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Every Day, Every Hour
An exquisitely romantic debut novel that captures the longing of lost—and sometimes found—love
It is the mid-1960s in a small seaside town in Croatia. Two children, Luka and Dora, meet on their first day of kindergarten. Luka faints the first time he sees Dora and she wakes him with a kiss. The two become inseparable. Over the next few years, they wander the shores of their town, lying on their special rock by the sea as Luka paints—until Dora’s parents move to Paris. Bereft, Luka becomes a solitary young man, prey to the needs of his family, but a promising painter. In Paris, Dora blossoms and becomes a successful actress.
When Luka comes to Paris for a show of his paintings, a chance encounter brings them together. Now adults, they fall back in love, and their feelings are given resonance by a shared adoration of Pablo Neruda. Timing and fate, however, seem determined to keep them apart. Like The Solitude of Prime Numbers and One Day, Nataša Dragnic’s Every Day, Every Hour is a haunting tale of star-crossed love that will utterly entrance readers with the rhythmic beauty of its language and ineffable air of expectation and heartache.
It is the mid-1960s in a small seaside town in Croatia. Two children, Luka and Dora, meet on their first day of kindergarten. Luka faints the first time he sees Dora and she wakes him with a kiss. The two become inseparable. Over the next few years, they wander the shores of their town, lying on their special rock by the sea as Luka paints—until Dora’s parents move to Paris. Bereft, Luka becomes a solitary young man, prey to the needs of his family, but a promising painter. In Paris, Dora blossoms and becomes a successful actress.
When Luka comes to Paris for a show of his paintings, a chance encounter brings them together. Now adults, they fall back in love, and their feelings are given resonance by a shared adoration of Pablo Neruda. Timing and fate, however, seem determined to keep them apart. Like The Solitude of Prime Numbers and One Day, Nataša Dragnic’s Every Day, Every Hour is a haunting tale of star-crossed love that will utterly entrance readers with the rhythmic beauty of its language and ineffable air of expectation and heartache.
267 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
21 people are currently reading
1075 people want to read
About the author
Natasa Dragnic
23 books40 followersI always wanted to be an actress, author or teacher. And I got lucky: I became all of them!
I was born in 1965 in Split, Croatia. I could see the sea from the window of my childhood bedroom. When I was eighteen I moved away for the first time to pursue a degree in German and Romance studies in Zagreb. In 1995 I earned a master’s degree in literature. I also completed a degree in diplomacy in Zagreb and Berlin but soon realised that diplomacy isn’t for me: Too much politics. So back to the sea!
Only to leave again in 1994 and move to Germany, to Erlangen, where I continue to work as a freelance foreign language instructor: I teach German as a foreign language, French, English and Croatian. In addition, I also speak Spanish. What can I say, I love languages.
As a young girl I would lock myself in the bathroom, without a view of the sea, and practice making faces in the mirror, acting out different emotions, practicing gestures, words, even entire dialogues. During my studies, I finally dared to go out onto a real stage in front of a living audience, and ever since, I can’t get enough of it.
When I was six I wrote my first poem. It was about an apple which remained hanging on a tree unpicked until it shrivelled and fell. Four verses. Four decades later, in 2011, my first novel “Jeden Tag, jede Stunde” (“Every Day, Every Hour”) is being published by the German publisher DVA. And as if that weren’t enough, the book was sold in more then 20 countries even before its publication. I feel overwhelmed with the good fortune that the hundreds upon hundreds of pages that I wrote have paid off. I am glad to pass along my love of reading and writing in various workshops and lectures.
Thank you for your interest in me and my work.
Follow Dora&Luka on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Natasa-...
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/NatasaDragnic
I was born in 1965 in Split, Croatia. I could see the sea from the window of my childhood bedroom. When I was eighteen I moved away for the first time to pursue a degree in German and Romance studies in Zagreb. In 1995 I earned a master’s degree in literature. I also completed a degree in diplomacy in Zagreb and Berlin but soon realised that diplomacy isn’t for me: Too much politics. So back to the sea!
Only to leave again in 1994 and move to Germany, to Erlangen, where I continue to work as a freelance foreign language instructor: I teach German as a foreign language, French, English and Croatian. In addition, I also speak Spanish. What can I say, I love languages.
As a young girl I would lock myself in the bathroom, without a view of the sea, and practice making faces in the mirror, acting out different emotions, practicing gestures, words, even entire dialogues. During my studies, I finally dared to go out onto a real stage in front of a living audience, and ever since, I can’t get enough of it.
When I was six I wrote my first poem. It was about an apple which remained hanging on a tree unpicked until it shrivelled and fell. Four verses. Four decades later, in 2011, my first novel “Jeden Tag, jede Stunde” (“Every Day, Every Hour”) is being published by the German publisher DVA. And as if that weren’t enough, the book was sold in more then 20 countries even before its publication. I feel overwhelmed with the good fortune that the hundreds upon hundreds of pages that I wrote have paid off. I am glad to pass along my love of reading and writing in various workshops and lectures.
Thank you for your interest in me and my work.
Follow Dora&Luka on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Natasa-...
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/NatasaDragnic
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April 21, 2017
Ima ljubavnih priča koje uzmeš čitati pa već nakon nekoliko strana odbaciš uz misao 'tko piše ovakve gluposti'?
Ima ljubavnih priča koje uzmeš čitati kad ti treba odmora, i kad želiš ne razmišljati puno, i onda čitaš i znaš da će ono dvoje koji su se upoznali na prvim stranicama na kraju biti sretni zajedno, i to ti odgovara, jer eto, treba ti malo optimizma u životu.
A ima ljubavnih priča koje uzmeš čitati, i shvatiš da čitaš život. Da ne možeš ispustiti knjigu iz ruku. a kad ju završiš osjećaš se kao da nemaš daha, i srce ti lupa kao ludo, i pitaš se kako, kako, kako je uspjela to sve tako posložiti, tako prenijeti sve te emocije. I žao ti je i drago da je završilo.
eto, takva je ovo knjiga.
sentimentalan sam, što mogu, ubijte me
plus, Neruda. Nerudom me uvijek možeš kupiti :D
Ima ljubavnih priča koje uzmeš čitati kad ti treba odmora, i kad želiš ne razmišljati puno, i onda čitaš i znaš da će ono dvoje koji su se upoznali na prvim stranicama na kraju biti sretni zajedno, i to ti odgovara, jer eto, treba ti malo optimizma u životu.
A ima ljubavnih priča koje uzmeš čitati, i shvatiš da čitaš život. Da ne možeš ispustiti knjigu iz ruku. a kad ju završiš osjećaš se kao da nemaš daha, i srce ti lupa kao ludo, i pitaš se kako, kako, kako je uspjela to sve tako posložiti, tako prenijeti sve te emocije. I žao ti je i drago da je završilo.
eto, takva je ovo knjiga.
sentimentalan sam, što mogu, ubijte me
plus, Neruda. Nerudom me uvijek možeš kupiti :D
March 7, 2021
2021
И три години по-късно си остава една от най-любимите ми. Даже ми харесва още повече от първия прочит. <3
_________________
2018
Здравейте, четящи!
Само броени часове ни делят от края и новото начало, затова реших да направя едно последно включване за тази година.
2018 бе прекрасна за мен в литературен аспект. Успях да прочета 75 книги, които не ми се виждат никак малко, и имах един единствен застой, който продължи около месец през пролетта, случвайки се точно в средата на книгата, която ревюирам.
Някои наричат "състезание" това, което правим тук, в goodreads, с предизвикателството и всичко, но аз никога не съм се състезавал с хора или още повече със себе си. Тази бройка за мен е... беше... жизнена необходимост, втора дихателна система. И сега, когато си правя равносметка на прочетеното, виждам, че има романи, които истински са ме впечатлили през годината и напълно са си заслужили петте звездички, но една история искам да извися над всички останали, а именно "Всеки ден, всеки час" на Наташа Драгнич.
Историята се развива в Макарска, Хърватия, а главни герои в нея са малките Дора и Лука, които стават неразделни приятели още от мига, в който се виждат за пръв път.
"Нещо странно витае из въздуха, когато Дора и Лука са заедно. Не може да се нарече мир, нито буря. Ухае на мандарини и на печени бадеми и на море и на прясно опечени бисквитки и на пролет. Сякаш двамата са обгърнати от облак. Някои твърдят, че той, облакът, бил тюркоазен на цвят, други пък, че бил оранжев."
