Night

by Vedrana Rudan, Celia Hawkesworth (Translator)

Overview

An unforgettable invective, "Night" marks the emergence of an exciting new voice in contemporary fiction.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781564783479
Publisher:	Deep Vellum Publishing
Publication date:	11/15/2004
Series:	Eastern European Literature Series
Pages:	211
Product dimensions:	5.08(w) x 8.06(h) x 0.65(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Rudan was born and still lives in Opatia, Croatia. Currently she writes for Nacional, Croatia's biggest and best-selling daily newspaper, and runs a real-estate agency.

Celia Hawkesworth taught Serbian and Croatian language and literature at the University of London for many years. She now works as a freelance writer and translator. Her long involvement with the language and culture of the region began with her first visit to Zagreb in 1955.

Editorial Reviews

“Nowadays nobody writes as ferociously as Vedrana Rudan.

Nada Gasic

Vedrana Rudan's first novel is a picturesque, unpretentious, ironic-satiric narrative, in which the tragic elements are succeeded by comic episodes, and in which a sharp style and vocabulary serve a singular purpose of diagnosing the Croatian reality.

Danas

Ah, the tricky nature of translation. On the one hand, it brings you closer to a world that may otherwise be inscrutable; on the other, it forever limits your reading experience. This American debut by a popular Croatian writer epitomizes the problem. Although admirable, the translation doesn't quite convey the fury of the protagonist in the original (admittedly, the Croatian language is well endowed with profanities). Still, her pain is universal, as is the story's appeal. Tonka, a middle-aged, antifeminist feminist, spends an entire night in front of the TV, rambling to an imaginary audience about her grievances about her own life and the world around her. She is a freethinking woman who (finally) doesn't give a damn, but she is also a victim of a hypocritical society to which she has no choice but to succumb. This novel was hugely popular in Croatia, and rightfully so: it not only reaffirms a fiercely provocative literary voice but might also announce the arrival (or revival) of an inspiring genre where language makes all the rules while tragedy and comedy linger indistinguishable. Highly recommended.-Mirela Roncevic, Library Journal Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal