Ukraine can now boast its own Joan Rowling
Ukraine can now boast its own Joan Rowling. But unlike the British writer, Ukrainian one Maria–Alexandra Golovakóva wrote her book about magic when she was 11. The inspiration for this was relocation of her parents to the capital town of the Philippines – Manila. It is interesting that the main part of the book Maria-Alexandra has written still in her motherland. Her fantasy novel is called «Sasha and the magic of the Philippines». In her book, which is soon to appear in the Ukrainian bookstores, the young author did not only fulfill the wish of many of her age mates – to master magic and presented her age mates the story about the magic of the Philippines, but also tried to find the real source of the civil wars in the Philippines and stop them forever by the actions of her heroes. 
The first and the only in Ukraine presentation of the book by the youngest writer of Polissya will take place on the 20th of July in Zhytomyr bookstore «Knygomaniya», and afterwards the author goes back with her family to the Philippines.
As Maria-Alexandra told herself, she was writing the book for her age mates. That’s why the part of the run of the book «Sasha and the magic of the Philippines» will be presented to the children and youth libraries of Zhytomyr region.
The writer’s point of view is that the readers will most of all like the moments which were the most difficult for her to write: «It was the most difficult to describe the battle scenes, magic scenes, when the heroes find themselves on the island Mindanao and fight with the ghost and Death Knight Lu Dat – it was really difficult.»
Managing partner of the MSBrand Corporation Agency Kseniya Sladkevych thinks that though the book is written in Russian, and Maria-Alexandra lives in the Philippines, her book has the intrinsic value which distinguishes the modern Ukrainian literature among the others: «It has the feature which western critics and translators characterize as peculiarity of the modern Ukrainian literature – natural mysticism. It is not the imaginary Hollywood mystic but mystic of the real life and very natural magic. Exactly this relates the young writer with the process which is called modern Ukrainian literature.»
About the author
Maria-Alexandra Golovakóva was born on the 19th of March 1998 and has been living in Zhytomyr till she was 11. Then together with her family she moved to the Philippines. The news about the future relocation to the far and mysterious country inspired Maria–Alexandra to write her first book which she finished in the autumn of 2009.
At present time the young writer lives and learns in the capital of the Philippines – Manila, she likes reading, swimming, horse-riding. Now Maria–Alexandra finishes her next book with illustrations in style of manga-– Japanese cartoons, she dreams about learning Japanese and playing the flute.
About the book
Fourteen-year old Sasha moves together with her family from Ukraine to an exotic country — the Philippines. There heroine meets a strange boy Dave who helps her to discover her unusual talent and get acquainted with the world of true magic. Dave’s mission is to secure Sasha, to help in the struggle against the evil and to teach her how to use her magic force. Together they pass through the misfortunes and rejoice at her successes. But as soon as Sasha begins to master her gift, the evil from the planet Zelics carries the first attack…
The book is written by an eleven-year old writer for her age mates, it is full of the heroes of the Philippine’s legends, dangerous adventures and the very true magic.
Illustrations to the novel «Sasha and the magic of the Philippines», were made long time before the publication of the book by the Internet-friend of the young writer – Yevheniya Nekrasova. These illustrations are also in the book.
If you think that you are a great writer, if you compare yourself with Joan Rowling you are wrong. She was writing her books not for fun, it was a case of great inspiration and profound life experience. Adventures in itself can't exist in literature try to combine them with real human feelings to make an impact on any person's soul.
Well done Maria-Alexandra. You will need the spirit of a child to speak to children fantasy. In particular I expect good things knowing the deep spirituality of Ukrainian and Eastern European people in general, not the one from UK tasting too much easily like "fish and chips", only salty, otherwise dull. This is in reply to the above comment which sounds too much affected by prejudice, I bet, without even having seen the work of this very young author. If a translation will be made in either English or Italian I will be happy (above all curious) to read this novel.
Again: well done Maria-Alexandra.