The Wasp Factory – Iain Banks (Ukrainian Hardcover, 2023)

The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks is a chilling psychological thriller narrated by a deeply unsettling adolescent mind. Sixteen-year-old Frank lives with his eccentric, reclusive father on a secluded Scottish island, awaiting the return of his brother who escaped from a psychiatric hospital. Frank’s main pastime is killing wasps, mice, and small animals—cruelties he describes with unnerving clarity and detachment.

Hailed as one of the hundred most significant novels of the century, this book combines dark satire with profound psychological insight. Banks explores themes of identity, isolation, morality, and insanity in a narrative that forces readers to question the thin line between innocence and horror. The Ukrainian edition, published by Klub Simейnogo Dozvillia (KSD) in 2023, is a 240-page, 135 × 205 mm hardcover, translated by Henik Belyakov. It’s unsettling, provocative, and unforgettable.