggle between good and evil. Bahrianyi serves as an eyewitness, providing terrifying details of the concentration camp hell from his personal experience. “Tiger Catchers” is an adventure novel that stands apart from other examples of Ukrainian literature of that time, as it contains a very dynamic narrative filled with unusual events and symbolism. The book is imbued with a thirst for life and freedom, as well as warm feelings for the Ukrainian land, which are collectively reflected in the main character. With the onset of the full-scale invasion, all these themes resonate once more in the souls of Ukrainians.

“The Gates of Europe” by Serhiy Plohiy

With the onset of the full-scale invasion, many Ukrainians, recognizing their gaps in understanding the history of Ukraine, discovered the name of Serhiy Plohiy and his book “The Gates of Europe.” He is a Ukrainian and American historian who also serves as the director of the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute. Plohiy has written numerous scholarly works and books on the history of Ukraine.

“The Gates of Europe” is his most popular book, published in 2015. The title of the book is not just a metaphor; it encapsulates the main thesis of the author. Starting from the times of Herodotus, the author narrates the history of Ukraine up to the present day. The author focuses significantly on Ukrainians as the largest demographic group that contributed to the creation of the modern nation. The book describes the challenging moments Ukraine has faced, such as serfdom and the Holodomor, and how Ukraine has sought independence. The author explains that this is not the first time Ukraine has acted as a gate, holding wars back from further territories of Europe. Although such themes may seem vast, Plohiy writes in a way that is engaging and informative for readers with various levels of knowledge about Ukrainian history.

The portal Tie2.lt, implementing the project “Cultural Bridge: Lithuania – Ukraine,” presents the culture of both countries alongside Ukrainian journalists.