За съжаление, родителите им ги откъсват един от друг по най-жестокия начин – Дора трябва да замине за Париж, където след време става актриса, а Лука остава в Макарска. Двамата се срещат през различни периоди в живота си и личи, че чувствата им никога не са се променили.
Любим цитат, който зная от две години преди да ми попадне книгата и за който си мислех, че е част от лично творчество на някого и се молех да е от книга, която да прочета един ден…
” - Да те видя, това е…
- … като мечта, като сън.
- … като Коледа.
- И Великден.
- И рожден ден.
- И първа пролет.
- Всичко заедно.”
Не искам да спойлвам повече от сюжета, но определено бих я препоръчал на хора, които харесват любовните романчета, макар и този да не е обикновен такъв – отличава се с приказно красив стил, а историята е за истинската любов, макар и изживяна поотделно.
Щастлив съм за книжните си попадения и се надявам 2019 да ми донесе още повече такива.
На вас пожелавам само прекрасни мигове и много здраве! ❤
И три години по-късно си остава една от най-любимите ми. Даже ми харесва още повече от първия прочит. <3
_________________
2018
Здравейте, четящи!
Само броени часове ни делят от края и новото начало, затова реших да направя едно последно включване за тази година.
2018 бе прекрасна за мен в литературен аспект. Успях да прочета 75 книги, които не ми се виждат никак малко, и имах един единствен застой, който продължи около месец през пролетта, случвайки се точно в средата на книгата, която ревюирам.
Някои наричат "състезание" това, което правим тук, в goodreads, с предизвикателството и всичко, но аз никога не съм се състезавал с хора или още повече със себе си. Тази бройка за мен е... беше... жизнена необходимост, втора дихателна система. И сега, когато си правя равносметка на прочетеното, виждам, че има романи, които истински са ме впечатлили през годината и напълно са си заслужили петте звездички, но една история искам да извися над всички останали, а именно "Всеки ден, всеки час" на Наташа Драгнич.
Историята се развива в Макарска, Хърватия, а главни герои в нея са малките Дора и Лука, които стават неразделни приятели още от мига, в който се виждат за пръв път.
"Нещо странно витае из въздуха, когато Дора и Лука са заедно. Не може да се нарече мир, нито буря. Ухае на мандарини и на печени бадеми и на море и на прясно опечени бисквитки и на пролет. Сякаш двамата са обгърнати от облак. Някои твърдят, че той, облакът, бил тюркоазен на цвят, други пък, че бил оранжев."
За съжаление, родителите им ги откъсват един от друг по най-жестокия начин – Дора трябва да замине за Париж, където след време става актриса, а Лука остава в Макарска. Двамата се срещат през различни периоди в живота си и личи, че чувствата им никога не са се променили.
Любим цитат, който зная от две години преди да ми попадне книгата и за който си мислех, че е част от лично творчество на някого и се молех да е от книга, която да прочета един ден…
” - Да те видя, това е…
- … като мечта, като сън.
- … като Коледа.
- И Великден.
- И рожден ден.
- И първа пролет.
- Всичко заедно.”
Не искам да спойлвам повече от сюжета, но определено бих я препоръчал на хора, които харесват любовните романчета, макар и този да не е обикновен такъв – отличава се с приказно красив стил, а историята е за истинската любов, макар и изживяна поотделно.
Щастлив съм за книжните си попадения и се надявам 2019 да ми донесе още повече такива.
На вас пожелавам само прекрасни мигове и много здраве! ❤
July 26, 2015
"Jeden Tag, jede Stunde" ist eines dieser Bücher, das man entweder mag - oder nicht. Ich gehöre eindeutig zu den Liebhabern diesers Buches, obwohl auch ich während des Lesens mir manchmal gerne die Haare gerauft hätte.
Denn seien wir ehrlich, insgesamt gesehen, ist die Story um Luka und Dora nicht wirklich neu. Das hat man schon öfters so gelesen. Trotzdem entfaltet dieses Buch einen Sog, dem ich mich schwer entziehen konnte. Das liegt am Schreibstil, der so wunderbar poetisch, luftig und einfach nur schön ist. Darum liest man dieses Buch auch so gerne, selbst wenn es vielleicht ein wenig zu klischeebehaftet ist und insofern den Leser nichts Neues erwartet. Aber der Schreibstil...das ist das schönste an diesem Buch. Das, und dieses bezaubernde Cover, dass die Stimmung des Buches so wunderbar einfängt. Na ja, und die tollen Zitate von Neruda. Ich kannte Pablo Neruda bis zu dieser Lektüre gar nicht und war absolut hingerissen, wie toll die Zitate passten und eingewebt waren in die Handlung.
Ich denke, viele werden an dem Schreibstil scheitern. Weil er eben anders ist und man sich darauf einlassen muss. Wenn man das aber tut, bekommt man eine tolle Geschichte, ich möchte nicht sagen, Liebesgeschichte, denn das ist sie in meinen Augen nicht. Ja, sie ist realistisch und sie ist auch schön, aber gleichzeitig so furchtbar dramatisch und wie gesagt, ich hätte die Charaktere, besonders Luka, einfach manchmal nur schütteln mögen. Er hätte alles haben können, wenn er einfach nur mal den Mund aufgetan hätte. Daher ist es eine Geschichte mit Liebe, die aber deutlich Obsessionscharakter hat.
Am Ende ist man sich als Leser nicht sicher, wie es ausgehen soll. Das Ende ist offen. Man ist selbst zerrissen. Das Zitat "wie zwei tragische Figuren bei Shakespeare" hat für mich wunderbar den Roman resümiert und passt einfach nur hervorragend.
Denn seien wir ehrlich, insgesamt gesehen, ist die Story um Luka und Dora nicht wirklich neu. Das hat man schon öfters so gelesen. Trotzdem entfaltet dieses Buch einen Sog, dem ich mich schwer entziehen konnte. Das liegt am Schreibstil, der so wunderbar poetisch, luftig und einfach nur schön ist. Darum liest man dieses Buch auch so gerne, selbst wenn es vielleicht ein wenig zu klischeebehaftet ist und insofern den Leser nichts Neues erwartet. Aber der Schreibstil...das ist das schönste an diesem Buch. Das, und dieses bezaubernde Cover, dass die Stimmung des Buches so wunderbar einfängt. Na ja, und die tollen Zitate von Neruda. Ich kannte Pablo Neruda bis zu dieser Lektüre gar nicht und war absolut hingerissen, wie toll die Zitate passten und eingewebt waren in die Handlung.
Ich denke, viele werden an dem Schreibstil scheitern. Weil er eben anders ist und man sich darauf einlassen muss. Wenn man das aber tut, bekommt man eine tolle Geschichte, ich möchte nicht sagen, Liebesgeschichte, denn das ist sie in meinen Augen nicht. Ja, sie ist realistisch und sie ist auch schön, aber gleichzeitig so furchtbar dramatisch und wie gesagt, ich hätte die Charaktere, besonders Luka, einfach manchmal nur schütteln mögen. Er hätte alles haben können, wenn er einfach nur mal den Mund aufgetan hätte. Daher ist es eine Geschichte mit Liebe, die aber deutlich Obsessionscharakter hat.
Am Ende ist man sich als Leser nicht sicher, wie es ausgehen soll. Das Ende ist offen. Man ist selbst zerrissen. Das Zitat "wie zwei tragische Figuren bei Shakespeare" hat für mich wunderbar den Roman resümiert und passt einfach nur hervorragend.
August 10, 2016
Storia zuccherosa di un amore contrastato dalla stupidità e scandito da svenimenti, partenze e gravidanze assortite.
Credo che parlare d'amore senza scadere nel trito e nel mellifluo sia, forse, l'impresa più impervia per uno scrittore, perché si tratta di dare forma e distinzione letteraria ad una materia - dialoghi, gesti, episodi - di incolore ovvietà, tranne per chi li pronuncia, li compie e li vive in prima persona come unici e straordinari.
