Ivana Bodrožić

Born in Vukovar in 1982. She studied at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb, where she has lived since then. In 2005, she published her first poetry collection entitled Prvi korak u tamu (The First Step into Darkness) as part of the Goran Award for young poets. Her poems have been included in numerous Croatian and international magazines and anthologies of contemporary poetry. Her first novel Hotel Zagorje (Hotel Tito) was published in 2010, receiving high praises from both critics and audiences and was an ultimate Croatian bestseller. The novel has been published at numerous respectful publishing houses and received a prestigious Prix Ulysse for the best debut novel in France, as well as numerous important awards in Croatia and the Balkan area such as the Kočićevo Pero Award, Josip and Ivan Kozarac Award, and Kiklop Award for the best work of fiction in 2010. As a co-scriptwriter, Ivana Simić Bodrožić is currently working on the film adaptation of the novel with the renowned Bosnian director Jasmila Žbanić (the winner of Golden Bear 2006, Berlin International Film Festival). She has since published her second poetry collection Prijelaz za divlje životinje (A Road for Wild Animals) and a short story collection 100% pamuk (100% Cotton), which has also received a regional award. Her novel We Trade Our Night for Someone Else’s Day was awarded Balkan Noir prize for best crime novel written in 2016. Her works have been translated into English, German, French, Czech, Danish, Slovenian, Hungarian, Spanish, Italian and Macedonian.

Author's titles

100-PAMUK-1

100% Cotton

By

V.B.Z., 2014, 138 pages

After the great success of the novel The Hotel Tito, sold in tens of thousands copies in Croatia and translated into German, French, Czech, English and other languages, in which she dealt with the issue of war drama and its devastating consequences for a wartime-born generation, Ivana Bodrožić wrote 100% Cotton: fifteen excellent stories about the lives of women in the Croatian transitional society.

Hotel Tito

Hotel Tito

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Profil International, 2010, 188 pages
15-pages long excerpt in English
complete German, French, Danish and Italian translation
International rights: Zsolnay Verlag/Deuticke Verlag, Annette Lechner, Annette.Lechner@zsolnay.at
US and UK rights: Corto Literary

Translation rights sold: Germany (Hanser), France (Acte Sud), Denmark (Tiderne Skifter), Hungary (Libri), Czech (Paseka), Slovenia (Modrijan), Serbia (Rende), Macedonia (Magor), Turkey (Aylak Adam), USA (Seven Stories Press), Italy (Sellerio Editore)

Ivana Bodrožić describes the banality of war. Her debut novel is the deeply unsettling story of a young girl growing up in times of conflict who nevertheless clings to hope and courage throughout.

In-a-Sentimental-Mood-cover

In a Sentimental Mood

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Sandorf, 2017, 74 pages

excerpt available in English

What are the conditions for love and what kind of emancipatory potential can it bring about in a generation inseparably marked by war? Ivana Bodrožić relies on jazz standards to tackle these unpinnable questions, the dominant tone of her book finely imbued by the titular Duke Ellington’s 1935 classic.

Sinovi-kceri-2D-meki-uvez

Sons, Daughters

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Corto Literary / Hermes, 2020, 264 pages

30-pages long excerpt in English

Translation rights sold: Orfelin (Serbia), Seven Stories Press (World English), Sellerio (Italy), Libri (Hungary), Paradox (Bulgaria), Antolog (North Macedonia)

Winner of Meša Selimović Award 2021

In the vein of majestic works such as Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides or Margaret Atwood’s prose, the power of this novel lies in the ability of genuine literature to reshape the suppressed using it as a vehicle of personal and collective change. Ivana Bodrožić’ new novel tells a story of being locked in: socially, domestically and intimately, told through three different perspectives.

We Trade Our Night for Someone Else’s Day

We Trade Our Night for Someone Else’s Day

By

Naklada Ljevak, Balkan Noir edition, February 2016, 216 pages

Translation rights sold: World English rights (Seven Stories Press), Serbian (Orfelin)

Ivana Bodrožić, a bestselling and award-winning poet and novelist, through the genre of political thriller, boldly engages to unmask a transitional society, deeply saturated with crime and corruption.