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Apocalypse Baroque: Tales from Ukraine at War
'A tremendous book – oracular, clear, vital. It will shift the ground under every reader of it' Ali Smith
A radical reframing of Russia's war on Ukraine
'Apocalypse Baroque bears witness to a country on fire and a culture that fights against erasure. Crossing Ukraine in trains and volunteer cars, I have collected testimonies of everyday defiance that has surprised the world and, at times, Ukrainians themselves. A suitable language for relaying the atrocities we endure does not exist. I accept it, alongside the need to reach for a universal dimension in the singular horror of each act of Russian aggression. When reaching for the universal, one often taps into folklore. And once in the realm of folklore, one can read the old stories in a new way and make the reading emancipatory. In the sixteen tales that comprise this book, we meet characters from myth and legend next to my contemporaries and fellow citizens, united in a fightfor justice.' Sasha Dovzhyk
A radical reframing of Russia's war on Ukraine
'Apocalypse Baroque bears witness to a country on fire and a culture that fights against erasure. Crossing Ukraine in trains and volunteer cars, I have collected testimonies of everyday defiance that has surprised the world and, at times, Ukrainians themselves. A suitable language for relaying the atrocities we endure does not exist. I accept it, alongside the need to reach for a universal dimension in the singular horror of each act of Russian aggression. When reaching for the universal, one often taps into folklore. And once in the realm of folklore, one can read the old stories in a new way and make the reading emancipatory. In the sixteen tales that comprise this book, we meet characters from myth and legend next to my contemporaries and fellow citizens, united in a fightfor justice.' Sasha Dovzhyk
- GenresNonfiction
142 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 24, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Did Not Finish
July 15, 2026Thank you, Extraordinary Books & Edelweiss, for the ARC and the chance to experience this.
Sadly, I could not persist through it.
Probably more to do with my own expectations, predisposition and what I came with into reading this one..
Definitely a thoughtful and artistic compilation. Well-told and creative framing of the collected stories. Blending with folklore and tales. Unique. Smart. and many powerful people and moments.
For this reader, it just didn't resonate. The artistry was too much.
The flare and smart parallels, infusing the fables throughout, seemed distracting. For me, taking away from the meat and import of the teller(s) rather than amplifying them. If able to have continued and read more, maybe the writer's intent would have come together... but, seemed a bit like the writing was taking over the stories themselves. About the time(s) I would lean into some moving personal narratives, it shifted. Pulling and pressing the damaged & hurt central storytellers.. into a fairytale, contrived parallel.
The realities that they faced, horrors shared, heroic-- or anti-heroic.. whatever the cultural/storybook connections being cemented to...-- were preeminent enough. Central. Primal. Prestigious.. enough. On their own.
After trying hard to sift through the artistic efforts of the intervening author, I could not continue working to simply let the personal histories speak for themselves.
Sadly, I could not persist through it.
Probably more to do with my own expectations, predisposition and what I came with into reading this one..
Definitely a thoughtful and artistic compilation. Well-told and creative framing of the collected stories. Blending with folklore and tales. Unique. Smart. and many powerful people and moments.
For this reader, it just didn't resonate. The artistry was too much.
The flare and smart parallels, infusing the fables throughout, seemed distracting. For me, taking away from the meat and import of the teller(s) rather than amplifying them. If able to have continued and read more, maybe the writer's intent would have come together... but, seemed a bit like the writing was taking over the stories themselves. About the time(s) I would lean into some moving personal narratives, it shifted. Pulling and pressing the damaged & hurt central storytellers.. into a fairytale, contrived parallel.
The realities that they faced, horrors shared, heroic-- or anti-heroic.. whatever the cultural/storybook connections being cemented to...-- were preeminent enough. Central. Primal. Prestigious.. enough. On their own.
After trying hard to sift through the artistic efforts of the intervening author, I could not continue working to simply let the personal histories speak for themselves.
