Valerian Pidmohylnyi’s The City is more than a literary masterpiece—it’s a philosophical, psychological, and cultural landmark in Ukrainian literature.
The realism and mastery of the word in this novel immerses the reader in the story of Stepan Radchenko, a young man from the provinces, who moves to Kyiv and achieves literary success through romantic encounters with women. Pidmogylnyi’s prose reveals the main protagonist’s psyche through action rather than introspection, and combines French literary influence with Freudian depth and existential uncertainty.
Set in Kyiv—a city central to Ukrainian identity—The City reflects the tensions of Ukrainization, Soviet bureaucracy, and the chaotic brilliance of 1920s literary life. It’s a novel about ambition, alienation, and the unpredictable paths of human desire.
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