In the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, writer Artem Chapeye gained recognition as a committed pacifist who ultimately chose to fight. His reasoning was grounded in empathy and survival: without resistance, identity and nationhood itself were at risk. Yet even before these events, his writing revealed a thoughtful voice grappling with deep existential questions.
His 2021 novel The Weathering presents a hauntingly familiar dystopian world—one where the threat to humanity isn’t just political or manmade, but environmental and all-encompassing. Through this lens, Chapeye explores both the resilience that unites people and the flaws that drive division, destruction, and potential extinction.
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A Story of Survival and Division
At its core, The Weathering examines how people respond under extreme pressure—whether from conflict, environmental collapse, or societal breakdown. As fear and uncertainty grow, individuals are forced to decide not only how to survive, but also what they are willing to sacrifice to protect those they care about.
Chapeye portrays a world where lines are sharply drawn between “friends” and “foes.” This tension is mirrored in the novel’s recurring contrast between “animal” and “beast,” a symbolic divide that reflects both human nature and ecological imbalance.
A Novel Shaped by Crisis
Although published before the 2022 invasion, the novel is deeply influenced by earlier geopolitical tensions, including the annexation of Crimea and conflict in eastern Ukraine. It is also shaped by the global COVID-19 pandemic—a time marked by isolation, uncertainty, and sweeping societal change.
These overlapping crises inform Chapeye’s vision of catastrophe—not as a single event, but as an ongoing condition of modern life. The Weathering asks unsettling but important questions: What happens when emergencies become permanent? And what kind of society emerges when survival becomes the ultimate priority?