This article investigates the genre status of Sh. Seyitov’s “Qıyal Atawı” (Dream Island). While the author calls it a “novel in verse”, opponents claim it is a poem. Using textual analysis, comparative genre theory, and historical exemplars (Pushkin, Goethe, Byron, Lermontov), the study finds that the work occupies a liminal position: it satisfies many novella/short-novel (повесть) criteria ‒ plot structure, multiple protagonists, episodic composition ‒ yet its poetic form, lyrical digressions and sustained verse-cadence align it with epic/poetic narratives (poems, verse-novels). The article argues for treating “Qıyal Atawı” as a hybrid genre ‒ an authentic instance of the verse-novel phenomenon ‒ and discusses implications for genre theory and pedagogy.