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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
Ismail has his very distinct style which is not very unique from Pakistani authors. To me its more of a tragedy. This story gives us a glimpse regarding what decsptive culture and perversive traditions can lead to when enforced through the law. A future but without people to exist in it only creatures which should not be called as humans.
Outclass masterpiece.
Outclass masterpiece.
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A very Kafkaesque novel, dealing with the rules of Kanun that govern the High Plateau of Albania. A fascinating story and told from more than free different perspectives which keeps it interesting. I really enjoyed it even though the main topic is murder and the bringing about of justice. I got to think about the rules that govern societies and how we might romantice them even though they are cruel in essence.
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Murder
Minor: Infidelity, Misogyny
I’ve heard of blood feuds as a concept yes, but to learn about the actual Kanun culture that has existed for centuries was equal parts horrifying and equal parts fascinating. It reminds me a little of honor-based cultures and societies with lots of rules and code of conducts, and the concept of revenge in Chinese triads (报仇） or Italian mafioso (Vendetta).
The Kanun is more than just about revenge though. Its rules are complicated, complex, and covers everything in all aspects of life for someone to live honorably (kinda like Shariah law) and is still respected (as far as I’ve read?) in Northern Albania.
Specifically to retaliatory killing though, one of the rules of Kanun is “a head for a head”. Families have to seek gjakmarrja- blood vengeance, if someone in their family was murdered or wronged. You could literally just be kicking rocks and “inherit” a feud from a family member outta nowhere, then and be forced to stay indoors for the rest of your life for your own safety.
Here are just a handful of some very specific, detailed rules and provisions of a Kanun:
1. If someone in your family is killed, someone in your family has to avenge them by killing their murderer.
2. If you kill someone, you’re expected to attend their funeral, and share a funeral meal with their family. That is honorable behaviour and showing respect for the deceased. You’re sparred from their revenge either for 24 hours or 30 days (bessa or truce) depending on the generosity of the remaining family members.
3. Whether you’re the hunter or being hunted, you have to wear a black ribbon on your right sleeve. Nobody will know the difference except that you’re involved in a feud.
4. Visitors are treated as demi-gods in Albanian culture. If someone shows up at your door, you HAVE to give them food/shelter, even if this person has just murdered your family member.
5. If a visitor is murdered while under your care, it is now your responsibility to avenge their death. However, if your back was turned when they were murdered, you’re free of that obligation. BUT if the victim’s head was facing towards the village, then oops, you still gotta avenge their death. Families can literally get thrown into a multi-generational feud just because of a stranger.
I mean, I could probably understand why these rules were set in place back in the 15th century. It was probably to prevent people from behaving badly (in theory if nobody harmed anyone, there would be no need to a blood feud) and to form some kind of social cohesion/ governing laws. But because of a few bad players and these rules, it snowballed massively and left lingering feuds for GENERATIONS or the extermination of whole families since male children are only spared till age 16. This has resulted in thousands of Albanian children going into hiding or fleeing, and is unfortunately still a practice in the mountainous regions of northern Albania today. This whole novel was genuinely so eye-opening and educational.
The Kanun is more than just about revenge though. Its rules are complicated, complex, and covers everything in all aspects of life for someone to live honorably (kinda like Shariah law) and is still respected (as far as I’ve read?) in Northern Albania.
Specifically to retaliatory killing though, one of the rules of Kanun is “a head for a head”. Families have to seek gjakmarrja- blood vengeance, if someone in their family was murdered or wronged. You could literally just be kicking rocks and “inherit” a feud from a family member outta nowhere, then and be forced to stay indoors for the rest of your life for your own safety.
Here are just a handful of some very specific, detailed rules and provisions of a Kanun:
1. If someone in your family is killed, someone in your family has to avenge them by killing their murderer.
2. If you kill someone, you’re expected to attend their funeral, and share a funeral meal with their family. That is honorable behaviour and showing respect for the deceased. You’re sparred from their revenge either for 24 hours or 30 days (bessa or truce) depending on the generosity of the remaining family members.
3. Whether you’re the hunter or being hunted, you have to wear a black ribbon on your right sleeve. Nobody will know the difference except that you’re involved in a feud.
4. Visitors are treated as demi-gods in Albanian culture. If someone shows up at your door, you HAVE to give them food/shelter, even if this person has just murdered your family member.
5. If a visitor is murdered while under your care, it is now your responsibility to avenge their death. However, if your back was turned when they were murdered, you’re free of that obligation. BUT if the victim’s head was facing towards the village, then oops, you still gotta avenge their death. Families can literally get thrown into a multi-generational feud just because of a stranger.
I mean, I could probably understand why these rules were set in place back in the 15th century. It was probably to prevent people from behaving badly (in theory if nobody harmed anyone, there would be no need to a blood feud) and to form some kind of social cohesion/ governing laws. But because of a few bad players and these rules, it snowballed massively and left lingering feuds for GENERATIONS or the extermination of whole families since male children are only spared till age 16. This has resulted in thousands of Albanian children going into hiding or fleeing, and is unfortunately still a practice in the mountainous regions of northern Albania today. This whole novel was genuinely so eye-opening and educational.
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Sowohl eine wirklich eindrucksvolle Beschreibung der Blutfehde-Kultur, die noch bis ca. 1990 wie hier beschrieben in den albanischen Alpen (accursed Mountains) praktiziert wurde. Auf der anderen Seite aber ein allgemeiner Kommentar auf die Gewalt und Macht von Traditionen, seien sie noch so absurd und brutal und meiner Meinung nach vor allem ein Kommentar darauf wie diese für den Profit von wenigen Mächtigen instrumentalisiert werden.
