Μαύρη Θάλασσα

An experimental narrative; a journey of survival, initiation, and the coming-of-age of a child who follows a man in the aftermath of a massive cultural catastrophe. The narrative features many layers from the historical past while simultaneously projecting into a dystopian, undefined future-an imaginary world that involves contact with alien beings. The narrative modes are equally diverse and intricately interwoven: dialogues, onomatopoeic sounds, erased portions of text, an emphasis on the characters' roles (the man, the child, etc.), and a simultaneous subversion of their expected stereotypical traits (e.g., the child's harsh reactions). The anarchic storytelling depicts a fragmented world, much like a video game platform, lacking a specific beginning and devoid of any possible end (the alignment of the book's typographical format with its content is particularly interesting from this perspective). This is a bold attempt at experimenting with the speculative genre of futuristic dystopia, which is relatively uncommon in our literary tradition. The author freely draws from literary and cinematic sources, as well as pop culture, and successfully portrays a ruined, post-industrial world. Through these associations, parallels with our own world are suggested, offering an indirect critique of contemporary political and social issues.

Award Rationale
State Prize for a New Writer 2021
Deputy Ministry of Culture of Cyprus