Ukrainian Writer Tamara Horikha Zernia Reflects on Her Debut Novel "Daughter" and War Literature's Evolution

Ukrainian writer Tamara Horikha Zernia told the story of the creation of her debut novel Daughter, which was published in 2019 and became an important milestone in contemporary war fiction.

She said this in an interview with Intent.

The idea to write the book came to her as she was expecting a wave of literature about the war. However, the war dragged on, and there were no books. It was then that the author decided to take up the task herself: "At that time, I had a completely different life, a different career and business. But I realized that I had to do it. I took responsibility, wrote the book the way I would like to see it and the way the reader would like to see it."

She worked on the text for a year and a half, and then managed to find a publishing house that agreed to publish the manuscript. The novel quickly gained popularity, hit the top of the sales charts, and later gained international recognition, being translated into Polish and English. The book won the 2019 BBC Book of the Year Award and is currently being prepared for a film adaptation and a second edition that will include documentary evidence.

The author is convinced that contemporary war prose has the right to be emotional, lively, and understandable to everyone. The writer also emphasized that after the publication of Dotsi and several other similar books, the attitude towards veteran and military prose has changed significantly-they have proven their commercial appeal and have reached the top of reader ratings. In addition, these works destroy the stereotype that war must be written about in the dry language of official reports.

"No, you can write about the war in an interesting way, you can write in human language. And so that this book keeps you close to it, makes you cry, worry, and laugh. Books about war can be funny and touching. And it's not just some kind of heroics. It can be eroticism, love, and love, even children's books, and anything else," noted Tamara Horikha Zernya.

She also noted that the war has already become an integral part of our lives and will now remain a constant backdrop for the latest Ukrainian culture.

"It was clear to me back in 2016-2019 that a full-scale invasion was only a matter of time. And when I was asked whether the liberation of Donetsk was possible through diplomacy, I always said: diplomacy can only be successful when it is backed by military force, weapons and the army," she said.

According to the writer, Ukrainian literature will never be the same again. The war has gone beyond the frontline and become part of the national experience, which is now reflected in the culture.

Ірина Глухова