Howdy,
I was contacted by Dima Tsyptsiura requesting a review of the novel ShegoraTH. After reading the author completed it while living in war-torn Ukraine, I was moved to review the book. So, without further ado, on to the review.
ShegoraTH is a hard book to review. I don't even know what to call it. It's part sci-fi, part fantasy, and part…dream log? Honestly, I'm not sure. It's weird and fascinating.
The author claims they want to surprise people. I admit I was surprised while reading ShegoraTH. I was astonished by how much I enjoyed the work after I got over my initial reaction of what the heck is this. As best I can tell, it's a collection of interconnected vignettes—some in prose and some in verse—that are allegorical. The lesson to be drawn is that positivity is the best way to face adversity. At least, that's the message I took from my reading.
The prose is often sparse; at times, it has a half-formed feeling. But I don't know if that's the case. I'll tell you why. One thing Tsyptsiura does exceptionally well, especially in the pieces that I enjoyed the most, is create visuals that are often cinematic. Time in again, I pictured very clearly what the author described.
If you like experimentalism in your speculative fiction, ShegoraTH might just fit the bill. It's a quick, interesting read that will leave you wondering what you just read (but in a good way).