Exploring crime fiction, war and Ukrainian literature

Kseniya Tsyhanchuk at the XI Book Arsenal in 2023. Photo: Private

Crime author Kseniya Tsyhanchuk shares insights into her motivation for writing crime novels and thrillers and her exploration of other genres. She discusses the gender-neutral nature of crime fiction, highlighting the influence of an author’s personality rather than gender on plot development. Tsyhanchuk also reflects on the cultural significance of crime novels, acknowledging their role in reflecting societal realities while also addressing universal themes.

The conversation delves into the impact of wartime experiences on Ukrainian literature, particularly the surge in war-themed literature and the shift in readers’ preferences toward Ukrainian authors. Tsyhanchuk shares her personal experiences of writing during wartime, describing how the conflict influenced her writing process and thematic choices. She emphasizes the importance of promoting the Ukrainian language through literature, particularly through popular genres like crime novels.

Furthermore, Tsyhanchuk discusses the societal role of crime authors in shaping perceptions of crime and justice, stressing the message of justice prevailing in her own works. She expresses a desire to change the world through her writing, noting the transformative power of literature in providing escapism and fostering empathy during turbulent times.

The conversation offers a compelling exploration of the intersection between crime fiction, wartime experiences, and the promotion of Ukrainian language and literature, providing valuable insights into the role of literature in shaping societal attitudes and perceptions.

KINGA ANNA GAJDA: What motivates you to write crime novels and thrillers, and why did you choose this genre of literature?

KSENIYA TSYHANCHUK: I like mystery and I like solving puzzles. Besides, detective fiction and thrillers are my favourite genres. That’s why I started writing them. However, I want to try myself in other genres like magic realism or drama.

Do crime fiction and thrillers have a gender? Are there discernible differences between male and female authors in terms of style, themes or character portrayal in crime novels/thrillers? If so, how?

I don’t think they have a gender. Sometimes women can write detective fiction and thrillers with very cruel plots. For example, my novel Коли приходить темрява (When the Darkness Comes) is considered to be very cruel. And men can write crime stories and thrillers with very soft plots. I guess a plot doesn’t depend on gender. It depends on the personality of the author.

Can it be said that crime fiction and thrillers are culturally marked – carrying culture with them, promoting culture? How do Ukrainian crime novels relate to Ukrainian culture? Are their themes and narratives more universal or culturally specific?

I suppose every book is culturally marked in some way. When you write a book you describe the people of your country. These people have their own worldview and they live according to the realities of their countries. However, I don’t think that crime fiction and thrillers promote culture. In these genres, authors concentrate on solving a crime and the psychology of a criminal. The narrative and the topics of these books are more universal in Ukraine. But some books can really relate to our culture. 

How has Ukrainian literature evolved since the outbreak of war, and what impact has it had on the genre of crime novels/thrillers? After all, you are dealing with a genre in which death and violence are present, and there is currently no shortage of that – do people still read genres that involve detective problems during wartime, or do they prefer something cheerful, romantic or adventurous?

We have more literature about war now (both poetry and prose). It’s understandable, I guess. A lot of Ukrainian writers went to war. So it has had a huge impact on Ukrainian literature. At the same time, a lot of new writers have emerged during the war, which is definitely good. It’s a very difficult time for Ukrainian literature now. But we struggle and we have our victories. Before the full-scale invasion Ukrainians read a lot of Russian books. But now people don’t want to anymore. They want to know Ukrainian authors and read Ukrainian books. In this way, the war helped to develop our literature. Our publishers don’t publish Russian books and it’s difficult to buy Russian books in Ukraine. It’s even difficult to find them in libraries. Speaking about crime fiction and thrillers in Ukraine I’d like to say that people still love them. Some people don’t want to read these genres because of the war. But it’s a very small percentage of readers.

How have wartime experiences influenced your writing?

That’s an interesting question. At the beginning of the full-scale war, I couldn’t read anything. And it was very difficult for me to write something. However, at that time, I started writing a new book with a plot connected to this war. I wouldn’t even have thought of this story had it not been for the full-scale war itself.

What does the experience of war mean to you and how does it reflect in your work? 

Before the full-scale war I started writing a book in another genre. It was magic realism. This book had to be very kind, with no murders or any other cruelty. But the war changed my plans. I just couldn’t think about that plot. So now I’m writing a book connected with war (though the genre’s close to a thriller). The main characters of the book want to stop the war – and it’s a common wish for all Ukrainians.

