The Steppe as a Post-Apocalyptic and Mythological Landscape in Oksana Vasyakina’s Autofiction

This paper explores the role of the steppe in Oksana Vasyakina’s autofiction novel Steppe (2022) through a post-apocalyptic lens, analyzing its function as both a physical and metaphorical space. The study examines the steppe’s connection to the themes of memory, loss, and identity, drawing on mythological, ecological, and postmodern elements to portray personal and historical catastrophe. Ultimately, the steppe emerges as a space where time, place, and trauma converge.