Per scongiurare questo rischio (e la noia del lettore), serve il Talento, ovvero quella sorta di "soffio creatore" capace di infondere vita e consistenza ai personaggi, energia alle parole, intensità e fuoco alle emozioni. Altrimenti il risultato è insulso, scadente, imbarazzante... come testimonia la fitta schiera di drammi al caramello, tipo "Love Story" e dintorni.
Qui, per buona sorte, ci viene risparmiato il lacrimoso finale da melodramma ottocentesco, tuttavia l'effetto insulsaggine predomina, anche grazie alle scelte stilistiche dell'autrice, che affida il racconto ad una prosa frammentata e scarna fino al singulto.
[Pretese di poeticità? ...]
Non capisco come certa critica abbia potuto definirla "potente", quando a me è sembrata soltanto piatta, sdolcinata e pretenziosa. Perfino l'esperienza della guerra o la morte vengono liquidate con poche stucchevoli frasi di circostanza!
E non capisco neppure come l'amore, sia pure un amore iniziato ai tempi dell'asilo e destinato a perdurare tutta la vita, possa distorcere in questo modo le facoltà intellettive, le capacità di giudizio e la dignità individuale delle persone.
Ma il mio è un giudizio personale, probabilmente condizionato anche dal fatto di non avere mai creduto, né desiderato, di incontrare un autentico prince charmant.
Chissà.
Credo che parlare d'amore senza scadere nel trito e nel mellifluo sia, forse, l'impresa più impervia per uno scrittore, perché si tratta di dare forma e distinzione letteraria ad una materia - dialoghi, gesti, episodi - di incolore ovvietà, tranne per chi li pronuncia, li compie e li vive in prima persona come unici e straordinari.
Per scongiurare questo rischio (e la noia del lettore), serve il Talento, ovvero quella sorta di "soffio creatore" capace di infondere vita e consistenza ai personaggi, energia alle parole, intensità e fuoco alle emozioni. Altrimenti il risultato è insulso, scadente, imbarazzante... come testimonia la fitta schiera di drammi al caramello, tipo "Love Story" e dintorni.
Qui, per buona sorte, ci viene risparmiato il lacrimoso finale da melodramma ottocentesco, tuttavia l'effetto insulsaggine predomina, anche grazie alle scelte stilistiche dell'autrice, che affida il racconto ad una prosa frammentata e scarna fino al singulto.
[Pretese di poeticità? ...]
Non capisco come certa critica abbia potuto definirla "potente", quando a me è sembrata soltanto piatta, sdolcinata e pretenziosa. Perfino l'esperienza della guerra o la morte vengono liquidate con poche stucchevoli frasi di circostanza!
E non capisco neppure come l'amore, sia pure un amore iniziato ai tempi dell'asilo e destinato a perdurare tutta la vita, possa distorcere in questo modo le facoltà intellettive, le capacità di giudizio e la dignità individuale delle persone.
Ma il mio è un giudizio personale, probabilmente condizionato anche dal fatto di non avere mai creduto, né desiderato, di incontrare un autentico prince charmant.
Chissà.
June 19, 2012
The story is beautiful. It begins with a boy and a girl, three years apart in age, who are meant to be together forever. They are each half of a whole. That's just how strongly connected they are throughout their whole lives. Circumstances arise that separate them while they're still children. They reconnect when they're just beginning their adulthood. They are both artists, she's an actress and he's a painter. The connection remains between them, just as powerful as ever.
A sister, a manipulative lover, a parent, a war, and alcohol all contribute, at various points, to hinder the young lovers' efforts to be together. The storyline runs for several decades and is told in phrases, quotations from poetry, and some normal sentences and paragraphs. The author's writing style is unique and beautiful. Throughout the entire book, it was like having a series of paintings being presented to me, while the artist still held the brush and the paint was not yet dry. This story, like a painting that takes one's breath away, held me in its charms.
A sister, a manipulative lover, a parent, a war, and alcohol all contribute, at various points, to hinder the young lovers' efforts to be together. The storyline runs for several decades and is told in phrases, quotations from poetry, and some normal sentences and paragraphs. The author's writing style is unique and beautiful. Throughout the entire book, it was like having a series of paintings being presented to me, while the artist still held the brush and the paint was not yet dry. This story, like a painting that takes one's breath away, held me in its charms.
January 1, 2019
Сърцерзадирателна и необикновена история. Нямаще как да не я прочета за 1 ден. Така те увлича, че не можеш да я оставиш.
"- Да те видя, това е…
- … като мечта, като сън.
- … като Коледа.
- И Великден.
- И рожден ден.
- И първа пролет.
- Всичко заедно. "
"- Точно така, запомни го: без мен има само многоточие..."
"- Да те видя, това е…
- … като мечта, като сън.
- … като Коледа.
- И Великден.
- И рожден ден.
- И първа пролет.
- Всичко заедно. "
"- Точно така, запомни го: без мен има само многоточие..."
March 29, 2019
Много красива и тъжна история за Лука и Дора. История за любовта, в която дишаш за другия, а понякога и вместо него. Любовта и изкуството в различни форми. Много красиво пише Наташа Драгнич, а любовта на Лука и Дора ме хвана за гърлото и ме държа до последната страница. Искам да чета още от Драгнич.
May 8, 2019
Me he llevado una muy grata sorpresa con esta historia. Básicamente porque nada tiene que ver con el estilo de lectura que más me gusta.
Desde Croacia, Natasa nos cuenta una historia de amor de las de verdad, por boca de los dos protagonistas.
Ella y él, Dora y Luka, nos cuentan su vida desde que nacen, cómo se conocen, sus sentimientos, su evolución personal, su infancia juntos, su separación cuando trasladan a los padres de Dora a París...
La vida de dos almas hechas la una para la otra; ellos mismos son los únicos responsables de su propio futuro.
Desde Croacia, Natasa nos cuenta una historia de amor de las de verdad, por boca de los dos protagonistas.
Ella y él, Dora y Luka, nos cuentan su vida desde que nacen, cómo se conocen, sus sentimientos, su evolución personal, su infancia juntos, su separación cuando trasladan a los padres de Dora a París...
La vida de dos almas hechas la una para la otra; ellos mismos son los únicos responsables de su propio futuro.
January 27, 2016
Το βιβλίο «Αν με ξεχάσεις», το οποίο κυκλοφορεί από τις εκδόσεις Πατάκη, είναι το πρώτο λογοτεχνικό έργο της Νατάσα Ντράγκνιτς. Στην ελληνική του μεταφορά ξεχωρίζει για την εξαιρετική μετάφραση του Αλέξανδρου Κυπριώτη και το υπέροχο εξώφυλλο του. Άλλωστε, οι εκδόσεις Πατάκη έχουν πλέον παράδοση στα όμορφα και ιδιαίτερα εξώφυλλα.
Το βιβλίο μας διηγείται τον έρωτα της Ντόρα και του Λούκα. Κάπου στα μέσα της δεκαετίας του εξήντα συναντιούνται για πρώτη φορά και από τότε η μοίρα ορίζει να είναι μαζί, ο ένας το άλλο μισό του άλλου. Μέσα από οικογενειακά προβλήματα, εσωτερικές αναζητήσεις, όνειρα και στόχους ο Λούκα και η Ντόρα προσπαθούν να είναι μαζί ενάντια σε μια μοίρα που αν και τους έφερε κοντά ταυτόχρονα μοιάζει να τους θέλει χώρια. Το παρελθόν και τα λάθη τους είναι εκείνα που καθορίζουν τη μεταξύ τους σχέση, τη στιγμή που η ίδια αυτή σχέση θα μπορούσε να χαρακτηριστεί ως η μεγαλύτερη αδυναμία τους.
Η πένα της συγγραφέως είναι το λιγότερο εξαιρετική. Με γρήγορες εναλλαγές, ισορροπία διαλόγων-περιγραφών και έναν υπέροχο -άρρητα φιλοσοφικό- αφηγηματικό τρόπο να μεταφέρει την εσωτερικότητα των ηρώων της, η Ντράγκνιτς χτίζει μια μοναδική ιστορία αγάπης. Οι δύο πρωταγωνιστές έχουν μια παράξενη χημεία μεταξύ τους και οι στίχοι του λατρεμένου Πάμπλο Νερούδα αγκαλιάζουν αριστουργηματικά την ερωτική τους ιστορία. Οι δευτερεύοντες χαρακτήρες παρουσιάζουν έντονο ενδιαφέρον –με αυτόν της αδερφής του Λούκα να ξεχωρίζει- ενώ η πλοκή έχει έναν καρμικό προγραμματισμό ο οποίος γεμίζει ρομαντισμό και τρυφερότητα τον αναγνώστη. Μέσα σε όλα αυτά οι κοινωνικοπολιτικές εξελίξεις με γεωγραφικό επίκεντρο δημιουργούν μια κάποια ιστορική χροιά στο βιβλίο.
