Yevgenia Nayberg's Graphic Memoir 'Chernobyl, Life, and Other Disasters' Chronicles Soviet Childhood
Yevgenia Nayberg's graphic memoir 'Chernobyl, Life, and Other Disasters' follows the strong-willed protagonist Genya as she pursues art school in Ukraine amid Soviet control, the Cold War, and the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. The middle-grade book, published by Holiday House (ISBN 9780823460588), offers a window into growing up in turmoil with a sardonic sense of humor. In an interview with PRINT Magazine's Daily Heller, Nayberg discusses her natural, playful art style and ironic lens, her mother's work at an animation studio that influenced her understanding of text-art interplay, and her depiction of Kyiv as a fairytale-like city. She reflects on the duality of Soviet Realism versus underground art, the uncertainty following Chernobyl that taught her official media could not be trusted, and her 'ridiculous optimism' about existence. The book is aimed at today's tweens, providing inspiration to persevere.
Key facts
- The graphic memoir is titled 'Chernobyl, Life, and Other Disasters'.
- The book is published by Holiday House with ISBN 9780823460588.
- The story is set in Ukraine during Soviet control, the Cold War, and the Chernobyl disaster.
- Nayberg's art style is described as playful and ironic.
- Nayberg's mother worked at an animation studio, influencing her approach.
- Nayberg describes Kyiv as a 'fairytale-like, magical city' in her art.
- The book is classified as middle-grade.
- The interview appears in PRINT Magazine's Daily Heller column.
Entities
Artists
- Yevgenia Nayberg
- Genya
Institutions
- PRINT Magazine
- Holiday House
Locations
- Ukraine
- Kyiv