A review by ruthrebecca
Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija Hilje

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

This book broke me. I'm tearing up because yes things ended the best way they could but also no that isn't how things should have ended. The book of this book calls it a love letter to Croatia and that's exactly how this feels - I'm nostalgic for Croatia and I've never even been there. The love story between Ivona and Vlaho is so real but heartbreaking - how you can live someone and truly know them but how that might not be enough. And then the square that evolves between Ivona, Vlaho, Marina, and Easier it's weirdly heart warming and safe despite their being so many unsaid tensions within it. There's incredible imagery in this book, tattoo with quotes. I absolutely adore this book, easily one of my new all time favourites. I just want to sit down and read it all over again. It's on the level of Night Swimmers 
I've realized I love quiet, atmospheric books focused on human relationships with a lot of unsaid thoughts and big emotions. And of course, the setting of the coast, whether that be in Ireland or Croatia 

7 words: Coatian. Suppressed emotions. Tragic love-story. Summertime sadness.

Summertime sadness by Lana Del Ray really fits the vibes of this book actually