Sofija Andruchovyč

The novel’s hero miraculously survives his injuries, but at the cost of losing his memory. He doesn’t know his name or where he comes from, and he can’t recall even a fragment of his previous life. A woman cares for him, and together they delve into the deepest layers of his memories, piecing together the scattered fragments of his subconscious and uncovering their shared history. The title Amadoka refers to the largest lake in Europe, which was located in what is now Ukraine. Herodotus mentions it, and for several centuries, ancient and medieval cartographers included it on their maps until the moment the lake vanished without a trace. But how do lakes, worlds, and cultures disappear, and what remains of them?

Published by Větrné mlýny, 2025