OLEKSANDRA STEPANENKO: 9 Circles of Heaven and Her Writing Career During russian's War Against Ukraine

Oleksandra Stepanenko is a Ukrainian writer and the author of 9 Circles of Heaven, which tells the story of a soldier with the call sign Dante. The writer’s goal was to show that, despite the hell of war, the soldier achieves ascent rather than decline.

The story also intersects with her own life, as her husband is a defender of Ukraine.

Oleksandra shared with Drive Music Media the meanings embedded in her book 9 Circles of Heaven and her upcoming projects.

Interviewer: Your book touches on a very important topic — russia’s war against Ukraine and a soldier who went through its hell. Tell us about it — how did the idea for this story come about, and how difficult was it to write about the war while it’s still ongoing?

Oleksandra: During the war, such ideas don’t simply appear — they live indelibly in the heart of every empathetic and caring person. Veterans are all around us, among our loved ones and people in our communities. In my view, it’s impossible to ignore this topic. Nothing had to be invented either — although the characters in my book don’t exist, every event or plot twist actually happened at some point. Amid the flow of news and stories from those close to me who have endured the horrors of combat, the story about Dante began to obsessively appear in my dreams, growing with countless details. So rewriting it from my mind into text wasn’t difficult — on the contrary, it was a relief, similar to what people feel when they finally get to speak out.

Interviewer: "9 Circles of Heaven." We’re used to hearing "9 Circles of Hell." Tell us about the title. What meanings have you hidden in it?

Oleksandra: If we refer to the original source, Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, we see that not only Hell, but also Purgatory and Heaven consist of nine levels. So, while the phrase "nine circles of hell" is widely known, Heaven also has nine circles (or spheres). Since the main character’s call sign is Dante, and the central motif of my story is ascent rather than decline, revival rather than fading, this allusion to the classic work in the title seems logical. Moreover, the subconscious parallels readers make with the nine circles of hell are also relevant, considering what the protagonist had to endure before reclaiming his life.

Interviewer: On the cover, we see an illustration resembling an X-ray image. Could you tell us about this choice? Why did you decide on it?

Oleksandra: The idea for this style came when I was looking at X-ray images of spinal implants used to align and stabilise the spine — there is a scene in the book involving neurosurgery. An X-ray lets us see inside the body, revealing what is hidden from the human eye. In the same way, through the protagonist’s thoughts, feelings, and motives, we catch glimpses of a wounded soul — a broken man who constantly struggles with his inner pain, even if outwardly he looks strong and confident.

There is also a small, subtle patch over the heart — a symbol of a healed wound — and a tiny toy motorcycle, covered by a hand, which serves as Dante’s talisman.

Interviewer: What do you personally find the hardest and the easiest about being a writer? Why?

Oleksandra: The answer to this question will always be highly individual. For me personally, the hardest part of being a writer is waiting. Writers are constantly waiting: for a consultant to reply, for a beta-reader or critic to send feedback, for new reviews from readers, for a response from a publisher, for the next illustration to be finished… I absolutely hate waiting, so all these endless pauses feel like torture to me.

The easiest part, on the other hand, is the actual writing process. I only sit down to write when the whole idea is already formed and only needs polishing, so transferring my thoughts onto paper becomes a pleasant and easy task. For example, I carried the idea of “9 Circles of Heaven” in my mind for more than six months, but I wrote it in less than two months — and I didn’t finish it faster only because I had so many other commitments at the same time.

Interviewer: What theme will you explore next? What books are you working on now?

Oleksandra: At the moment, I’ve concentrated on short prose — I want to try myself in several unusual genres. Mostly these are short stories on various topics, ranging from mysticism to non-fiction. One of them, titled “Listen, Killer”, is being prepared for publication in the anthology “Along the Bloody Paths” (edited by Milante Hotem and Zoryan Kostyuk).

As for my next full-length book, I still have some doubts. One of my initial ideas was to create a work of non-ethnic fantasy, because I felt there was a lack of this subgenre in our literature. However, right now, as a beta reader, I’m going through the drafts of almost-finished, wonderful fantasy novels that are making me rethink whether this niche is really lacking. These include the very promising YA cycle “The Heart of the Wind” by Viktoria Hryshchenko, and Valeria Inozemtseva’s novel “Echo from Oblivion” — a brilliant work at the intersection of gothic and romantic fantasy.

So at this point, I’m torn between another work in the style of social drama and a historical-adventure novel, the outline of which I already have sketched out.

Interviewer: If you were to recommend your book to someone, how would you describe the story within it? What would you like a reader to know before starting?

Oleksandra: The thing is, summarizing this story briefly is the hardest task for me. It contains countless meanings, parallels, and moments drawn from real life. The plot of the novel spans ten years in the lives of several people — the main character Dante and a few of those closest to him. Dante is a serviceman, a former special forces soldier who went through injury and captivity, losing both his physical and mental health as a result. The book tells the story of how he gradually rises from a state of ruin, finds his place in this world, and becomes a happy person.

If I were to condense the essence of 9 Circles of Heaven into one idea — it would be a dream. A dream that every soldier, after the war, will remain needed and important.

Before recommending the book to anyone, I warn about two aspects: first, it is strictly 18+ literature. It contains profanity, descriptions of sex and violence, and the deaths of characters. Second, the beginning is heavy, especially for civilians. But later on, the focus of the narrative shifts to less triggering themes.

Interviewer: What is the hardest part of building a writing career in Ukraine during the war?

Oleksandra: The hardest part of building a writing career in Ukraine is the impossibility of actually building one. Of course, there are people who earn a living by creating texts, but that’s mostly copywriting. I don’t know of a single person in our country who has turned writing — in the sense we are speaking about here — into their sole, sufficient, and stable source of income. So, strictly speaking, it’s not really a career. Writing for me is an ambitious, challenging, and fascinating hobby.

The only difficulty I face with writing during the war is the constant doubt — whether I should have invested my time, energy, and money into supporting the defense forces instead. But when I receive feedback from soldiers saying things like “your book should be handed out at the exit of rehabilitation centers” — then I feel a cautious hope that all of this was not in vain.

Interviewer: What mission do you have as a Ukrainian writer? Why this one?

Oleksandra: I wouldn’t call my activity anything close to a mission at all. The only relatively larger goal I could outline for myself is my involvement in beta-reading. This is a very interesting process, though it takes a lot of time. But without an attentive, knowledgeable, and meticulous outside reader, texts often remain too “raw” for further advancement. That’s why I gladly do free beta-reading for beginner authors. Among them, there are an incredible number of outstanding talents, and it warms my heart to have even a small connection to the future of Ukrainian literature.

Interviewer: What word best describes your writing activity? Why this one?

Oleksandra: That’s a tough question. I think the word would be search. Because for me, and not only for me, writing is truly a constant search: for information, for ideas, for the right words, for one’s audience, and so on.

Pictures were provided by Oleksandra Stepanenko. The cover designer of 9 Circles of Heaven is Olga Hud, and the illustrations are by Kateryna Parkhomenko