Author Elena Pshenychnaya has been honored with the Oleksandr Gonchar Prize for her novel "Where the Sun Sets".

The winner's name was announced by the State Agency of Ukraine for Arts and Artistic Education on the birthday of Gonchar, April 3.

"Where the Sun Sets" tells the story of a retirement home. The main character, Vira, is 72 years old and finds herself there because her son is volunteering in the war. The book explores the theme of aging in Ukrainian society and the process of accepting old age.

"Where the Sun Sets by Elena Pshenychnaya is indeed a bold text. It's bold not only because it is one of the first Ukrainian novels predominantly featuring elderly characters, but also due to its unique perspective and the questions that are rarely addressed," noted book reviewer UP.Culture Arina Kravchenko.

Last year, the book "Where the Sun Sets" was recognized by the Ukrainian PEN as one of the best books of 2024. It was published by the "Laboratory" publishing house.

This year, the winner was chosen from among 36 authors. The committee members also highlighted other noteworthy works:

• Bashinsky Sergey – "Ukrainian Church: Forbidden History"
• Nesterovich Yuliana – "Tale of the Red Dragon"
• Paplauskaitė Maria – "The Train Arrives on Schedule. Stories of People and Railways"
• Rozumenko Valentina – "February of Unbreakability"

The Oleksandr Gonchar Prize is awarded annually for the best literary works that uphold the ideals of humanism, the spiritual values of the Ukrainian people, and the ideas of Ukraine's independence.