GENRE FEATURES OF THE RETRO DETECTIVE "DEKKER'S VILLA" BY YURI VYNNYCHUK

Abstract

This article is devoted to the study of the genre features of the retro detective "Dekker's villa" by Yuriy Vynnychuk – the titular representative of modern Ukrainian postmodernist literature. The article identifies the dominant features of the retro detective as a genre, in the context of which the formal features of the novel "Dekker's villa" as an invariant of the retro detective are studied. It is proved that the retro detective is a synthetic genre that is distinguished by the specificity of plot construction: the main emphasis in such a genre modification is made on historical parallels of understanding the present in the context of events of other eras, and the inclusion of a wide layer of historical contexts in the work allows the modern reader not only to follow the detective intrigue, but also to unravel numerous references, allusions, hints, quotes, etc. The genre of the retro detective Yu. Vynnychuk combines elements of a classical and historical detective, a psychological novel, elements of adventure and political-espionage genres that dynamize the plot, a love and urban novel. The development of the plot of the novel resembles a labyrinth with unexpected moves, traps, searches for a way out, etc., and therefore it is impossible for the reader to predict the unfolding of the action, as well as the course of the investigation itself, the solution of mysterious terrible events, until the very end. Several plot lines develop in parallel in the novel – criminal, political, love, which are constantly intertwined, creating a tense and dynamic atmosphere. The specificity of the retro-detective genre of Y. Vynnychuk lies in the ability to combine differently structured semiotic systems, realizing the property of the historical multi-layeredness of the genre, when each component carries certain information about the past. The retro detective "Dekker's villa" qualitatively stands out among similar genre forms with its accurate reconstruction of the atmosphere and realities of the corresponding era and the panoramic depiction of a specific historical time, its emphasis on recognizable urban locations, its synthesis of mystical elements and ironic play, and its tense and dynamic plot, traditional for this genre.