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Bleak and painful. Whilst Bolla portrays the impact of violence and turmoil suffered by the Balkan people, Arsim takes centre stage. A difficult and unpleasant character, as destructive as the war raging on in the background. Difficult to rate as the strength of this novel lies in how unlikeable it is. 8/10

This book has a strange story of a woman marrying a snake, and when he arrives he is escorted by paranymphs. This word makes sense for someone accompanying a bride or groom, but it‘s an unfamiliar one.

#WeirdWordWednesday #WeirdWords

I downloaded this a few nights ago when I needed a new ebook to read a few pages before bed. Set in Albania during a time of transition after communism, it was strangely compelling with its mix of storytelling. There‘s a contemporary story of Mark and his girlfriend in the changing city combined with his remembrances of stories and strange dreams. I found it interesting, but in the end I didn‘t quite understand it.

#1001books #Reading1001

Kadare‘s novel about the Kanun, a traditional legal system, and blood feuds paints a stark and grisly view of the Albanian Alps. The plot follows Gjorg during his Bessa (30-day truce) before he faces retribution. I didn‘t find the story that gripping but the sense of place and insight into the Kanun was both fascinating and bleak in equal measure. 6/10

#Albania has always been Europe's most closed country, until recently very little was known about this small country in the Balkan, surrounded by popular tourist destinations like Greece and Croatia. So I was interested in learning about it. Lea grows up in the 90s when the Soviet Union falls apart and the Berlin Wall has come down. ⬇️⬇️

I have to admit that I expected this book to be somewhat dry or abstruse, but I have been reading it out of curiosity based on some family history.
I shouldn‘t have worried. It‘s been far more entertaining than I could‘ve hoped. It‘s often Dorothy Parker levels of skewering of the characters (and I do mean characters! Google Leon Ghilardi, for example).
Jokes aside it‘s also full of source citation; it‘s a great read.

Took up reading about King Zogu because my grandparents actually met in Albania during Zog‘s reign/ era. What a strange time, and with absolute characters. Honestly I expected either transparent sentimentality or propaganda, but this has turned out to be a strangely entertaining book about not only the central character but all the people and circumstances around his rise to leadership.

I really like Kadare. He‘s playful and serious and very critical of the Albanian Stalinist state he lived most of his life in. Here he looks at one phone call, when Stalin called Boris Pasternak without warning and asked him about the recent arrest of fellow Jewish poet Osip Mandelstam, Pasternak basically failing this impossible call. Around this is Kadare‘s experience under the rule of this kind of tyrant. It‘s an odd, curious, readable book.

I seem to be reading this. Library loan that is taking this slow reader about a minute a page. #Booker2024

Stalin called Pasternak in 1934 after Osip Mandelstam‘s arrest. If you‘ve ever wondered what took place in the 3-minute call, this one might be for you. It‘s vignettes about 13 accounts of what happened during the call. Kind of a kaleidoscope rather than a novel.