As part of the Week of Ukrainian Culture in the United Kingdom, Bath Spa University hosted a session of its book club, this time devoted to "Grey Bees" by Ukrainian author Andriy Kurkov. Representatives of IUEH joined the discussion - Associate Professor Iryna Budz and Professor Oksana Melnychuk, lecturers at the Department of Romano-Germanic Philology. Participants shared their impressions of the novel, reflecting on its artistic and social nuances as well as its significance within contemporary Ukrainian literature.
British colleagues noted that the book struck them with its restrained yet profoundly emotional style, and with the author’s ability “to write about war without grandstanding — through the ordinariness of daily life and the fragility of human experience.” Several participants remarked that “only through stories like this can one truly sense how war alters the rhythm of everyday existence.” Others drew attention to the moral dilemmas faced by the protagonist, describing them as “quiet on the surface yet deeply resonant in their humanity.”
The discussion also highlighted the importance of translating Ukrainian literature. Colleagues emphasized that English-language editions enable readers in the UK to better understand the Ukrainian cultural context and to see the war through the lens of personal narratives and everyday strategies of survival. The meeting concluded with an exchange of recommendations for future reading. Suggested titles included Oksana Zabuzhko’s "The Museum of Abandoned Secrets", Oksana Lutsyshyna’s "Ivan and Phoebe", and Maria Matios’s "Sweet Darusya".