The War that Changed Us. Ukrainian Novellas, Poems, and Essays from 2022

This book presents a collection of reportages from Ukraine spanning roughly one year, from February 2022 to February 2023. Its focus is on the experiences of women in the context of war, whether they are soldiers, volunteers, refugees, or do not fit into any of these categories. Through their stories, the book sheds light on how women are trying to make sense of the conflict and the unique struggles they face. The reportages vary in their content and perspective. One follows the story of a woman-soldier who had to combat invading troops while dealing with the deportation of her child to Russia. Another tells of a woman who passed through a filtration process and managed to rescue her handicapped mother from Russia. There is also the tale of a woman whose partner died in battle and who joined the army in his memory, and that of a journalist who faced personal challenges while identifying Russian soldiers. Other stories feature women who represent different backgrounds and challenges, such as a grandmother who tries to maintain a sense of normalcy and tend to her garden despite the bombing, an African Ukrainian aspiring to be a dancer while facing prejudices, and a disabled activist who rescues other people with disabilities who are stranded under occupation. Despite their different experiences, these women share commonalities such as being Ukrainian, female, and having been touched by war, loss, and heroism in different ways. Through their stories, the book offers a diverse and nuanced portrayal of the impact of war on womens lives. At 5:08 a.m. on February 24, 2022, Kateryna woke up in Kyiv to the sound of bombing. This marked the end of her world, work plans and ideas, travels ... All that remained was to save herself and her children. The inevitable changes, which shook something deep and significant within her, became an impetus to write about what had caused her and all Ukrainians so much pain. She wrote, one after another, novellas, poems, and essays that reflect the story of the war during the first months of Russia's full-scale invasion. This book contains words woven with emotions and experiences of ordinary people who have become heroes. The main goal of this collection is to help people all over the world better understand what each Ukrainian felt and how this war changed us all. Foreword by Victor Yushchenko 38 minutes The day before it Carpe diem Multi-sensuality The way back home The Black Hole Baby The Heroes Ivan Kupala Night ... Мааам... Holodomor The wreath Galloping across Europe The scouts Carthage must be destroyed The Ukrainian Warriors of Light The puzzle The window Sophia The hryvnia Forgetting Motanka Lightning never strikes the same place twice Letter from the other end of the Earth Today they‘ve shot us with missiles Island of Happiness Guardian Angels Solomiya and Francesco If people could understand Smile of the Gods She who knows the place of war Anhelinka Jobs Taiwan Soul Thank you very much Making Love with Words A Second Chance Clock of the war