A vivid, multi-faceted social picture during the summer days of 1936 in the vibrant port of the city of Split, with the colourful lives of people from many nations, with just as many ideas and dreams, personal and economic interests and political goals. Poetically and impressively narrated, an interesting, gripping, intense reading experience.
Literature Blog Circlestones Books
Alida Bremer delivers a wonderfully atmospheric novel from the Mediterranean world of the 1930s with Split. Life in the city is only considered cheerful and carefree for a short time: the political upheavals and brutal events in not-so-distant Central Europe and in fascist Italy put a serious crimp in la dolce vita of the protagonists of this well-researched and sensitively written chronicle of precipitating events. Now, for some, it’s a matter of bare existence, for others of political and moral decency in a place of longing, that becomes a trap.
Nordbayern.de
Split holds all the senses under its spell. Behind every corner smell frying fish, tomatoes, herbs: ‘From everywhere you could hear footsteps, voices, singing, clattering, jingling’. Baroque pathos saturates the street gossip. ‘Suddenly syphilitic prostitutes became saints, alcoholics who in their drunkenness spoke out what everyone was secretly thinking became prophets and worn-out soldiers without shelter became heroes.’ Even the sky comes to life: Clouds parade ‘like bucking sheep, each with a turret on its back or even a chignon on its head. The whole flock galloped across the sea toward the horizon, and behind it trotted huge grey clouds as if they were wolves, undecided whether the pursuit was worthwhile.’ Sentences that go without detour into the nose, eye, ears, and fingertips.
Frankfurter Rundschau
