Originally published in Finland, this novel tells the story of two Albanian friends—Bujar and Agim—who leave their native Albania after two deaths: that of the nation's longtime Communist leader, Enver Hoxha, and Bujar's father. But the struggle to feel at home—in a foreign country and even in one's own body—will have corrosive effects, spurring a dangerous search for new identities.
This intense and captivating book ... [offers] a strong character study and a larger look at society ... An excellent and evocative novel about intersection of migration and gender.
...sad and searching ... Statovci uses no magic-realist elements here, and with its stark language, unanswered questions, and unrelenting heartbreak, this may be the more poignant of his powerful novels.
... beguiling ... A centrifugal story told with great sensitivity and empathy, highlighting Statovci’s development as a leading voice in modern European literature.
