Author Elena Pshenychnaya has been honored with the Oleksandr Honchar Literary Prize for her novel "Where the Sun Sets".

The announcement was made by the State Agency of Ukraine for Arts and Artistic Education on the birthday of Honchar, April 3rd.

"Where the Sun Sets" tells the story of a nursing home, focusing on the main character, Vira, who is 72 years old. She finds herself in the home because her son is volunteering for the war. The book explores the theme of aging in Ukrainian society and the acceptance of growing old.

"Where the Sun Sets by Elena Pshenychnaya is a bold narrative, especially as it is one of the first Ukrainian novels predominantly featuring elderly characters, thus introducing a unique perspective and set of questions that are rarely addressed," noted book reviewer UP.Culture's Arina Kravchenko.

Last year, "Where the Sun Sets" was recognized by the Ukrainian PEN, being included in the list of the best books of 2024. The book was published by "Laboratory".

This year, the winner was chosen from 36 authors. The committee also highlighted several noteworthy works from other candidates:

• Serhiy Bashynskyi – book "Ukrainian Church: The Forbidden History"
• Yuliana Nesterovych – novel "Tale of the Red Dragon"
• Maria Paplauskaite – collection of stories "The Train Arrives on Schedule. Stories of People and Railways"
• Valentyna Rozumenko – collection of stories "February of Unbreakability"

The Oleksandr Honchar Prize is awarded annually for the best literary works that promote the ideals of humanism, the spiritual values of the Ukrainian people, and the ideas of Ukraine's independence.