Death — Borys Antonenko-Davidovych

Death is a powerful novella by Borys Antonenko-Davidovych that delves into the torment of identity, moral betrayal, and spiritual disintegration in the early Soviet era. The protagonist, Kost Horenko—a former leader in Ukraine’s Central Rada and Directory—refuses to abandon the Ukrainian language and heritage even as he is compelled to conform. In his attempts to assimilate, he commandeers a piano, confiscates books, and writes denunciations, all to prove he belongs. Yet in secret, he clings to his past: preserving confiscated literature, dreaming of his lost love, and wrestling with self-disgust. His final act toward “becoming one of them” is a dark, irreversible decision that tests the limits of conscience and survival.