Reviews

A novel about death, paranoia (both personal and governmental), and life under a totalitarian communist regime. It’s not the most action packed book in the world - the middle section in particular reminded me of a play (linking neatly with main character Rudian Stefa’s latest play, stuck in limbo awaiting approval from the Artistic Board) – a limited number of locations and stilted conversations taking place between a limited number of characters. Rudian is not what you would call likeable, and the other characters remain somewhat unformed, adding to the sense of paranoia, not knowing who you can trust…

The book feels like it’s written for the Albanian market, understandably. This means that not everything is spelled out in the way you might expect from an English author writing a story set in Albania for example. I don’t see this as a negative, as I write this having spent an entire day doing fascinating additional research on everything from internment to the suicide of prime minister Mehmet Shehu. Having said that, coupled with the story told in fits and spurts via an intermediary, this lack of context contributed towards my struggle to engage with Linda’s story.

However, I do like a challenge, and when Rudian stepped outside his front door, I was treated to a glimpse of Tirana in the mid-eighties. This surprisingly detailed view of the city, and the general context in which the book is set, meant that despite my lack of engagement with the plot, this was still an enjoyable read – particularly the first and last quarters.

Overall, I’m glad I read it. I don’t think I’d read it again, but I’m keen to try other books by Kadare, as well as other Albanian authors.