Moleskine

Amidst the echoes of Ukraine‘s Revolution of Dignity, Moleskine unveils a gripping tale of ambition, loyalty, and the moral cost of survival. Written by Yuriy Novodvorski and translated by Olga Loza, this evocative novel takes readers into the heart of a nation‘s struggle for identity and justice, as seen through the eyes of Danylo Dumanskyi. Born in western Ukraine, Danylo‘s journey begins in modest circumstances but soon spirals into a high-stakes world of crime and power. As a young man navigating the bustling streets of Lviv, he finds fleeting success as a DJ and entrepreneur before personal tragedy and betrayal thrust him into the shadowy underworld of drug trafficking. Partnering with childhood friends, Danylo builds a covert marijuana empire in the Carpathian Mountains, attracting the attention of Anatolii Levchenko, a powerful yet dangerous businessman. Under Levchenko‘s influence, Danylo‘s world expands into a labyrinth of political intrigue and espionage. Tasked with gathering compromising material on Levchenko‘s rivals, Danylo leads the "Desperados" in a perilous game of blackmail and subterfuge, uncovering scandals that threaten to topple Ukraine‘s elite. Against the backdrop of Kyiv‘s gritty streets and the rugged beauty of the Carpathians, Moleskine explores the blurred lines between legitimacy and corruption, love and loss, survival and integrity. Danylo‘s story is both a personal odyssey and a reflection of a nation at a crossroads. With vivid characters, intricate plotting, and a poignant examination of power‘s corrosive influence, Moleskine is a masterful portrait of life in modern Ukraine‘s shadows and sunlight.