In your opinion, how does trauma affect people? 

It affects people very badly. Even if you’re not on the frontlines you’re still very depressed because of what’s happening in the country. A lot of people die every day – both civilians and soldiers. You wake up because of air raid alarms very often. Some Ukrainian cities are relatively safe but you still never know where the next rocket or the next Shahed could hit. A lot of children lost their parents and a lot of parents lost their children. There are a lot of widows and widowers and there are a lot of disabled people because of the war. We have lots of people with PTSD. Millions of people had to flee the country or at least their cities. Some people had to flee twice (in 2014 and 2022). I’m sure this trauma will have an impact on people today and future generations. There’s definitely a lower quality of life, a weakened economy and more health issues.

Who, in your view, qualifies as a witness of war? Is there empathy?

Everybody in Ukraine can be seen as a witness of war. Because living here allows you to observe what is happening. However, if you want to know as much as possible about the war you should speak to military people and the civilians who live or lived in the occupied territories. I spoke to some of them. They can tell you a lot of terrible stories about what they have seen.

What literary genres do people usually read during times of conflict, and what are their preferences?

They read different types of literature. However, nowadays the Ukrainians want to read more historical books. They want to understand important historical events and they are interested in historical personalities.

How has war affected the readership of crime novels in Ukraine? What does the publishing and reading market look like during wartime in Ukraine?

At first most people didn’t read anything. It was very difficult to concentrate on anything except the news. But then they returned to the habit of reading. As we know reading helps us to fight stress so some people started to read even more. Speaking about publishing houses, I want to say that at the beginning of the war, they stopped working. Actually, everything in our country stopped at that time. It’s especially difficult for the publishers who work in the regions which were occupied. For example, my publishing house “Folio” is situated in Kharkiv (by the way a lot of publishing houses are situated in Kharkiv). The printing house of Folio is situated in Derhachy. It’s a town near the Russian border so it was occupied very quickly in the beginning of the war. The town has been retaken since but the publishing house still can’t use its printing press as it has been damaged. They have to find other printing houses to publish books. Here’s another example – we have a famous publishing house called “Ranok”. It’s situated in Kharkiv as well. In August 2022 its printing house was also bombed and destroyed. However, in spite of all the obstacles our literature is developing, our publishers print new books and even new publishing houses appear in Ukraine. At the same time, it’s necessary to admit that some of the publishing houses will not survive because of this war.

People in Ukraine need new books of different genres. Crime novels are very popular in Ukraine. People like them and need them. Psychologists say that’s because this kind of literature helps us to overcome our fears.

What role do Ukrainian crime authors play in shaping societal perceptions and attitudes toward crime and justice?

It’s a good question. I believe that crime authors play a rather important role in shaping societal perceptions and attitudes toward crime and justice. In crime novels, we always see a crime and people who want justice. In most cases, the crime is solved and the criminal is sent to prison. In crime novels, perpetrators are usually caught and it’s a good lesson for those who want to commit a crime. Teenagers like reading crime novels very much. It is at this age people learn that justice will always prevail. I think it’s important for people to understand that as early as possible. Both those who think about committing a crime and those who may become a victim of a crime.

What do you want to convey to your readers through your books and what do you want to tell them now? As a renowned writer, do you want to change the world?

In my books, I like playing with my readers. I like setting up traps to make it difficult for people to understand who a real perpetrator is. I want them to think more. The other thing I want to convey is that justice always prevails. I want people to believe it. I think it’s very important.

Yes, I want to change the world. I want more justice in this world. And I want more happy people. Once upon a time, a woman told me at a presentation that my books had helped her at the beginning of the war to forget about what was happening (at least for the period she was reading). You know, it changed me. Before that, I thought my books were just for entertainment. Now I realize I can help people with my books. That is very important to me.

Kseniya Tsyhanchuk is a writer, philologist and teacher of foreign languages. She has been writing since childhood. Her thriller Коли приходить темрява (When the Darkness Comes) received the Golden Pistol prize at the Word Coronation literary contest in 2016. Her latest novel, По той бік пам’яті (On the other side of memory), is an exciting mix of mysticism, horror and mythology from ancient fairy tales.

Kinga Anna Gajda is an associate professor at the Institute of European Studies of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków.

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Ukraine, Ukraine at war, Ukrainian culture, Ukrainian literature