Ukraine’s 22 most popular books: from love stories to intellectual prose

The Chytomo editorial team set out to identify books by contemporary Ukrainian authors published after 1991 in the largest print runs. These books could have been called bestsellers, were it not for Russia’s cultural expansion. At the time, the popularity of Ukrainian authors fell far behind that of Russian mass literature imported into the lucrative Ukrainian book market.

As a result, contemporary Ukrainian literature was largely niche, and print runs of 10,000 copies in the 1990s – amid a collapsing book distribution system – were considered a success. Today, many of these works have gone through multiple reprints, been adapted to screenplays, and been translated into many languages – and they remain international hits to this day.

The list is presented in reverse chronological order.

“Dancing with Bones” by Andriy Semyankiv (MEDGoblin)

Publisher: Vikhola

Copies sold: 93,000

Release year: 2022

Translations: German, Slovak, and Macedonian

Ukrainian book cover

This medical detective story by Andriy Semyankiv, a Ukrainian blogger now serving as a military medic, which explores how we inevitably face life-changing decisions, was published in 2022. The use of an original setting for Ukrainian literature, detective intrigue, dynamic plot, black humor, and the ease with which one can understand the existential torments of Severyn, a pathologist who serves as the protagonist, are the recipe for a skillfully written genre novel that has found its grateful readers. In 2022, the novel won the prestigious BBC Book of the Year Award.

“I See You Are Interested in Darkness” by Illarion Pavliuk

Publisher: The Old Lion Publishing House

Copies sold: 146,335

Release year: 2020

Translations: Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Latvian, Finnish, and Azerbaijani

Ukrainian book cover

This psychological thriller by Illarion Pavliuk comes with its own story of success. The book was first published in 2020 and immediately became a notable work of Ukrainian literature. Its imaginative plot about the adventures of Andriy Haister, criminal psychologist, in a small town where a maniac works is accompanied by a whole series of allusions to literary works, cinema, and visual art. Spanning from ancient Greek myths to the surreal aesthetics of David Lynch’s cinema, “I See You Are Interested in the Dark” is rich in intriguing content, if you know how to read between the lines. After the release of the first edition, the novel was not published for several years. When a new edition appeared in 2023, the book exceeded the publisher’s highest sales figures, reaching 100,000 copies.

“New Dark Ages: Colony” by Max Kidruk

Publisher: Borodatyi Tamaryn

Copies sold: 61,000 

Release year: 2022

Translations: Polish, Hungarian

Ukrainian book cover

A must-read if translated into your language, this novel represents the brightest and most ambitious side of Ukrainian science fiction. “New Dark Ages: Colony” is 904 pages long, and it is a huge epic set on Mars. Paper, electronic, and audio books sold very well, as far as Ukraine is concerned. In addition to its artistic value, “New Dark Ages: Colony” is an example of a successful marketing approach. The author’s tour promoting the book, along with the development of merchandise like a board game, and Kidruk’s constant involvement in communication, also undoubtedly played a role in popularizing the novel, the sequel to which will be released early next year. Kidruk is also the author of another bestseller, the novel “Don’t Look Back and Keep Silent” (published by KSD). It sold 66,000 copies.

“There is Land Beyond Perekop” by Anastasiia Levkova

Publisher: Laboratoria

Copies sold: 70,000

Release year: 2023

Translations: Slovak, Polish

Ukrainian book cover

“There is Land Beyond Perekop” by Anastasiia Levkova has become one of the most notable Ukrainian books about Crimea, describing the history of the peninsula since the late 1980s and its culture, political atmosphere, and interethnic relations. The story follows a Ukrainian girl growing up during the turbulent times of Ukraine’s independence as she finds her national identity and her own sense of self. “There is Land Beyond Perekop” was shortlisted for the BBC Book of the Year 2023 award, included in PEN Ukraine’s list of the Best Books of 2023, and more. The novel is undergoing its eighth print cycle.

RELATED: There is land beyond Perekop – a Crimean Bildungsroman

“Ask Miechka” by Eugenia Kuznetsova

Publisher: The Old Lion Publishing House

Copies sold: 68,412

Release year: 2021

Translations: Finnish, Polish, Serbian, Bosnian, Hungarian, Macedonian, Latvian, French, Greek, Italian, Bulgarian, and Slovak

Ukrainian book cover

Since its release in 2021, the novel has become one of the most significant works of Ukrainian prose. At the core of the story is a family, where daily routines and conversations slowly uncover past traumas, misunderstandings, and the fragile bonds between generations. The novel was shortlisted for the BBC Book of the Year 2021 award. In 2022, the book also received a special mention from the European Union Prize for Literature.