Ωστόσο, το συγκεκριμένο έργο δε με άγγιξε όσο θα ήθελα ή όσο περίμενα. Διέκρινα μια υποτονικότητα στον τρόπο γραφής και σε συνδυασμό με τα ακραία γεγονότα που περιγράφονται –τα οποία εάν δεν υπήρχαν ίχνη αποστασιοποιημένης ψυχρότητας στην πένα θα ταίριαζαν ιδανικά- δεν μπόρεσα να αφοσιωθώ και να αγαπήσω απόλυτα το βιβλίο. Η συγγραφέας οδηγεί τους ήρωες της σε υπερβολικές καταστάσεις, αλλά και αποφάσεις με τις οποίες δυσκολεύτηκα να ταυτιστώ. Φυσικά κάτι τέτοιο δεν αποτελεί πάντα πρόβλημα για τον αναγνώστη, ωστόσο αυτή τη φορά υπολείπεται η σιγουριά στη γραφή ώστε να οδηγηθούμε ομαλά στις επεξηγήσεις. Πάνω από όλα δεν «ένιωσα» την ένταση και το πάθος που αδιαμφισβήτητα υπήρχε ανάμεσα στους πρωταγωνιστές. Πρόκειται όμως για ένα εξαιρετικά καλογραμμένο βιβλίο, με πιστά ψυχογραφήματα, το οποίο είμαι σίγουρη ότι θα αγγίξει άλλους αναγνώστες.
Το βιβλίο μας διηγείται τον έρωτα της Ντόρα και του Λούκα. Κάπου στα μέσα της δεκαετίας του εξήντα συναντιούνται για πρώτη φορά και από τότε η μοίρα ορίζει να είναι μαζί, ο ένας το άλλο μισό του άλλου. Μέσα από οικογενειακά προβλήματα, εσωτερικές αναζητήσεις, όνειρα και στόχους ο Λούκα και η Ντόρα προσπαθούν να είναι μαζί ενάντια σε μια μοίρα που αν και τους έφερε κοντά ταυτόχρονα μοιάζει να τους θέλει χώρια. Το παρελθόν και τα λάθη τους είναι εκείνα που καθορίζουν τη μεταξύ τους σχέση, τη στιγμή που η ίδια αυτή σχέση θα μπορούσε να χαρακτηριστεί ως η μεγαλύτερη αδυναμία τους.
Η πένα της συγγραφέως είναι το λιγότερο εξαιρετική. Με γρήγορες εναλλαγές, ισορροπία διαλόγων-περιγραφών και έναν υπέροχο -άρρητα φιλοσοφικό- αφηγηματικό τρόπο να μεταφέρει την εσωτερικότητα των ηρώων της, η Ντράγκνιτς χτίζει μια μοναδική ιστορία αγάπης. Οι δύο πρωταγωνιστές έχουν μια παράξενη χημεία μεταξύ τους και οι στίχοι του λατρεμένου Πάμπλο Νερούδα αγκαλιάζουν αριστουργηματικά την ερωτική τους ιστορία. Οι δευτερεύοντες χαρακτήρες παρουσιάζουν έντονο ενδιαφέρον –με αυτόν της αδερφής του Λούκα να ξεχωρίζει- ενώ η πλοκή έχει έναν καρμικό προγραμματισμό ο οποίος γεμίζει ρομαντισμό και τρυφερότητα τον αναγνώστη. Μέσα σε όλα αυτά οι κοινωνικοπολιτικές εξελίξεις με γεωγραφικό επίκεντρο δημιουργούν μια κάποια ιστορική χροιά στο βιβλίο.
Ωστόσο, το συγκεκριμένο έργο δε με άγγιξε όσο θα ήθελα ή όσο περίμενα. Διέκρινα μια υποτονικότητα στον τρόπο γραφής και σε συνδυασμό με τα ακραία γεγονότα που περιγράφονται –τα οποία εάν δεν υπήρχαν ίχνη αποστασιοποιημένης ψυχρότητας στην πένα θα ταίριαζαν ιδανικά- δεν μπόρεσα να αφοσιωθώ και να αγαπήσω απόλυτα το βιβλίο. Η συγγραφέας οδηγεί τους ήρωες της σε υπερβολικές καταστάσεις, αλλά και αποφάσεις με τις οποίες δυσκολεύτηκα να ταυτιστώ. Φυσικά κάτι τέτοιο δεν αποτελεί πάντα πρόβλημα για τον αναγνώστη, ωστόσο αυτή τη φορά υπολείπεται η σιγουριά στη γραφή ώστε να οδηγηθούμε ομαλά στις επεξηγήσεις. Πάνω από όλα δεν «ένιωσα» την ένταση και το πάθος που αδιαμφισβήτητα υπήρχε ανάμεσα στους πρωταγωνιστές. Πρόκειται όμως για ένα εξαιρετικά καλογραμμένο βιβλίο, με πιστά ψυχογραφήματα, το οποίο είμαι σίγουρη ότι θα αγγίξει άλλους αναγνώστες.
August 19, 2024
Πρώτη επαφή με την πένα της Natasa Dragnic και ενώ οι αφηγηματικές της τεχνικές μου άρεσαν, το ίδιο το βιβλίο με κούρασε απίστευτα.
Εξηγούμαι: η ιστορία του βιβλίου είναι χιλιοπαιγμένη και - θεωρώ - σε καλύτερες εκδοχές. Κάποιοι άνθρωποι είναι γραφτό να είναι μαζί και αυτό διαφαίνεται από πολύ νωρίς, όμως η ζωή τους φέρνει εμπόδια που δεν μπορούν να ξεπεράσουν, με αποτέλεσμα να χωρίζουν για πάντα ή για λίγο και να βρίσκονται είτε στο τέλος της ζωής τους ξανά μαζί ή και ποτέ, παρά μόνο νοητά. Μέχρι εδώ οκ, όμως υπάρχει ένα Α όριο στις αναποδιές που τους φέρνει η ζωή και πότε το βιβλίο σταματάει να είναι έστω και λίγο ρεαλιστικό και φωσκολίζει επικίνδυνα. Επιπλέον, διαβάζοντάς το, σε στιγμές πραγματικά ήθελα να ταρακουνήσω τους πρωταγωνιστές από την θέση τους και να τους πω: Είναι δυνατόν να αντέχεις τον εαυτό σου με τόσο τοξική συμπεριφορά;
Στην πραγματικότητα βάζω 2.5/5 αστεράκια, και αυτό γιατί η συγγραφέας ξέρει να αφηγείται πολύ όμορφα, απλά τα λεγόμενά της τα βρήκα σε στιγμές εντελώς σαχλά και μη ρεαλιστικά :D
Εξηγούμαι: η ιστορία του βιβλίου είναι χιλιοπαιγμένη και - θεωρώ - σε καλύτερες εκδοχές. Κάποιοι άνθρωποι είναι γραφτό να είναι μαζί και αυτό διαφαίνεται από πολύ νωρίς, όμως η ζωή τους φέρνει εμπόδια που δεν μπορούν να ξεπεράσουν, με αποτέλεσμα να χωρίζουν για πάντα ή για λίγο και να βρίσκονται είτε στο τέλος της ζωής τους ξανά μαζί ή και ποτέ, παρά μόνο νοητά. Μέχρι εδώ οκ, όμως υπάρχει ένα Α όριο στις αναποδιές που τους φέρνει η ζωή και πότε το βιβλίο σταματάει να είναι έστω και λίγο ρεαλιστικό και φωσκολίζει επικίνδυνα. Επιπλέον, διαβάζοντάς το, σε στιγμές πραγματικά ήθελα να ταρακουνήσω τους πρωταγωνιστές από την θέση τους και να τους πω: Είναι δυνατόν να αντέχεις τον εαυτό σου με τόσο τοξική συμπεριφορά;
Στην πραγματικότητα βάζω 2.5/5 αστεράκια, και αυτό γιατί η συγγραφέας ξέρει να αφηγείται πολύ όμορφα, απλά τα λεγόμενά της τα βρήκα σε στιγμές εντελώς σαχλά και μη ρεαλιστικά :D
December 31, 2021
konnte mich nicht überzeugen
June 18, 2012
This review and others can be found on Cozy Up With A Good Read
Before I started blogging I was all about the chick lit and cute romance stories, and just because I haven't read as many doesn't mean I won't if I find them, this book was right back to my roots. I love books with this kind of idea to them, the whole story of soulmates that just have a hard time keeping their lives picture perfect. I was really excited when I saw this one, especially because it was a translation book. I was a little hesitant going in because it can be hard to keep the voice in translation, but I can tell you this is not a disappointing book whatsoever.