Das Buch verwendet dabei zwei Erzählebenen, die sich gelegentlich kreuzen, sowie einen Exkurs in die gedankliche Welt des Blut-Steuereintreibers durch den die Ebene der Ausbeutung deutlich wird. Die erste Ebene handelt von einem jungen Mann, der in eine Blutfehde verwickelt ist. so lernen wir nicht nur die Regeln der Kultur, sondern auch sein persönliches Hadern mit und Ergeben vor eben diesen. Außerdem bekommen wir einen Einblick was es mit ihm auf existenzielle Ebene macht, ständig mit dem Tod konfrontiert zu sein. Die zweite Ebene handelt von einem frisch verheiraten Pärchen in den Flitterwochen, die sich - wie Touristen - diese Kultur angucken. So erhalten wir einen Blick von außen auf die Kultur. Der Mann sprudelt nur vor Begeisterung aufgrund dieser Kultur organisiert durch die so genannte Kannun. Die Frau, mit der ich mich als Leser aus offensichtlichen Gründen deutlich besser identifizieren konnte, ist hingegen v.a. Entsetzt. Ich hatte das Gefühl, hier werden quasi beide Aspekte in uns als Leserschaft vorgeführt. Sowohl das Entsetzen über die Brutalität dieser Kultur aus einer unfassbar Privilegierten Position heraus als auch die Faszination, mit der man diese radikal andersartig Welt begutachtet. Alles in dieser Welt wirkt unfassbar bedeutungsvoll und mystisch. Man kann sich fast nicht vorstellen, dass es diese Welt bis vor knapp 35 Jahren in der Form gegeben hat. Über allem scheint ein Nebelschleier zu liegen und nur manchmal blitzt ein kleines Detail hervor, durch das man an die moderne Zeit erinnert wird, in der diese Geschichte spielt. Auch wenn die Exposition manchmal etwas überhand nimmt (so logisch sie auch in die Geschichte eingewoben ist), gibt es wirklich sprachliche schöne Passagen in diesem Roman:
“And inside that carriage, butterfly coffin, were the eyes of the woman with the auburn hair, that he had breathed in with a sweetness and an emotion that he had never felt in the presence of any other being in the world. he had looked into woman’s eyes in his life, and many of those eyes, ardent, bashful, stirring, delicate, artful, or proud, had looked into his, but never like those. They were at once distant and close, understandable and enigmatic, unmoved and sympathetic. That glance, while it arouse desire, had some quality that took hold of you, carried you far away, beyond life, beyond the grave, to where you would look up upon yourself with serenity. in the night that was the only thing that his sleep did not blot out. it remained there, at the very center, a lost jewel in whose making all the light of the world had been consumed.”
Das Buch verwendet dabei zwei Erzählebenen, die sich gelegentlich kreuzen, sowie einen Exkurs in die gedankliche Welt des Blut-Steuereintreibers durch den die Ebene der Ausbeutung deutlich wird. Die erste Ebene handelt von einem jungen Mann, der in eine Blutfehde verwickelt ist. so lernen wir nicht nur die Regeln der Kultur, sondern auch sein persönliches Hadern mit und Ergeben vor eben diesen. Außerdem bekommen wir einen Einblick was es mit ihm auf existenzielle Ebene macht, ständig mit dem Tod konfrontiert zu sein. Die zweite Ebene handelt von einem frisch verheiraten Pärchen in den Flitterwochen, die sich - wie Touristen - diese Kultur angucken. So erhalten wir einen Blick von außen auf die Kultur. Der Mann sprudelt nur vor Begeisterung aufgrund dieser Kultur organisiert durch die so genannte Kannun. Die Frau, mit der ich mich als Leser aus offensichtlichen Gründen deutlich besser identifizieren konnte, ist hingegen v.a. Entsetzt. Ich hatte das Gefühl, hier werden quasi beide Aspekte in uns als Leserschaft vorgeführt. Sowohl das Entsetzen über die Brutalität dieser Kultur aus einer unfassbar Privilegierten Position heraus als auch die Faszination, mit der man diese radikal andersartig Welt begutachtet. Alles in dieser Welt wirkt unfassbar bedeutungsvoll und mystisch. Man kann sich fast nicht vorstellen, dass es diese Welt bis vor knapp 35 Jahren in der Form gegeben hat. Über allem scheint ein Nebelschleier zu liegen und nur manchmal blitzt ein kleines Detail hervor, durch das man an die moderne Zeit erinnert wird, in der diese Geschichte spielt. Auch wenn die Exposition manchmal etwas überhand nimmt (so logisch sie auch in die Geschichte eingewoben ist), gibt es wirklich sprachliche schöne Passagen in diesem Roman:
“And inside that carriage, butterfly coffin, were the eyes of the woman with the auburn hair, that he had breathed in with a sweetness and an emotion that he had never felt in the presence of any other being in the world. he had looked into woman’s eyes in his life, and many of those eyes, ardent, bashful, stirring, delicate, artful, or proud, had looked into his, but never like those. They were at once distant and close, understandable and enigmatic, unmoved and sympathetic. That glance, while it arouse desire, had some quality that took hold of you, carried you far away, beyond life, beyond the grave, to where you would look up upon yourself with serenity. in the night that was the only thing that his sleep did not blot out. it remained there, at the very center, a lost jewel in whose making all the light of the world had been consumed.”
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes