Victoria Amelina was a Ukrainian novelist, poet, and children's author known for her literary exploration of contemporary Ukrainian identity and history. She gained recognition for her debut novel, "The Fall Syndrome: about Homo Compatiens," which examined the 2014 Maidan protests and earned critical acclaim across Europe. Her subsequent works included the children's book "Somebody, or Water Heart" and the novel "Dom's Dream Kingdom," the latter of which was shortlisted for the LitAkcent Literary Award and the European Union Prize for Literature. Amelina received the Joseph Conrad Literary Award and was a finalist for several other prestigious honors.
Originally trained in computer science, Amelina transitioned from an IT career to full-time writing in 2015, quickly establishing herself as a distinctive voice in Ukrainian literature. Her works often intertwined personal and collective memory, particularly in "Dom's Dream Kingdom," which followed a Soviet colonel's family living in the former home of Polish-Jewish author Stanisław Lem. A member of PEN International, she advocated for human rights, notably speaking at the 84th World PEN Congress about imprisoned Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov.
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Amelina documented war crimes while continuing to write poetry and prose. In 2022, she recovered the diary of slain writer Volodymyr Vakulenko during her research in the Izium region. Tragically, she died in July 2023 from injuries sustained in a Russian missile strike on Kramatorsk. Her works, translated into multiple languages, remain a testament to her literary and humanitarian legacy.