When I started reading this book I was instantly in love with Dragnic's writing style. Her writing is like poetry and she really brings out the emotions of the characters in her words. I'm not usually a fan of poetry (and I'm not saying this is poetry) but it has that poetic feel to it that really works for this novel.
The characters in this book is really what kept me glued to the page, mainly the character of Dora. Both of these characters have their hardships they go through and they still try to come together and beat the odds. Dora was the strong character, who against everything kept fighting for what she believes in, no matter what it is. She hates to give in, and has a stubborn streak when she doesn't get what she wants. Though Luka was not a character that I enjoyed reading, I kept going back to see if he would change (like the synopsis says this is a book about both heartache and hope). Luka was weak and could never face anything that went wrong. He is more of the type that runs away, I mean he faints when he meets Dora for the first time after so many years.
Despite my issues with Luka's character this was one book that I could not get enough of and is now in my top books that I will re-read time and time again (along with The Time Traveler's Wife). There was so much to this book that I was not expecting and Natasa does a great job writing this love story to keep the hope alive amidst all the heartache. This book was absolutely beautiful.
Before I started blogging I was all about the chick lit and cute romance stories, and just because I haven't read as many doesn't mean I won't if I find them, this book was right back to my roots. I love books with this kind of idea to them, the whole story of soulmates that just have a hard time keeping their lives picture perfect. I was really excited when I saw this one, especially because it was a translation book. I was a little hesitant going in because it can be hard to keep the voice in translation, but I can tell you this is not a disappointing book whatsoever.
When I started reading this book I was instantly in love with Dragnic's writing style. Her writing is like poetry and she really brings out the emotions of the characters in her words. I'm not usually a fan of poetry (and I'm not saying this is poetry) but it has that poetic feel to it that really works for this novel.
The characters in this book is really what kept me glued to the page, mainly the character of Dora. Both of these characters have their hardships they go through and they still try to come together and beat the odds. Dora was the strong character, who against everything kept fighting for what she believes in, no matter what it is. She hates to give in, and has a stubborn streak when she doesn't get what she wants. Though Luka was not a character that I enjoyed reading, I kept going back to see if he would change (like the synopsis says this is a book about both heartache and hope). Luka was weak and could never face anything that went wrong. He is more of the type that runs away, I mean he faints when he meets Dora for the first time after so many years.
Despite my issues with Luka's character this was one book that I could not get enough of and is now in my top books that I will re-read time and time again (along with The Time Traveler's Wife). There was so much to this book that I was not expecting and Natasa does a great job writing this love story to keep the hope alive amidst all the heartache. This book was absolutely beautiful.
July 4, 2012
As you already read above, the story takes place in Croatia. And not just anywhere, but in an amazingly beautiful town called Makarska, along the coast of Croatia. The story is about Luka and Dora, two kids who spend all of their time together. At first they are just best friends and can’t be separated, but as they grow older they begin to feel more than just friendship. The story is written in such a beautiful way, you’d almost think that it’s you eating ice cream with your best friend, enjoying the sun and sea.
A few years later Dora and Luka are separated in one of the most cruel ways, Dora has to move to Paris with her parents. I loved to see how Luka and Dora led separate lives and still every moment they’d think of each other. Throughout the book a lot of things happen, just like they do in real life. This is not some sort of fairy tail where Dora leaves the country but they still see each other often and eventually live happily ever after. You see how they both pick up their own lives with other interests but their love is always there and that makes it so realistic.
Throughout the book Dora and Luka do meet, and it’s ridiculous (in a good way) how they just pick up where they left all those years ago. If you’re someone who likes stories about (true) love, then this would be the perfect book for you.
I also loved Luka’s character. He seems like such a loving man and he’d do anything for Dora. Dora on the other hand irritated me sometimes. She’s a very charming young lady but she can be pretty mean at times too. Also, I hated her for not telling Luka something that was REALLY important.
This book completely swallowed me up in the world of Dora and Luka and their infinite love for each other. I’d really recommend you to read it, especially now that the summer is coming. It’s great to read Every Day, Every Hour while you’re enjoying the sun and you hear the waves crash against the shore, it makes everything even more real.
A few years later Dora and Luka are separated in one of the most cruel ways, Dora has to move to Paris with her parents. I loved to see how Luka and Dora led separate lives and still every moment they’d think of each other. Throughout the book a lot of things happen, just like they do in real life. This is not some sort of fairy tail where Dora leaves the country but they still see each other often and eventually live happily ever after. You see how they both pick up their own lives with other interests but their love is always there and that makes it so realistic.
Throughout the book Dora and Luka do meet, and it’s ridiculous (in a good way) how they just pick up where they left all those years ago. If you’re someone who likes stories about (true) love, then this would be the perfect book for you.
I also loved Luka’s character. He seems like such a loving man and he’d do anything for Dora. Dora on the other hand irritated me sometimes. She’s a very charming young lady but she can be pretty mean at times too. Also, I hated her for not telling Luka something that was REALLY important.
This book completely swallowed me up in the world of Dora and Luka and their infinite love for each other. I’d really recommend you to read it, especially now that the summer is coming. It’s great to read Every Day, Every Hour while you’re enjoying the sun and you hear the waves crash against the shore, it makes everything even more real.
March 5, 2016
Stāsts par stiprām sievietēm, kas zina, kā panākt to, ko vēlas. Un par vāju vīrieti, kas ir šīs situācijas ķīlnieks. Attiecību drāmas, kuras lielā skaitā sastopamas arī reālajā dzīvē.
Autores rakstīšanas stils patīkams - it kā vienkāršs, bet dziļš. Tulkotājas (Silvija Brice) darbs kārtējo reizi neliek vilties.
Vērtējums ne pārāk, jo ciest nevaru vīriešus - gļēvuļus...
Autores rakstīšanas stils patīkams - it kā vienkāršs, bet dziļš. Tulkotājas (Silvija Brice) darbs kārtējo reizi neliek vilties.
Vērtējums ne pārāk, jo ciest nevaru vīriešus - gļēvuļus...
September 10, 2017
3,5 zvaigznes. Smuki, liriski uzrakstīts, autore centusies. Skumjš stāsts par izniekotu dzīvi dēļ vīrieša gļēvulības, nespējas lietot prezervatīvu un domāt ar galvu. Tajā pašā laikā gandrīz pārlaicīgs mīlas stāsts par liktenīgu mīlestību, īsto un vienīgo mūža garumā.
Pilnā atsauksme https://gramatas.wordpress.com/2017/0...
Pilnā atsauksme https://gramatas.wordpress.com/2017/0...
August 29, 2012
When Dora is two years old she is sent to nursery school because her mother has to go back to work; there she meets five year old Luka, a boy prone to fainting fits, and the two children become the best of friends. It's a friendship that has something otherworldly about it - the townsfolk of Makarska, on the coast of Croatia, watch and wonder at it. But when Dora is six, her family moves to Paris, and they seem to forget about each other.
Years later, Luka is promising a young artist visiting Paris for his first big exhibition of paintings, and Dora is starting her career on the stage, when they meet again at the opening of Luka's exhibition. Instantly, they recognise each other, and an all-consuming love takes over. But circumstances seem to conspire against any possibility of staying together, forever. Drawn back together again and again over the years, Luka and Dora's love for each never falters, but life gets ever more complicated.
