August is traditionally celebrated as Women in Translation Month, an international initiative that draws attention to the work of female writers, especially those who write in languages other than English. This year, Razom for Ukraine participated in the celebration by presenting a selection of works by Ukrainian female authors that have been translated into English.
This was reported Razom for Ukraine.
The selection includes works by Ukrainian women writers that intertwine themes of war, resistance, love, personal and collective trauma, cultural memory, and the power of language.
Among them are:
- Algometry by Iryna Vykarchuk (translated by Nina Murray) — a lyrical portrait of a generation shaped by emotional pain. A young woman who grew up in western Ukraine in the 1990s takes the reader through three thematic “corridors” – emotional sensitivity, hyperempathy, and inner strength;
- Ivan and Phoebe and Love Life by Oksana Lutsyshyna (translated by Nina Murray) – novels about multifaceted relationships, trauma, and internal emigration. In Ivan and Phoebe, a married couple grapples with issues of family, tragedy, and independence. Revolution, KGB torture, and internal conflicts force the characters to rethink both political freedom and established norms of family life. The events unfold between Kyiv, Lviv, and Uzhhorod, revealing themes of multigenerational trauma. Love Life, Lutsyshyna's second novel, tells the story of Yora, a Ukrainian immigrant to the United States who falls under the influence of the charismatic Sebastian. After the relationship ends, Yora plunges into despair and self-discovery. The work is full of mystical allusions and reflections on adapting to a new life.
- The God of Freedom by Yulia Musakovska (translated by Olena Jennings) — in this new collection of poetry, the author depicts modern Ukraine through the lives of women, the trauma of veterans, and the struggle for a future in the shadow of war.
- Cecil the Lion Had to Die by Olena Styazhkina (translated by Dominic Hoffman) – about historical rifts and personal language choices. Four families go through pivotal historical events: the collapse of the USSR, the establishment of independent Ukraine, and the occupation of Crimea and part of Donbas by Russia. The author also demonstrates her own civic choice – the transition to the Ukrainian language in her work;
- My Women by Yulia Ilyukha (translated by Hanna Leliv) is a collection of stories about women whose lives have been destroyed by war. It features the voices of those who have been silenced, those who have lost loved ones, those who fought and survived, and those who broke under the weight of their experiences.
- Forgottenness by Tanya Malarchuk (translated by Zenia Tompkins) is an award-winning novel about belonging and exile, which brings together two exiles from different historical eras.
- A Crash Course in Molotov Cocktails and Lost in Living by Halyna Kruk (translations: Amelia Glazer, Julia Ilchuk, Dzvinka Orlovska, Ali Kinsella). A Crash Course in Molotov Cocktails is testimonial poetry that plunges readers into the darkest corners of war, but at the same time shows the power of words as a shield, even if it is wooden, while Lost in Living is poetry written in the pre-war years that emphasizes the fragility of life.
- The Museum of Abandoned Secrets and Fieldwork in Ukrainian Sex by Oksana Zabuzhko (translations: Nina Murray, Galina Gryny) are cult novels about identity, memory, and freedom. The Museum of Abandoned Secrets covers 60 turbulent years of Ukrainian history in a multigenerational saga about love, friendship, death, and secrets that refuse to remain hidden. Fieldwork in Ukrainian Sex is the most influential Ukrainian book in the 15 years of independence, a personal story of female rebellion that became the literary scandal of the decade.
According to the organizers, literature is a tool for cultural diplomacy, advocacy, and resistance. That is why in August, Razom calls for support for women's voices, opening Ukrainian stories to the world through reading, discussion, and dissemination of translated literature.
“Each book is a window into lived experience, cultural resilience, and the enduring power of language. Read them. Share them. Use them in your advocacy!” Razom urged.
For reference: The Women in Translation initiative was launched in 2014 by Israeli blogger and literary activist Meital Radzinski. It aims to draw attention to women's voices in world literature and at the same time remind people of their underrepresentation in translated publications.
Photo: Razom for Ukraine
Author: Inna Mikhno