“Daughter” by Tamara Duda

Publisher: Bilka

Copies sold: 33,000 

Release year: 2019

Translations: English (Canada), German, Polish, Czech, Spanish, Swedish, Slovak, Macedonian, and Lithuanian

A literary debut that clearly announced the emergence of a powerful author in contemporary Ukrainian literature, capable of telling complex stories with irony, psychological accuracy, and adventurous intrigue. “Daughter” by Tamara Duda was published in 2019, and since then it’s been loved by both readers and, unsurprisingly, critics. “Daughter,” a story of the fate of different people during the early days of the Russian occupation of Donetsk, is about fear and dignity, betrayal and support, and how someone can stay humane in a place where it seems there’s no space for kindness. Literary critic Tetiana Petrenko wrote about the book’s protagonist, a volunteer and artist: “She, a woman guardian in war, is the guarantee that the cycles of history will change, and where there was death and destruction, life will be reborn.” The novel was named BBC Book of the Year 2019.

“Felix Austria” by Sofia Andrukhovych

Publisher: The Old Lion Publishing House

Copies sold: 56,799

Release year: 2014

Translations: French (Switzerland), Greek, German (Austria), Czech, Croatian, Hungarian, Bulgarian, English (US), Serbian, Hebrew, and Slovenian

Published in 2014, this atmospheric story tells about two women who are connected by a shared childhood and a complex emotional dependence, and unfolds in the cozy streets and cafes of the former Stanislaviv, now Ivano-Frankivsk (at the time described in the novel, the city was located in the territory that belonged to Austro-Hungary). Sofia Andrukhovych’s masterfully crafted drama of jealousy, delicate slights, and the fight for self-identity was well received by both critics and readers. The novel portrays the relationship between a servant and an aristocrat, whose destinies are deeply connected.

The novel won the BBC Book of the Year 2014 and the LitAccent of the Year awards. In 2019, the book received a screen adaptation by director Khrystyna Syvolap under the title “Vidana” (Faithful). A new edition of the novel was also published that same year.

Riding the wave of the novel’s popularity, the publisher also created a cookbook with recipes for dishes mentioned in the book.

RELATED: ‘I wanted to write about a time when there will be no more war, when life will go on’: Interview with Sofia Andrukhovych

“Tango of Death” by Yuri Vynnychuk

Publisher: Folio, ABABAHALAMAHA

Copies sold: more than 90,000 

Release year: 2012

Translations: Polish, English, German, Croatian, Bulgarian, Hebrew, and Estonian

This expressive and passionate novel was published by Folio in 2012. The book, in which Lviv’s past is intertwined with the present, enjoyed great popularity and, as a result, several reprints. The novel, which mixes detective and historical drama with some mysticism, won the BBC Book of the Year Award in 2012. The book shows the intertwined fates of four friends (a Ukrainian, a Pole, a German, and a Jew) from pre-war and wartime Lviv — who, through the horrors of war and occupation, maintain their friendship. It also tells about modern-day heroes whose stories come together at the end, uncovering past secrets and the link between generations.

In 2019, the Polish translation of the book won the readers’ choice award of the Polish literary award Angelus. It was included in the list of “30 Iconic Books of Independence” by the Ukrainian Book Institute. According to the results of the survey “Reading During Wartime: Library Realities and Challenges,” it was one of the most requested books in Ukrainian libraries.

“Red” by Andriy Kokotiukha

Publisher: KSD

Copies sold: 56,000 

Release year: 2012

Translations: –

Ukrainian book cover

In the winter of 2013, Vysokyi Zamok media wrote that in Ukraine, Andriy Kokotiukha’s historical adventure novel “Red” had outsold books by Stephen King himself! At that time, already awarded the “Coronation of the Word” prize and shortlisted for the “BBC Book of the Year 2012,” “Red” confidently maintained its popularity among readers. The events of the book take place after World War II. Two Ukrainians, former UPA soldier Danylo Chervony (Red) and a Soviet officer, meet in a Soviet camp. As they talk and remember the past, a story reveals difficult moral choices and the cost of freedom. In 2027, a screen adaptation of the novel, directed by Zaza Buadze, will be released.

“When You Are Near Me” by Svitlana Talan

Publisher: KSD

Copies sold: 48,500

Release year: 2012

Translations: –

Ukrainian book cover

Svitlana Talan, a popular Ukrainian writer, has written more than 40 prose works. According to data from KSD publishing house, the total circulation of all her works is 782,400 copies. “When You Are Near Me” is one of Talan’s most popular books among Ukrainian readers. It is the story of Daryna, a young nurse who, trying to help victims of an accident, becomes infected with HIV through contact with blood. When her parents, fiancé, and colleagues find out about her diagnosis, they all turn away from her. The story honestly and painfully talks about stigma, loneliness, and betrayal, but it also celebrates the support and love that help people to hold on.

RELATED: Selection of new Ukrainian non-fiction books

“Melody of Coffee in the Flavor of Cardamom” by Natalia Gurnitska

Publisher: KSD

Copies sold: 87,553

Release year: 2012

Translations: –

Ukrainian book cover

In her novel “Melody of Coffee in the Flavor of Cardamom,” Gurnitska combines a classic love story with a realistic portrayal of Lviv in the early 20th century. The story of a young girl and a married man unfolds against the backdrop of the social conditions of the era, and the symbolism of coffee and cardamom becomes a metaphor for forbidden love. The book stands out for its deep psychological insight and careful attention to detail, which helped make it a bestseller and inspired a sequel. In 2021, the novel was adapted tothe screen. Incidentally, Gurnitska’s novels “Melody of Coffee in the Flavor of Cardamom” and “The Crimson Color of Eternity” are also bestsellers, with 47,172 and 22,487 paper copies sold, respectively.

“Vichnyk” by Myroslav Dochynets

Publisher: Karpatska Vezha

Copies sold: 320,000 

Release year: 2011

Translations: –

Ukrainian book cover

Not so much a novel as a spiritual testament, written on behalf of a 104-year-old man who lived in harmony with nature and his own conscience. The monologue of Andriy Voron, a molfar (a Hutsul with purported magical abilities) and sage, is a reflection on the meaning of life, the ability to see beauty in small things, the power of forgiveness, and the unassuming wisdom that is passed on through personal example. The novel gained popularity thanks to its sincerity and depth. “Vichnyk” was twice nominated for the Shevchenko Prize. In 2026, a film adaptation of the book by Dochynets is scheduled to be released in Ukraine.

“Notes of a Ukrainian Madman” by Lina Kostenko

Publisher: ABABAHALAMAHA

Copies sold: 234,000 

Release year: 2010

Translations: French

Ukrainian book cover

The release of Lina Kostenko’s first prose novel at the end of 2010 was a sensational event because readers had been waiting for her new work for almost twenty years. The initial print run was 17,000 copies, and already in January 2011 the next edition appeared. By the summer, the publisher had already sold 80,000 copies. It was an unusually fast pace in book sales for Ukraine at the time but also understandable, since the book covers Leonid Kuchma’s presidency and the Orange Revolution period. Written in the form of a diary of a Kyiv intellectual, the novel recorded the political crisis and corruption scandals, as well as the everyday absurdity of that period. Lina Kostenko’s sharp wit was matched by her deep concern for the country. Meanwhile, book pirates took a strong interest in her work. According to the director of the publishing house ABABAHALAMAHA, approximately 20,000 copies were published illegally.

“Voroshilovgrad” by Serhiy Zhadan

Publisher: Folio, KSD, MERIDIAN CZERNOWITZ

Copies sold: more than 40,000

Release year: 2010

Translations: more than 20 languages

Because of the large number of reprints by several different publishers, it isn’t possible to calculate the exact number of copies sold of this landmark novel of contemporary Ukrainian literature. But let me give you a math problem: Folio sold less than 10,000 copies, KSD sold 21,000 copies, and MERIDIAN CZERNOWITZ sold over 10,000 copies. How many copies in total?

