Polish writer Szczepan Twardoch has won the Empik Bestsellery 2025 literary award in the “Fiction” category for his novel “Null,” which explores the Russian-Ukrainian war.
The Empik Bestsellery award is given to authors of books and music releases with the highest sales in the Empik chain of stores in Poland during the year.
The novel “Null” is based on the author’s personal experience. At the start of a new phase of the Russian-Ukrainian war, Twardoch repeatedly traveled to Ukraine to provide volunteer assistance and was near the front line.
The plot centers on a 43-year-old Polish historian with the pseudonym Kin, who, at the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, goes to the Ukrainian front. The events focus on his daily experiences, his time in positions, and his interactions with other military personnel.
Work on the Ukrainian translation of the novel is ongoing. The book is available in Polish at the Polish Institute’s library in Kyiv.
