Amadoka

Amadoka by Sofia Andrukhovych is a profound literary work that intertwines personal trauma with collective memory. The novel follows a man who, after being severely wounded in the war in Eastern Ukraine, loses all recollection of his identity. A woman, believing him to be her missing husband, endeavors to reconstruct his past through fragments of memory and shared history.

The narrative delves into themes of memory, identity, and the erasure of cultures, drawing parallels between the protagonist's amnesia and historical events such as the Holocaust and Stalinist repressions. The title references the legendary Amadoka Lake, once depicted on medieval maps of Ukraine but now vanished, symbolizing lost histories and forgotten identities.

Structured in three parts, the novel explores different epochs and stories, including the lives of historical figures like Baal Shem Tov and Hryhorii Skovoroda, weaving a tapestry that reflects on the nature of remembrance and oblivion.