ENG:Olga Babiy-Baturin

Olga Babiy’s *Baturyn* is a fiery dramatic poem, a Shakespearean tragedy set in Ukraine that brings to life the fall of the Cossack capital.
Why it’s captivating:
The Hetman as Hamlet: Ivan Mazepa here is not a dry politician, but an intellectual making a fateful choice between peace and freedom, fully understanding the cost of the risk.
Drive and tension: Since this is a drama, events unfold at lightning speed. Every dialogue is a duel, every monologue an emotional explosion against the backdrop of the city’s siege.
The anatomy of betrayal: You’ll see from the inside how a single traitor can destroy an entire dream. It’s a psychologically powerful storyline that makes you clench your fists.
Cinematography: The author has managed to capture both the baroque splendor of the palaces and the bloody glow of the fire. It’s as if you’re watching a historical blockbuster in verse.
This is a story about how a city becomes a legend, and defeat becomes a symbol of an unbreakable spirit.