Lyuko Dashvar (real name Iryna Chernykh, b. 1953, Kherson) is a contemporary Ukrainian writer, journalist, and screenwriter, author of the bestsellers Village Is Not People and To Have It All. A laureate of the “Coronation of the Word” award, her novels have often been shortlisted or won the BBC Book of the Year. Her work delves into social realities, provincial life, and hidden human passions, blending realism with drama.
✨ Her real name is Iryna Chernykh; she adopted the pseudonym Lyuko Dashvar to separate writing from journalism. 📺 Before becoming a novelist, she worked as a TV screenwriter in Ukraine. 📖 Her debut Village Is Not People sparked heated debate for its raw realism. 🏆 Her novels have repeatedly won the BBC Book of the Year in Ukraine. 💡 She often draws inspiration from overheard conversations in buses or markets. 🔥 Her books sold in tens of thousands of copies, making her a true bestseller author. 🎭 Several works were considered for film adaptations. 📚 To Have It All became one of the top-selling novels of the 2010s in Ukraine. 😅 Funny fact: she joked that even her relatives needed years to get used to calling her Lyuko Dashvar. 🤔 Curious note: publishers quipped that her sales “kept the Ukrainian book market afloat.”