Graduated in psychology from the University of Warsaw. She authored the following novels: Podróż ludzi Księgi (1993), E. E. (1995), Prawiek i inne czasy (1996), Dom dzienny, dom nocny (1998), Ostatnie historie (2004), Anna In w grobowcach świata (2006), Bieguni (2007), Prowadź swój pług przez kości umarłych (2009), Księgi Jakubowe (2014), collections of short stories Szafa (1998) and Gra na wielu bębenkach (2001), the essay Lalka i perła (2000), devoted to Bolesław Prus’ novel Lalka, and collected feature columns Moment niedźwiedzia (2012).

The winner of many awards, including the Kościelski Family Foundation (1997), the „Polityka” Passport (1997), the Silesian Cultural Award(2003), Samuel Bogumił Linde Award of Toruń and Göttingen Twin Cities (2008), Uznam Literary Award (2012), Vilenica Slovenian Literary Award of Central Europe (2013) and International Bridge Prize (Brückepreis) Europe-of he City of Zgorzelec/Görlitz (2015). Five times nominated for the Nike Award, which she received twice: in 2008 for her novel Bieguni and in 2015 for Księgi Jakubowe. For Dom dzienny, dom nocny she received the prestigious Brücke Berlin Preis (2002) and was nominated for the InternationalIMPAC Dublin Literary Award (2004).

Her books have been translated into many languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Swedish, Danish, Serbian, Croatian, Russian, Czech, Ukrainian, Turkish, as well as Chinese, Japanese, Hindi and other languages. Some of her works have been adapted for stage (e.g. Prawiek i inne czasy, twice: directed by S. Majewski and P. Tomaszuk, E.E., a TV Theatre spectacle directed by Maria Zmarz-Koczanowicz, Księgi Jakubowe, at Powszechny Theatre in Warsaw, directed by Ewelina Marciniak) and for film (Żurek, directed by R. Brylski, Ariadna na Naksos/Aria Diva, directed by A. Smoczyńska). In 2016, Agnieszka Holland made a film based on the writer’s script Pokot(Spoor), the adaptation of Prowadź swój pług przez kości umarłych. The film won the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2017.