I would have liked to have really connected with this story and the characters, but that never quite happened, mostly because of the prose. Dragnić employs an overly-stylised, extreme-omniscient narrative style, heavy on telling us everything without leaving us with anything to do. Being relegated to a passive audience rather than an active reader creates a great deal of distance, and difficulty empathising. Such was the case here. While the prose was at times quite beautiful, too often it was encumbered with cliché and melodrama that, because I was already feeling distanced from the characters, and not emotionally engaged, only served to disappoint me further.
It's strengths lay in its overall themes and the use of repetition to create poetry and meaning out of this story of star-crossed lovers. Throughout their relationship - a mix of heady, obsessive ardour and periods of complete absence - things seem to always impede any chance they have of being together, marrying, having their own family and basically being happy together. But these things that get in their way are mostly the choices they make, especially Luka. Their love cannot exist in the space occupied by common sense and the rules of growing up and taking responsibility for your own actions, and as much as this infuriated me on a personal level, as a character - and life - sketch, it was impeccable in its realism. Somewhat depressingly so.
While Dora, a confident, independent, single-minded person, does what she can to fight for their love, Luka is in effect a coward. Even as a child, his fainting was a method of escaping reality, and only Dora and his younger sister Ana knew what to say to snap him out of it. As an adult, he continues to struggle with his self-imposed fainting (he literally stops breathing until he passes out), but he also responds to difficult situations by literally running away, or through simple inaction. His choices, his decisions, are often immature, short-sighted, and misguided. It is not fate that works against Dora and Luka, but Luka's own inability to handle situations with a clear head and confidence. It becomes harder and harder to read about Luka's life, especially as everything he does leads to more misery for him. I just hate to see what amounts to a wasted life, in Luka. He doesn't even paint anymore.
They're not the only two who are unlucky in love: their parents have their fair share, as well. Luka's own father "ran away" from his family and his marriage when Luka was a boy, thinking it would make things better: it didn't, and Luka's mother killed herself. Dora's own mother, Helena, falls in love with a younger man in Paris, and leaves her husband, Ivan. Not the best role models, perhaps, though they all acted out of love and with the intention of doing the right thing - for themselves, at least.
But the characters who really got to me were Luka's daughters. Innocent products of his - and their mother, Klara's, mistakes, it was painful and upsetting to watch Luka practically deny them because he felt trapped in a marriage to Klara (a marriage that he proposed, out of a sense of responsibility and obligation that turns out to be misplaced and woefully shortsighted). He wouldn't hold them, as babies. He seemed to barely acknowledge their existence. They never deserved that, and for his treatment of them I started to hate Luka and lost patience with him. The mess he was in was his fault, there was still a way out, a way to be happy without abandoning the girls, but out of cowardice he never did anything. There are plenty of people like this in real life, who seem to prefer to wallow in their cage of misery than take the one risky door to a new life, and it's hard not to just give up on them after a while.
I think Dora did. Give up on Luka, that is, later on. Because of the decisions she made, the child she had, the marriage with another man she entered into. But their love is, was, real. Tangible. It breathes on the page, there's no denying that. It loses vibrancy and fails to live inside the reader because of the distance created between reader and characters, but even with that it is still undeniable.
Set mostly in Croatia, with some parts in Paris, there are enough historical snippets to give you the feeling of the world going by, of things happening outside their own lives, without them barely noticing. The Yugoslavian civil war is touched upon but not in any depth, and other major incidents like the fall of the Berlin Wall. The sense of time going by, slipping by, gone forever, is unmistakable, and adds to the overall feeling of lost chances. Yet, throughout the novel, right to the end, I felt hope too. I sincerely wanted them to get their chance to be together, and when things finally improved for Luka, it seemed like that chance had come. But as in life, their story is one of bad timing, missed chances, unspoken truths and a sheer lack of common sense when it's most needed.
I didn't read this with complete emotional detachment, as you can see, but I wasn't as sympathetic to them as I had hoped, and expected, to be. Maybe that wasn't the point, but without an emotional connection, without feeling sympathetic to their love, it left me merely mildly annoyed at everything else. I wasn't sure what to think of it, when I finished it a couple of hours ago, and I still don't, even after writing all this. This will just have to be one of those books I'm ambivalent about, then.
Years later, Luka is promising a young artist visiting Paris for his first big exhibition of paintings, and Dora is starting her career on the stage, when they meet again at the opening of Luka's exhibition. Instantly, they recognise each other, and an all-consuming love takes over. But circumstances seem to conspire against any possibility of staying together, forever. Drawn back together again and again over the years, Luka and Dora's love for each never falters, but life gets ever more complicated.
I would have liked to have really connected with this story and the characters, but that never quite happened, mostly because of the prose. Dragnić employs an overly-stylised, extreme-omniscient narrative style, heavy on telling us everything without leaving us with anything to do. Being relegated to a passive audience rather than an active reader creates a great deal of distance, and difficulty empathising. Such was the case here. While the prose was at times quite beautiful, too often it was encumbered with cliché and melodrama that, because I was already feeling distanced from the characters, and not emotionally engaged, only served to disappoint me further.
It's strengths lay in its overall themes and the use of repetition to create poetry and meaning out of this story of star-crossed lovers. Throughout their relationship - a mix of heady, obsessive ardour and periods of complete absence - things seem to always impede any chance they have of being together, marrying, having their own family and basically being happy together. But these things that get in their way are mostly the choices they make, especially Luka. Their love cannot exist in the space occupied by common sense and the rules of growing up and taking responsibility for your own actions, and as much as this infuriated me on a personal level, as a character - and life - sketch, it was impeccable in its realism. Somewhat depressingly so.
While Dora, a confident, independent, single-minded person, does what she can to fight for their love, Luka is in effect a coward. Even as a child, his fainting was a method of escaping reality, and only Dora and his younger sister Ana knew what to say to snap him out of it. As an adult, he continues to struggle with his self-imposed fainting (he literally stops breathing until he passes out), but he also responds to difficult situations by literally running away, or through simple inaction. His choices, his decisions, are often immature, short-sighted, and misguided. It is not fate that works against Dora and Luka, but Luka's own inability to handle situations with a clear head and confidence. It becomes harder and harder to read about Luka's life, especially as everything he does leads to more misery for him. I just hate to see what amounts to a wasted life, in Luka. He doesn't even paint anymore.
They're not the only two who are unlucky in love: their parents have their fair share, as well. Luka's own father "ran away" from his family and his marriage when Luka was a boy, thinking it would make things better: it didn't, and Luka's mother killed herself. Dora's own mother, Helena, falls in love with a younger man in Paris, and leaves her husband, Ivan. Not the best role models, perhaps, though they all acted out of love and with the intention of doing the right thing - for themselves, at least.
But the characters who really got to me were Luka's daughters. Innocent products of his - and their mother, Klara's, mistakes, it was painful and upsetting to watch Luka practically deny them because he felt trapped in a marriage to Klara (a marriage that he proposed, out of a sense of responsibility and obligation that turns out to be misplaced and woefully shortsighted). He wouldn't hold them, as babies. He seemed to barely acknowledge their existence. They never deserved that, and for his treatment of them I started to hate Luka and lost patience with him. The mess he was in was his fault, there was still a way out, a way to be happy without abandoning the girls, but out of cowardice he never did anything. There are plenty of people like this in real life, who seem to prefer to wallow in their cage of misery than take the one risky door to a new life, and it's hard not to just give up on them after a while.
'Do you love her?'
'I love you, and I want to spend my life with you.' Luka speaks like someone who has passed his problems along to somebody else, and doesn't have to worry about anything anymore, because someone else will take care of everything, and he can go back to playing with his friends without a care in the world. To build sand castles, even though Makarska has no sandy beaches. Play water polo. Or football. Or paint. Just to be himself. [p.151]
I think Dora did. Give up on Luka, that is, later on. Because of the decisions she made, the child she had, the marriage with another man she entered into. But their love is, was, real. Tangible. It breathes on the page, there's no denying that. It loses vibrancy and fails to live inside the reader because of the distance created between reader and characters, but even with that it is still undeniable.
'Dora.'
