Leo Vardiashvili

Hard by a Great Forest follows Saba, a young man who returns to Georgia after years of exile in England when his father disappears and his brother becomes caught up in a search for him. Growing up in the aftermath of civil conflict, Saba carries painful memories of leaving his homeland and the family members he could not protect. His search leads him through a landscape filled with abandoned places, unsettling encounters, and stories that blur the boundaries between reality and folklore. As he follows the trail of his missing relatives, he must confront the history his family has tried to escape. Vardiashvili combines suspense, dark humour, and elements of fairy tale to explore displacement, grief, and the lasting effects of political violence. At its heart, the novel asks how far people will go to recover the family and home they have lost.