“Voroshilovgrad” by Serhiy Zhadan, first published in 2010, is still read, studied in philology departments, and loved. It was adapted for the screen (The Wild Field, directed by Yaroslav Lodyhin in 2018). Herman comes back to his hometown in the East of Ukraine to search for his missing brother and save his business, an endeavor complicated by a reality where absurdity, friendship, self-discovery, patriotism, and the battle against raiding are intertwined. The book had audio and comic book formats, and has received several literary awards. A legend! What else can you say?

“The Age of Jacob” by Volodymyr Lys

Publisher: KSD

Copies sold: 86,000

Release year: 2010

Translations: Polish

Ukrainian book cover

Published in 2010, this epic life story unfolds against the backdrop of the destiny of an entire century. Jacob Mekh, the protagonist of the novel, is living out his last days and reminiscing about everything he has experienced: World War I, the revolution, the Polish period, World War II, the arrival of Soviet power, the collapse of the USSR, and Ukraine’s independence. Through personal tragedies and joys, losses and loves, he goes through the most turbulent events of the 20th century, remaining himself — a man who values his native land and remembers every step of his journey.

“The Age of Jacob” was shortlisted for the BBC Book of the Year Award 2010 and won Ukraine’s Coronation of the Word award. In 2016, a four-episode TV series based on the book was released. As is often the case, the screen version boosted readers’ interest in the book. That same year, in an interview with Hromadske Radio, Lys said that “The Age of Jacob” was the second best-selling book at the Ye bookstore, right after “Harry Potter.”

“Raven’s Way” by Vasyl Shkliar

Publisher: Yaroslaviv Yar, KSD, Nash Format (audio book)

Copies sold: more than 300,000 

Release year: 2009

Translations: English, Portuguese, and Slovak

This book won numerous awards and was translated into foreign languages, turned into a movie, and published by two different publishers under different titles. It also received the Taras Shevchenko National Prize. But more important than all that  is the story itself. In his novel, Shkliar tells a little-known part of Ukrainian history where Ukrainian insurgents stood up against Soviet rule in the 1920s in the Kholodny Yar region (central Ukraine). The main character Ivan, called “Black Raven,” is one of the last leaders of the Kholodny Yar Republic. He kept fighting the Bolsheviks until the end and chose to die rather than give in.

“A Village in Name Only” by Liuko Dashvar

Publisher: KSD

Copies sold: 130,000

Release year: 2007

Translations: –

Ukrainian book cover

In her debut novel, “A Village in Name Only,” published in 2007, Liuko Dashvar showed herself as an author capable of speaking frankly and directly. The book is a socially acute story about life in the Ukrainian countryside, where love and betrayal, violence and the desire for freedom are intertwined in a tight circle of poverty and prejudice. The novel won the Coronation of the Word award and became one of the most notable books of Ukrainian popular prose of the early 21st century. This work marked the beginning of a series of socio-psychological bestsellers by Dashvar, which enjoyed unwavering popularity among readers, as evidenced by sales figures for the novels “Have It All” (107,000 copies) and “Milk with Blood” (92,000 copies).

“The Lost Button” by Iren Rozdobudko

Publisher: Folio, Nora Druk

Copies sold: more than 21,500

Release year: 2005

Translations: French (Canada)

Ukrainian book cover

Before writing “The Lost Button,” Iren Rozdobudko had already tried her hand at thrillers and detective stories, but it was this dramatic novel that brought success. In 2005, “The Lost Button” won the grand prize in the Coronation of the Word, gaining prominence in literature and establishing the author’s reputation as a writer who understands psychological subtleties.

The story centers on two love triangles, a romance between people of different ages, and the tragic yet beautiful role of chance along with the fragility and impulsiveness that hurt, especially when you’re young. In 2008, the novel was adapted to the screen by director Volodymyr Tykhyi, which was quite unexpected and “prestigious” for contemporary literature. The Afghanistan war, where the main character Denys is serving, stays in the background, in a manner similar to “The Button-2: Ten Years After,” the sequel, where the characters reunite 10 years later, this time with the Maidan events in the background.

