Yalka Simonov is an ordinary guy, if you ignore the fact that he is a representative of the Nuoli — an ancient northern people. The bodies of the Nuoli are covered with thick fur, and instead of a face, they have an abyss, so the Nuoli are forced to wear special masks. Yalka lives in Rostov-on-Don, works in an office, dreams of making a career in stand-up (so far, it’s not going very well), and generally feels like a loser. But Yalka knows well that he will never be able to blend in with the surrounding landscape: he looks too different from the others. However, he is also distancing himself more and more from Nuoli culture. The only ritual he strictly follows is bathing in cold water (it doesn’t matter if in a bathtub or in a river): it gives him strength. Hoping to understand something about himself, Yalka enrolls in acting courses; alongside this new passion, he falls in love with a colleague — Natalia, but will she reciprocate? And what to do about Elina, a Nuoli girl who seems to be planning to marry him? And most importantly, what to do with himself?
“How to find yourself when you are with yourself every day?” “Yalka” is an atmospheric novel about self-discovery set against the backdrop of a colorful southern city, which redefines the discourse on national identity, otherness, and strangeness in modern Russia.
Marina Chufistova is a writer living in Rostov-on-Don. She graduated from the literary workshop of Evgeny Babushkin. “Yalka” was included in the long list of the “Lyceum” prize.