Luka is already counting: one, two, three, four ... and Dora quickly finds the way behind the reception desk, and presses her body against his, lays her mouth on his mouth and whispers softly to him: 'You are my prince, don't fall asleep, you are my prince, only mine, stay with me, look at me, look into my eyes. I'm here, everything's all right, it's over, everything is fine, my prince.' Luka sinks into the swivel chair beside him as if he has no muscles. No will. As if he were one of those old, holey air mattresses that are always turning up in unexpected places at the hotel, left behind by their departed owners. Luka's eyes are closed and his breathing is laboured. Some things in life a person can't ever be prepared for. He feels Dora's head on his stomach, her arm around his waist, but oxygen is in short supply at the moment, so he keeps sitting there, motionless. He feels the pressure of her body, and it's strange and wonderful at the same time, and he wants to keep her here and push her away at the same time. He opens one eye, he has no strength for anything more, and sees her in front of him, on her knees, her long hair in his lap, and the happiness overwhelms him and crushes him at the same time. He hears her murmur, her voice doesn't quite reach him, but it might be the word 'prince' that leaves her mouth. He lays his hand on her hair. [pp.138-9]
Set mostly in Croatia, with some parts in Paris, there are enough historical snippets to give you the feeling of the world going by, of things happening outside their own lives, without them barely noticing. The Yugoslavian civil war is touched upon but not in any depth, and other major incidents like the fall of the Berlin Wall. The sense of time going by, slipping by, gone forever, is unmistakable, and adds to the overall feeling of lost chances. Yet, throughout the novel, right to the end, I felt hope too. I sincerely wanted them to get their chance to be together, and when things finally improved for Luka, it seemed like that chance had come. But as in life, their story is one of bad timing, missed chances, unspoken truths and a sheer lack of common sense when it's most needed.
I didn't read this with complete emotional detachment, as you can see, but I wasn't as sympathetic to them as I had hoped, and expected, to be. Maybe that wasn't the point, but without an emotional connection, without feeling sympathetic to their love, it left me merely mildly annoyed at everything else. I wasn't sure what to think of it, when I finished it a couple of hours ago, and I still don't, even after writing all this. This will just have to be one of those books I'm ambivalent about, then.
January 24, 2019
Ova knjiga treba da se zove "Život".
August 3, 2018
Nataša Dragnić donijela nam je nesvakidašnju ljubav između Luke i Dore, ljubav koja se rodila u djetinjstvu, koju nađeš samo jednom, ostaje uvijek s tobom i traje zauvijek.
Dora i Luka su razdvojeni u djetinjstvu, i tokom čitaovg života koje vode daleko jedan od drugoga stalno osjećaju da im nešto fali, da su nešto izgubili, ali se ne mogu sjetiti točno što. Kada se opet nađu, čitatelj se ponada - e, sad će sve ići dobro. Ali ne, nije to takva ljubavna priča. Ovo nije "živjeli su sretno do kraja života". Jel ljubav je upravo takva - neizreciva i komplicirana, za nju se treba boriti i biti hrabar. Razočaralo me što Luka ipak nije bio toliko hrabar, već je ispao papak. Živciralo me to, on.
"Potreban mi je mir.
-Umjesto života?
-Nemam dovoljno hrabrosti."
S druge strane, on je ipak čovjek odrastao u malom mjestu za koje je tipično da moraš biti zadovoljan onim što imaš, što je tvoje, oko čega se moraš truditi i nikada ga ne napustiti. Dio mene je poželio da Luka bude odvažniji i da prekine spone koje ga uništavaju, ali to onda ne bi bio ovakav roman. Bio bi to onda samo još jedan ljubić. Luka je odluči ostati ondje "...gdje je svjetlo. Ovdje su boje koje život znače. I more. Sve je tu. Mjesto susreta.", dok je Dora odlučila vraćati mu se. Na jedan način, oni su odlučili voditi zasebno svaki svoj život, a ujedno voditi i onaj jedan "njihov život", koji se ostvaruje povremenim susretima. A Draganić je to izrazila predivno - brzim kratkim riječima u dirljivim dugačkim odlomcima struje svijesti koji točno izražavaju što oni osjećaju.
"(...) moraš voljeti sama sebe da bi si mogao priuštiti sreću da bi ostao moraš biti snažan lakše je odreći se lakše je odustati lakše je patiti (...)"
Jer, na kraju krajeva, dobro je nadati se. Dobro je vjerovati da se i nakon toliko vremena možete naći, bez obzira na okolnosti koje vas okružuju.
Dora i Luka su razdvojeni u djetinjstvu, i tokom čitaovg života koje vode daleko jedan od drugoga stalno osjećaju da im nešto fali, da su nešto izgubili, ali se ne mogu sjetiti točno što. Kada se opet nađu, čitatelj se ponada - e, sad će sve ići dobro. Ali ne, nije to takva ljubavna priča. Ovo nije "živjeli su sretno do kraja života". Jel ljubav je upravo takva - neizreciva i komplicirana, za nju se treba boriti i biti hrabar. Razočaralo me što Luka ipak nije bio toliko hrabar, već je ispao papak. Živciralo me to, on.
"Potreban mi je mir.
-Umjesto života?
-Nemam dovoljno hrabrosti."
S druge strane, on je ipak čovjek odrastao u malom mjestu za koje je tipično da moraš biti zadovoljan onim što imaš, što je tvoje, oko čega se moraš truditi i nikada ga ne napustiti. Dio mene je poželio da Luka bude odvažniji i da prekine spone koje ga uništavaju, ali to onda ne bi bio ovakav roman. Bio bi to onda samo još jedan ljubić. Luka je odluči ostati ondje "...gdje je svjetlo. Ovdje su boje koje život znače. I more. Sve je tu. Mjesto susreta.", dok je Dora odlučila vraćati mu se. Na jedan način, oni su odlučili voditi zasebno svaki svoj život, a ujedno voditi i onaj jedan "njihov život", koji se ostvaruje povremenim susretima. A Draganić je to izrazila predivno - brzim kratkim riječima u dirljivim dugačkim odlomcima struje svijesti koji točno izražavaju što oni osjećaju.
"(...) moraš voljeti sama sebe da bi si mogao priuštiti sreću da bi ostao moraš biti snažan lakše je odreći se lakše je odustati lakše je patiti (...)"
Jer, na kraju krajeva, dobro je nadati se. Dobro je vjerovati da se i nakon toliko vremena možete naći, bez obzira na okolnosti koje vas okružuju.
August 27, 2012
A lovely piece of writing by a Croatian author but written originally in German, I believe, and then translated into English. Every Day, Every Hour is an unconventional love story...two star-crossed lovers who meet in early childhood, fall immediately in love, although they wouldn't put that name to it, are separated before reaching puberty and then are periodically, and temporarily, reunited from time to time over the years. Dora, an actress, lives in Paris, and Luka, an artist of considerable talent, lives in a small town in Croatia. As children they are separated by the actions of their parents, when Dora's parents decide to move to France, but as adults, once reunited, they themselves make choices that keep them apart. Their love and passion are lyrically expressed by the author's writing, but also through the poetry of Pablo Neruda.
June 12, 2012
I don't know in what universe I ever think that it's a good idea to read a tragic love story, but I did and I cried through the whole thing. I only picked it up because the author is Croatian and I felt that my heritage and I owed her a read! This book was beautiful and made me want to visit Paris then hop on a plane to Croatia and most of all find a man who will quote Pablo Neruda to me! Readers beware, though, this is not an easy read or a book that's quietly heartbreaking, it's one that rages and screams and makes you cry right along with Luka and Dora every single step of the way.
March 5, 2017
Sigh. Such high hopes, such low results. Read it because I thought it would be even mildly interesting from the perspective of the Croatian diaspora/migration. Ended up realising that my struggle with this book is simply further evidence that I can no longer stomach romance stories.
August 8, 2020
Das Cover ist recht nett gemacht, wir sehen eine Frau am Meer, die Frau könnte durchaus Dora sein und das Meer das Meer hinter dem kroatischen Fischerdorf, aus dem Dora und Luka stammen, also ist das Cover passend gewählt, aber sicher kein Highlight.
Dora und Luka sind noch Kinder als sie sich das erste Mal begegnen und verlieren sich dann durch den Wegzug von Doras Familie nach Frankreich aus den Augen, treffen sich aber Jahre später in Paris wieder, aber dann läuft nichts, wie geplant...
Mit Dora und Luka schafft Nataša Dragnić zwei wirklich sehr liebenswerte Charaktere, die man wirklich ins Herz schliesst, sie schaffe es, die Handlung wirklich gut zu tragen und bringen es nah an den Leser heran.
