A review by lanadelgray
The Lute and the Scars by Danilo Kiš

funny reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Loveable characters? Yes
A short collection of odds and ends from Kis. Despite each story hinging on a death, there's a levity to the prose. Punchy and lightly absurd dialogue between characters illuminates them, and makes the small cast of characters distinctive and memorable. The eponymous story, The Lute and The Scars, most powerfully renders his recurring theme of the pain of memory while maintaining a tonal warmth. The overall lesson? There's no such thing as death with dignity.
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