Julia Orlova, CEO of Vivat Publishing in Kharkiv. Image: Vivat
Editor’s note: On March 1, 2022, shortly after the opening of the Russian assault on Ukraine, Publishing Perspectives ran its first interview with the CEO of Vivat, one of the most prominent Ukrainian publishers. We have today (April 15) this new interview with Julia Orlova, following Moscow’s horrific Palm Sunday attack (April 13) on Sumy, which has left at least 35 dead and 117 injured.–Porter Anderson
By Jarosław Adamowksi | @JaroslawAdamows
‘Betting on Mass Genres and Bestsellers’
In the fourth year of Russia’s unprovoked war on Ukraine, professionals in the country’s book publishing industry have largely adapted to the daily challenges that work to undermine their performance on a daily basis.
Facing what has come to seem a permanent assault, many Ukrainians have turned to books for comfort and personal growth, triggering a spike in print runs, according to Julia Orlova the CEO of Vivat Publishing, one of the largest houses in the Ukrainian market.
Orlova tells Publishing Perspectives that 2024 was a year marked by many difficulties requiring Ukrainian industry players to adapt to shifting realities.
“Despite the war,” Orlova says, “Ukrainians continue to read, and publishers continue to publish books. Although the total number of new titles decreased by 18 percent, the total circulation increased by 6 percent and reached 26 million copies. This indicates that the market is changing: publishers are betting on mass genres and bestsellers.”
Some of the Ukrainian authors who gained popularity last year, she says, include: Lyudmila Dolgonovska, author of The Iron General: Lessons of Humanity; historian and documentarist Oleksandr Zinchenko, who released How Ukrainians Destroyed the Evil Empire; and Maryna Starodubska, author of How to Understand Ukrainians: A Cross-Cultural View.
At the same time, Orlova says, Ukrainian readers are reaching to their country’s classics as well as to popular foreign writers.
“Series of alternative Ukrainian classics that introduce readers to lesser-known but important writers are in great demand,” Orlova says. “Among foreign authors, Colleen Hoover became the undisputed leader. Her novel Leave It If You Love Me became the absolute bestseller of 2024 in Ukraine with a circulation of almost 75,000 copies.
“In general, large circulation figures between 20,000 and 30,000 copies are becoming the norm for popular books,” she says, “while previously this was an exceptional phenomenon in Ukraine.”
Children’s Literature Down from 50 to 15 Percent
An outdoor marketplace in Lviv on April 7 features used books for sale. Image – Getty: A Sphotowed
In Julia Orlova’s view, Ukrainian readers follow global trends. Fantasy, romance, and psychological thrillers, she says, currently attract a large share of the readers’ attention.
One of Vivat Publishing’s translations of a book by the American author Sarah J. Maas
“At the same time,” she says, “Ukrainians are increasingly interested in books about themselves, their roots, and cultural characteristics. This applies to both historical literature and books about the Ukrainian mentality and classics, which are gaining a new sound.
“Children’s literature is experiencing difficulties. Circulation levels have fallen, and the cost of printing has increased. If at the beginning of the war this segment occupied 50 percent of Vivat’s publishing portfolio, now it’s only 15 percent.”
Asked about Vivat’s performance last year, Orlova says the company has strengthened its focus on bestsellers.
“Our portfolio includes thrillers and detective stories, romance novels, and historical prose,’ she says, “as well as books about history and culture, fantasy and romance, and children’s books.
“Despite the war and difficult economic conditions, we’ve continued to develop, open bookstores, support Ukrainian authors, and publish world bestsellers. Our books occupy the top places in sales rankings, and the demand for Ukrainian literature is growing.”
One of the most difficult moments came with the destruction of the Factor-Druk printing house in May 2024 as a result of a Russian missile strike. That tragic event forced Vivat to look for alternative sources of book printing.
“At the same time, we strengthened our presence in the digital space,” Orlova says. “We updated our online bookstore and expanded the range of popular genres, including fiction, psychological bestsellers, and books about the history of Ukraine.
“In 2025, Vivat will continue to scale successful projects, support Ukrainian authors, and expand international cooperation.
“We believe that the Ukrainian book market will not only survive, but will become even stronger.
“A book today,” says Julia Orlova, “is not only a tool for education and development, but also an important cultural code that unites Ukrainians in times of great change.”
More from Publishing Perspectives on the Ukrainian market and Russia’s war on Ukraine is here, more on the freedom to publish and the freedom of expression is here.