Review of advance copy received from Author
My girlfriend got the book from the author, so I got to read it early. Knew nothing of this project before but what a wonderful and horrible book at the same time.
Horrible to exist, wonderfully written.
I visited many of the places written about myself in the last year, still I feel like I just went there again for the first time.
Thank you for telling us these stories.
Horrible to exist, wonderfully written.
I visited many of the places written about myself in the last year, still I feel like I just went there again for the first time.
Thank you for telling us these stories.
Review of advance copy
This was a "BookBub" recommendation about a recent Kindle offering. I'm glad I took their advice.
I have had strong opinions about the Russian war in Ukraine since it began, and I wanted very much to read this book. Until now, the only information I've had was from online creators and news reports. Other than political debate, I've not seen much recent news about conditions inside Ukraine. I finished the book less than an hour ago, and I confess to still internally processing what I read.
The book resonates most, I think, with people like me who are emotionally affected by the war. I'm not sure it will generate similar emotion in someone with perhaps only a casual curiosity. It is not an account of modern land combat, nor is it focused on military tactics, organization, or equipment. As promised and advertised, the book contains personal vignettes of Ukrainians who shared their stories. Each account is visceral. Everyone has been careful to avoid gruesome wartime descriptions (that's a good thing). On the other hand, reading these stories left no doubt in my mind of the suffering experienced by each of the contributors and the people in their lives.
I found Ms. Dovzhyk's writing style and storyline organization somewhat confusing throughout. I often did not clearly understand if I was reading someone's personal story or the author's explanation and elaboration. Her placement of ancillary information at each chapter's end sometimes interrupted my flow and had me flipping back to earlier pages. It did not make the book any less compelling, but it was a minor annoyance.
It is overall compelling. I know I will be thinking about it and the people for quite some time.
I have had strong opinions about the Russian war in Ukraine since it began, and I wanted very much to read this book. Until now, the only information I've had was from online creators and news reports. Other than political debate, I've not seen much recent news about conditions inside Ukraine. I finished the book less than an hour ago, and I confess to still internally processing what I read.
The book resonates most, I think, with people like me who are emotionally affected by the war. I'm not sure it will generate similar emotion in someone with perhaps only a casual curiosity. It is not an account of modern land combat, nor is it focused on military tactics, organization, or equipment. As promised and advertised, the book contains personal vignettes of Ukrainians who shared their stories. Each account is visceral. Everyone has been careful to avoid gruesome wartime descriptions (that's a good thing). On the other hand, reading these stories left no doubt in my mind of the suffering experienced by each of the contributors and the people in their lives.
I found Ms. Dovzhyk's writing style and storyline organization somewhat confusing throughout. I often did not clearly understand if I was reading someone's personal story or the author's explanation and elaboration. Her placement of ancillary information at each chapter's end sometimes interrupted my flow and had me flipping back to earlier pages. It did not make the book any less compelling, but it was a minor annoyance.
It is overall compelling. I know I will be thinking about it and the people for quite some time.
Review of advance copy
Apocalypse Baroque is already available from bookshops in the UK.
Sasha Dovzhyk blends the kernel ideas of folklore and fairy tales, cultural reference points, with interviews and her own personal accounts to create her own set of 'tales'. In some ways it does bridge gaps, in understanding experiences or where someone interviewed is coming from, in another way it also allows the story teller to speak even while relating the totally factual.
I look forward to reading more by Sasha Dovzhyk.
Sasha Dovzhyk blends the kernel ideas of folklore and fairy tales, cultural reference points, with interviews and her own personal accounts to create her own set of 'tales'. In some ways it does bridge gaps, in understanding experiences or where someone interviewed is coming from, in another way it also allows the story teller to speak even while relating the totally factual.
I look forward to reading more by Sasha Dovzhyk.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
"The god of submission loves gentle calves. [..] The god of freedom requires fight and sacrifice."
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews