“…He saw Katrusia lying beside him. There was no trace of yesterday’s insanity on her face, nor the frantic savagery, with which she had chanted incantations, in her eyes.”
Orest Somov, The Witches of Kyiv
Most of our fiction titles showcase outstanding examples of the Gothic genre in Ukrainian literature. Among them are Polishchuk’s Treasure of the Ages (preview) and Starytska-Cherniakhivska’s The Living Grave (preview). In 2016, we also published a collection of Orest Somov’s short stories, The Witches of Kyiv.
As we prepare to release our upcoming non-fiction book on Ukrainian demonology, Somov’s work naturally comes to mind. What stands out is the depth of his knowledge of Ukrainian folklore. His vivid depictions of rusalky, the destructive power of the evil eye, and the rituals of Ivan Kupalo are particularly remarkable. They capture the essence of these ancient traditions with extraordinary detail.
A valuable addition to our Gothic collection
The Witches of Kyiv and Other Gothic Tales stands apart from other Gothic works in several ways. Notably, it features a foreword by Dr Svitlana Krys, an expert in Gothic and Romantic literature. This foreword provides an excellent starting point for readers, offering valuable insights into the author’s life, his selected works, and their significance within both Ukrainian and world literature.
Orest Somov (1793–1833), a Ukrainian Romantic author […] wrote in Russian, the lingua franca of the Russian Empire […]. His Ukrainian tales made a big impact on the literary canon of the 1820s and became the subject of a literary dialogue. To give just one example, Aleksandr Pushkin, the preeminent Russian Romantic and founder of modern Russian literature, revisited Somov’s The Witches of Kyiv, the inaugural tale in this collection and one of his most famous works, in his own writing. It is thanks to Somov’s efforts that, a few years later, young Gogol asked his mother in his letter home, dated 30 April 1829, to send him as much ethnographical material as possible, seeing that everyone in the imperial capital was captivated by all things Ukrainian. Gogol himself used Somov’s writing as inspiration.
Further, Svitlana Krys describes Somov as, “an initiator of an indigenous literary tradition of the Gothic in the Ukrainian literary canon”. In particular, in his imaginative tales, Somov entwines native folk traditions, ghost stories and European Romanticism. Most of these tales which we have included in the current publication, appear in English for the first time.
The second difference concerns the book cover. Previously, Yanitsa Slavcheva and Nikola Nevenov, talented Bulgarian artists, created our Gothic book covers. This time it was the equally talented Australian artist Colin Thompson, who designed the book cover.
Furthermore, Svitlana Krys describes Somov as “an initiator of an indigenous literary tradition of the Gothic in the Ukrainian literary canon.” In his imaginative tales, Somov masterfully intertwines native folk traditions, ghost stories, and the influence of European Romanticism. Most of the stories included in this publication appear in English for the first time.
Short stories in ‘The Witches of Kyiv’
Orest Somov’s The Witches of Kyiv and Other Gothic Tales introduces readers to a haunting world of Ukrainian Gothic characters, where the supernatural lurks across time and place. From a cemetery in Kyivan Rus to a remote forest cottage in the 17th-century Kozak era, and even the opulent ballrooms of the early 19th century, Somov masterfully intertwines folklore, ghostly legends, and Gothic horror. Witches, warlocks, vengeful rusalky, strange soothsayers, and malevolent visitors blur the lines between good and evil in these chilling tales.
“The Witches of Kyiv” – A besotted newlywed stumbles into a dark and occult world filled with incantations, ghostly apparitions, and a savage Witch’s Sabbath on the outskirts of old Kyiv.
“Rusalka” – A heartbroken young girl joins the supernatural water spirits of Ukraine, pushing her mother’s devotion to its breaking point.
“The Evil Eye” – Kozak Mykyta, a wealthy landowner, comes face-to-face with true evil when a hellish guest casts his gaze upon Mykyta’s three beautiful and virtuous daughters.
“Wandering Light” – Victorious after a deadly battle, the warrior Velesyl eturns to claim his bride. Instead, he comes face-to-face with an eerie, glowing spirit.
“Kupalo Eve” – On the banks of the Dnipro River, a dashing knight joins the mystical pagan rites of Kupalo Eve. Amid the celebration, a maiden with an intriguing, cool charm captivates him completely.
“God’s Fool” – Officer Melskyi, a carefree lover of gambling and summer balls, meets the eccentric drifter Vasyl, known as “God’s Fool.” Vasyl can read minds and predict destinies. He steers Melskyi through flirtations, strange dreams, and a deadly duel, pushing him to face his true fate.
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The illustrations in the book are reproductions of classic works by Ukrainian artists. The originals are housed in the National Art Museum of Ukraine. We are grateful to the Museum for its continued support. Curator and researcher Lesia Tolstova provided invaluable guidance and facilitated the use of these images. A selection of the featured illustrations is included here as examples.