Stavoci is remarkably confident. The writing zings. The novel begins with a gay hookup that was very well written, just a stunning use of a scene to cStavoci is remarkably confident. The writing zings. The novel begins with a gay hookup that was very well written, just a stunning use of a scene to create the inner life, very quickly, of an alienated gay man--who happens too to be a literal alien--from Yugoslavia to Finland. The smells in this book are brilliantly rendered. A snake and a cat figure prominently in the story and the relationship that the protagonist has with each is weird, unsettling, and perfect. I'm respectful of this author and look forward to the next novel....more
A wrenchingly beautiful, yet harrowing read. The stories lay bare the way a community can tyrannize any member who is different, weak, or socially isoA wrenchingly beautiful, yet harrowing read. The stories lay bare the way a community can tyrannize any member who is different, weak, or socially isolated. Many of the stories are about women who are unable to conform to the social expectations meted out to them. Each story is set up in a way that first introduces the woman and her situation from the point of view of the community. The community judges her lucky. But soon the viewpoint will shift to the woman herself, and to her daily experience of private suffering, suffering that builds to a breaking point, and then something terrible (usually) or something wonderful (occasionally) happens to release her.
Andric's understanding of private suffering, particularly of women's suffering, is uncanny. He hammers away at the damage done to women in communities where men have all the power.
I'm trying to find an apt comparison with something you may have read...Andric's stories are something, I suppose, like what Chekhov would have written, had he been writing in Europe in the mid-twentieth century. I was unsettled by this collection but I'm glad to have read it. I think you will be as well....more
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