Marina and Sergey Dyachenko, “Vita Nostra: Collecting the Pieces,” Moscow: Eksmo, 2024

The final novel in the fantasy trilogy was published this year, and for some, it served as a reminder of one of the most unique artistic universes, while for others, it was just beginning to explore it. The celebrated "Vita Nostra" was published back in 2007 and broke more than one reader's mold. A sequel followed, and now, after Sergei Dyachenko's death, the final installment has been published. The three novels chronicle the daily lives of the Institute of Special Technologies, whose students' primary goal is not simply to study well but to survive, as any mistake threatens their survival and their everyday lives. The strange yet captivating world of the institute hinges on the sad realization that receiving an invitation to Hogwarts doesn't always change life for the better. Freely playing with both genre models and readers' emotions, the authors alternate between urban fantasy and university fiction, ultimately settling on an extended philosophical parable about the illusory nature of reality.
"From a submissive fool who does not grow up, who does not overcome himself, the Word will never emerge…"