“Sweet Darusya: A Tale of Two Villages” by Maria Matios 

Publisher: Piramida, ABABAHALAMAHA

Copies sold: around 400,000 

Release year: 2004

Translations: English, German, French, Italian, Polish, Lithuanian, Belarusian, Russian, Croatian, Spanish, and Serbian

The first edition of Maria Matios’ historical novel “Sweet Darusya: A Tale of Two Villages,” telling the story of the destruction of the protagonist’s family by Soviet punitive authorities, was published by Pyramid publishing house. Later, the book was reprinted about 10 times until the rights were bought by ABABAHALAMAHA. According to data provided by that publisher, in 2020, the total circulation of the book was heading to 200,000 copies. Over the past five years, another 34,000 copies have been sold. The book has become the basis for theatrical performances and, long after being published in 2004, has remained popular over the years.

RELATED: The list of Ukrainian books to be translated into foreign languages in 2025 announced (Updated)

“Twelve Circles” by Yuri Andrukhovych

Publisher: Krytyka, KSD, Nash Format (audio book), Lilea НВ

Copies sold: more than 18,000 

Release year: 2003

Translations: 12 languages

Since its publication in 2003, this novel has quickly gained the status of cult literary work, primarily thanks to a combination of postmodern freedom of form with profound observations about people and society. “Twelve Circles” tells the story of a group of people who find themselves in an isolated mountain resort in the Ukrainian Carpathians, where they are forced to confront their circumstances and their own demons. The plot includes wanderings, a love triangle, and the tragic image of the poet Bohdan-Ihor Antonych, with Ukraine emerging as the main character of this multi-layered work.

“Twelve Circles” received the Angelus Central European Literary Award. What makes this text special is its mix of playfulness and honesty, humor and sadness, and the feeling that you can read it over and over again, each time discovering new circles of meaning.

RELATED: Yuri Andrukhovych on irony during war, ‘quarantining’ Russian’ and why he believes in a Ukrainian victory

“Cult” by Liubko Deresh

Publisher: Chetver, Calvaria Publishing House, Folio, KSD, The Old Lion Publishing House

Copies sold: more than 30,000 

Release year: 2002

Translations: Bulgarian, French, German, Italian, Polish, Romanian, and Serbian

Ukrainian book cover

After publication in Yuri Izdryk’s Chetver magazine, “Cult” immediately became well-known, even if just from a small audience. Soon after, the recognized Ukrainian publishing house Calvaria bought the rights to publish it, and then the fame of the young prodigy from Lviv spread throughout the literary community and among grateful students and schoolchildren. All the many positive and critical reviews on websites about culture in the early 2000s showed one thing: “Cult” was read and talked about.

The book tells of the search of biology student Yurko Banzai in the town of Midni Buky and his meeting with nonconformist student Darka Borges against the backdrop of mystical and dangerous events, where it is difficult to understand what is a dream, what is fiction, what is a journey into altered consciousness, and what is the wild imagination of the main characters. Finally, the teenagers speak in a language they understand: rock music, movies, books, and games that were popular in Ukraine in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

The book was interesting for the well-read and knowledgeable, thanks to the numerous literary allusions in the text. Much of the atmosphere of schools in the Ukrainian countryside at that time, as depicted by Deresh, has since become a historical artifact, including the fact that “alternative subculture members were Ukrainian speakers, but those conformists were Russified.”

“Fieldwork in Ukrainian Sex” by Oksana Zabuzhko 

Publisher: Zgoda, Komora

Copies sold: more than 40,000

Release year: 1996

Translations: 22 languages

This iconic novel of contemporary Ukrainian literature was first published by Zgoda publishing house in 1996. According to Suspilne.Kultura, in the 28 years since its publication, the book has undergone 17 reprints. Since 2025, the rights to “Fieldwork in Ukrainian Sex” have belonged to the Komora publishing house, whose information is included in this article, since the other publishers of the novel have ceased to exist. “Fieldwork in Ukrainian Sex” is a candid, provocative, and, at the same time, lyrical text. This book narrates the poet’s search for creative inspiration and life purpose and became one of the first feminist works of modern Ukrainian literature. The novel is written in the form of a monologue by a young woman who reflects on love, identity, and the burden of the post-Soviet past. Blending the personal with the political, the book explores gender, sexuality, and national identity.

The publication is a part of the “Chytomo Picks” project. The materials have been prepared with the assistance of the Ukrainian Book Institute at the expense of the state budget. The author’s opinion may not coincide with the official position of the Ukrainian Book Institute.

Translation: Iryna Savyuk

Copy editing: Ben Angel, Joy Tataryn