We chat with co-author Marina Dyachenko about School of Shards, which is the haunting final chapter of the modern classic Vita Nostra trilogy. The Dyachenkos’ magical dark academia novel brings the story of Sasha to a revelatory climax as she learns to take control of her powers and reshape the world…or destroy it forever. Beautifully translated from Russian by Julia Meitov Hersey.
Hi, Marina! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I was born in Kyiv, a beautiful city where chestnut trees bloom in the spring. In the wintertime, my parents, sister, and I would go skiing and sledding in the park. I was a bookish, nerdy girl, but for some reason I decided not to enroll in a university and applied to a theatre conservatory instead. To my surprise, I was accepted! I loved my school so much. After graduation, I stayed at the conservatory as faculty, teaching Ukrainian stage speech to students just a couple of years younger than me. And then there was a miracle—I met my husband, Sergey Dyachenko. I remember gathering all my courage to ask him to read my first novella. From that moment, we became co-authors and then a couple. We had our daughter, Anastasia, and we traveled around the world together. My daughter and husband are no longer with us. Yet, I feel their presence every single minute.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve been making up stories for as long as I can remember. I was five when I dictated two books to my parents: The Tale of the Little Locomotive and The Pranks of a Thief. The former turned out to be unexpectedly terrifying and the latter—a surreal comedy. My parents stitched the pages together and I drew the cover.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Uncle Remus: Br’er Rabbit and Br’er Fox—a children’s edition. That was the first one I read by myself. But my parents used to read to me since I was a baby: fairy tales, stories about animals. One of them was called How the Little Ant Rushed Home.
- The one that made you want to become an author: I can’t name just one—there were many. And I never set out to become an author. I just loved reading so very much.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: I can’t name just one—there were many. And I never set out to become an author. I just loved reading so very much.
School of Shards is the third and final installment in the Vita Nostra series and it’s out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
The freedom Sasha dreamed about.
For those who haven’t picked up the series, what can they expect?
I would strongly encourage our readers to start with the first novel, Vita Nostra. This moment in time, in June 2025, is quite unique: for the first time ever, people who read Vita Nostra and fall in love with it can immediately read the second and third parts. Our readers had never had this opportunity before—they had to wait for years for the conclusion of the story.
And for those who have, what’s to come in the final installment?
In the third part, the finale of the trilogy, all the puzzle pieces come together. For me, this means peace.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring once last time?
When I was younger, I was deeply moved by Tolkien’s essay On Fairy Stories, in which he discusses the concept of “eucatastrophe.” These are the moments that, for me, hold the meaning of any story—when evil seems to have triumphed, but a final desperate effort by the good forces changes everything, and things end well.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
This was my first work without Sergey– my co-author, my husband, my friend. I was completely alone, writing in an empty apartment. But whenever I got scared, I reminded myself that I had made a promise, that I would manage, that Sergey and Anastasia were by my side.
What’s next for you?
I think I need to gather my courage and keep working.
Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?
Among the new ones—THE ARC by Dmitry Bykov, a retelling of the Strugatsky brothers’ novella. THE KULESHOV EFFECT by Greg Miller–I hope soon finds its American publisher. And, oddly enough, I keep rereading fragments of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I couldn’t begin to explain why.
