"Dzikae palyavanne" for zoomers: Makar's new book brings to mind Korotkevich

The events in "Nitsi" seem to take place in modern Belarus, but there's not a hint of modern politics. The residents of the village where the book is set live their own lives and have little contact with the outside world; they reminisce more about the Soviet period and discuss how they managed to preserve themselves and their customs during the USSR than about anything from the 90s or 2000s.

"...Different people like different things. Some wanted the Soviet Union back, some didn't, and some wanted Belarus to be independent. Everyone had their own desires. People are all different, so it's hard to answer your question. You can find justification for anything."

The story follows Anton, a young guy who graduated from pedagogical institute, as he goes to work off his assignment in a village. He wasn't a great student, so he ended up at the bottom of the distribution list and, despite having a Minsk residence permit, is sent to the village of Krupa to work as a history teacher. He's bored in the village, but that changes the moment he stumbles upon a strange local ceremony. The ritual both scares and attracts him. The locals don't explain anything. So the young specialist decides to unravel the mystery on his own.

Павялічыць

"You city folks think too much, to be honest, it's better to live, you know, how you feel... You don't think when you take steps, do you? They just kind of go on their own, right? Well, that's how you should live..."

Makar is 25, he's a city guy, so it's interesting to see how he portrays the village. He admits that he's never lived in the countryside for long. Therefore, the village of Krupa is the author's composite representation based on stories from friends, the media, and personal impressions. The village comes across as a bit cardboard-like, but there's a sense of tenderness and respect. It's kind of a neat and respectful attitude of a well-mannered boy towards village life. One of the book's features is the invented local dialect, which the author maintains quite confidently until the very end.

It's not exactly a detective story, but there's a mystery in the book. As well as a solution at the end. It's like a "Wild Hunt" for zoomers. There's no need to look for a deep connection with Korotkevich here, it's not there, but the analogy is tempting: a city "exile" comes to a rural area, is bored and dismissive, but gradually becomes sympathetic and even curious about local life. Except that he doesn't fall in love, but there will be comical suspicions.

There's also audience engagement, book trailers, and this time even a musical track by Anastasia Rydlevskaya.

Makar. Nitsi. — Warsaw: Januszkiewicz, 2025

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