In the article the genre-style features of M. Kostomarov’s prose are defined, the influence of European and national traditions on the formation of the style of the artist is determined, the author’s innovative role in starting the literary genre of dystopia is determined.M. Kostomarov’s prose — is an the original phenomenon of literature of the nineteenth century, which is a peculiar synthesis of journalism, folklore, ethnography. Among them are the stories «Kudeyar», «Son», «Forty years», «Kholui», «Chernigovka», «Scots revolt», «Adventures on death», «Sick», «Faina», «Olhovniak», «Illegal births «,» Taynovidets «. Genius pluralism of M. Kostomarov’s prose is determined primarily by the ideological and aesthetic platform of romanticism. Under the influence of romanticism, the writer determines his prose works: the story «Kudeyar» is defined as a historical chronicle, the story «Forty years» is called folk Ukrainian legend, the story «Cholly» — an episode in the historical and everyday life of the era, the story «Chernigovka» — a household story, a story «Son» is called a story. Kostomarov bases his tales on a variety of sources: legends, verbal tales, life stories, materials of litigation. Here he details and scrupulously reproduces the color of the epochs of the XVI–XVIII centuries. Documentation, focus on historical facts is dominant in the genre structure of the writer’s prose. In the stories of Kostomarov, the historical truth is closely connected with the artistic, artistic peculiarity intertwined with the historical fact, the true historical persons function with fictional characters.In the prose of the writer, every historical epoch is represented by the relation of life and artistic truth. According to his genre-style features, Kostomarov’s prose combines both national and European traditions. In the genre aspect, it absorbs traditions of the Walter-Scottish type of historical novel, elements of Gothic prose. Today his works are never more relevant than ever, and they deserve a proper assessment of contemporaries.