Yalka

Yalka Simonov is an ordinary guy with one special trait: he belongs to the ancient northern people of Nuoli. In the Nuoli, bodies are covered in thick fur, and the face is replaced by an abyss—so they have to wear masks. Yalka lives in Rostov-on-Don, works in an office, dreaming of a career in stand-up—but so far without success. He feels like a failure and realizes he’ll never fully blend in with the people around him because he’s different. But his connection to his people’s culture is also weakening. The only ritual he keeps is bathing in cold water, whether in a bath or a river—this gives him energy. Trying to understand himself, Yalka signs up for acting courses and falls in love with a colleague, Natalie, hoping for mutual feelings. Meanwhile, Elina, a Nuoli girl, seems to be aiming to marry him. The question for Yalka is: what should he do about himself when he faces it every day?

“Yalka” is an atmospheric novel set against the backdrop of a vivid southern city, raising anew questions of national identity, estrangement, and otherness in modern Russia.

Marina Chufistova is a writer from Rostov-on-Don, a graduate of the literary workshop of Yevgeny Babushkin. The novel “Yalka” was included in the long list of the “Lyceum” prize.