Man darf das Buch auf keinen Fall als klassischen Liebesroman sehen, es ist eher so, dass es eine Reise zu sich selbst ist, weniger mit dem Ziel, einen klassischen Liebesroman nah zu kommen. Man erlebt eine Vertrautheit von Kindesbeinen an bis ins Erwachsenenalter, die auf eine Probe gestellt wird, weil sich Menschen im Laufe des Lebens einfach verändern.
Der Schreibstil von Nataša Dragnić ist etwas speziell, er ist nicht zu kitschig oder zu blumig, sie schreibt klar auf ihr Ziel zu und das merkt man auch. Manchmal trägt sie etwas dick auf mit den Emotionen, aber das kann man leicht verzeihen.
Zeitweise ist der Roman dennoch etwas zäh, was aber nicht an einem ungeübten Schreibstil liegt sondern eher an den sehr langen Sätzen. Diese ziehen sich von der ersten Seite an durch und man muss sagen, manchmal wäre ein Punkt besser als ein weiteres und gewesen. Das macht das Buch einfach etwas zäh und man muss beim Lesen einiges an Konzentration aufbringen.
Fazit:
Nataša Dragnić schafft ein sehr spannendes Buch mit tollen Charakteren, einer recht guten Handlung, aber man muss beim Lesen wirklich etwas Ausdauer beweisen, weil die Satzstruktur doch etwas fordernd ist und man manchmal mit Kitsch etwas überrannt wird, trotzdem ist es ein wirklich lesenswertes Buch, was man immer wieder als Buch für Zwischendurch nehmen kann, nur eben sollte man sich vorher gewahr sein, dass man das Buch einfach auf sich wirklich lassen muss und sich nicht von den langen Sätzen abschrecken lassen sollte.
Dora und Luka sind noch Kinder als sie sich das erste Mal begegnen und verlieren sich dann durch den Wegzug von Doras Familie nach Frankreich aus den Augen, treffen sich aber Jahre später in Paris wieder, aber dann läuft nichts, wie geplant...
Mit Dora und Luka schafft Nataša Dragnić zwei wirklich sehr liebenswerte Charaktere, die man wirklich ins Herz schliesst, sie schaffe es, die Handlung wirklich gut zu tragen und bringen es nah an den Leser heran.
Man darf das Buch auf keinen Fall als klassischen Liebesroman sehen, es ist eher so, dass es eine Reise zu sich selbst ist, weniger mit dem Ziel, einen klassischen Liebesroman nah zu kommen. Man erlebt eine Vertrautheit von Kindesbeinen an bis ins Erwachsenenalter, die auf eine Probe gestellt wird, weil sich Menschen im Laufe des Lebens einfach verändern.
Der Schreibstil von Nataša Dragnić ist etwas speziell, er ist nicht zu kitschig oder zu blumig, sie schreibt klar auf ihr Ziel zu und das merkt man auch. Manchmal trägt sie etwas dick auf mit den Emotionen, aber das kann man leicht verzeihen.
Zeitweise ist der Roman dennoch etwas zäh, was aber nicht an einem ungeübten Schreibstil liegt sondern eher an den sehr langen Sätzen. Diese ziehen sich von der ersten Seite an durch und man muss sagen, manchmal wäre ein Punkt besser als ein weiteres und gewesen. Das macht das Buch einfach etwas zäh und man muss beim Lesen einiges an Konzentration aufbringen.
Fazit:
Nataša Dragnić schafft ein sehr spannendes Buch mit tollen Charakteren, einer recht guten Handlung, aber man muss beim Lesen wirklich etwas Ausdauer beweisen, weil die Satzstruktur doch etwas fordernd ist und man manchmal mit Kitsch etwas überrannt wird, trotzdem ist es ein wirklich lesenswertes Buch, was man immer wieder als Buch für Zwischendurch nehmen kann, nur eben sollte man sich vorher gewahr sein, dass man das Buch einfach auf sich wirklich lassen muss und sich nicht von den langen Sätzen abschrecken lassen sollte.
December 30, 2012
Neste exacto momento terminei a leitura deste livro e não queria ir dormir sem antes expressar a minha opinião sobre ele. Ainda por mim fluem uma enormidade de emoções e por isso espero conseguir dar uma opinião recta acerca deste livro.
A autora trouxe até nós um livro incrível, escrito de uma forma simples mas tão intensa que a certa altura nos perguntamos nos porquês da vida, nos rumos incertos que esta por vezes toma. É uma história de amor que nos faz sonhar e acreditar no destino, num amor tão grande que pode durar uma vida inteira, mas que também nos pode ser arrebatado por terceiros de forma cruel.
Luka e Dora personificam um sem fim de casais apaixonados, que por várias razões se vêm afastados. A autora consegue, com alguma facilidade entranhar no leitor do seu livro uma história que pode muito bem ser a nossa. Talvez esse seja o grande trunfo deste livro, ao tornar este amor tão simples, mas ao mesmo tempo tão complicado, este passa a não ser só o amor entre Luka e Dora, mas também começamos a vive-lo como se fosse nosso. Não chorei, mas muitas foram as vezes que dei por mim com sentimentos próximos aos das personagens e por isso, apesar de não ter chegado a vias de facto, cheguei ao ponto de sentir os olhos a arder e também senti por algumas vezes o coração “pesado”. Queria que conseguissem ser felizes, queria que ultrapassassem os obstáculos, que deixassem tudo e todos para viverem aquele amor, mas havia sempre algo que os fazia recuar. A autora conseguiu até ao fim mostrar-se correcta e lutar contra a vontade de escrever o “final feliz” para as suas personagens, na minha opinião tudo isso torna tudo muito mais especial, afinal devemos passar por certas dificuldades para darmos o respectivo valor áquilo que no final iremos ter nas nossas mãos. As coisas não devem ser-nos dadas de mão beijada, devemos lutar para ter aquilo que mais desejamos e o amor não �� excepção.
Claro que com estas palavras, só quero dizer que adorei o livro e adorei principalmente as passagens de Pablo Neruda e em como os seus poemas tornam toda a história tão especial. Apesar de fora do vulgar, este é um livro que nos faz pensar na vida e fez-me pensar que vale a pena lutar pela felicidade. Que cada dia, cada hora deve ser repleta de alegria e amor.
http://viv-omundoencantadodoslivros.b...
A autora trouxe até nós um livro incrível, escrito de uma forma simples mas tão intensa que a certa altura nos perguntamos nos porquês da vida, nos rumos incertos que esta por vezes toma. É uma história de amor que nos faz sonhar e acreditar no destino, num amor tão grande que pode durar uma vida inteira, mas que também nos pode ser arrebatado por terceiros de forma cruel.
Luka e Dora personificam um sem fim de casais apaixonados, que por várias razões se vêm afastados. A autora consegue, com alguma facilidade entranhar no leitor do seu livro uma história que pode muito bem ser a nossa. Talvez esse seja o grande trunfo deste livro, ao tornar este amor tão simples, mas ao mesmo tempo tão complicado, este passa a não ser só o amor entre Luka e Dora, mas também começamos a vive-lo como se fosse nosso. Não chorei, mas muitas foram as vezes que dei por mim com sentimentos próximos aos das personagens e por isso, apesar de não ter chegado a vias de facto, cheguei ao ponto de sentir os olhos a arder e também senti por algumas vezes o coração “pesado”. Queria que conseguissem ser felizes, queria que ultrapassassem os obstáculos, que deixassem tudo e todos para viverem aquele amor, mas havia sempre algo que os fazia recuar. A autora conseguiu até ao fim mostrar-se correcta e lutar contra a vontade de escrever o “final feliz” para as suas personagens, na minha opinião tudo isso torna tudo muito mais especial, afinal devemos passar por certas dificuldades para darmos o respectivo valor áquilo que no final iremos ter nas nossas mãos. As coisas não devem ser-nos dadas de mão beijada, devemos lutar para ter aquilo que mais desejamos e o amor não �� excepção.
Claro que com estas palavras, só quero dizer que adorei o livro e adorei principalmente as passagens de Pablo Neruda e em como os seus poemas tornam toda a história tão especial. Apesar de fora do vulgar, este é um livro que nos faz pensar na vida e fez-me pensar que vale a pena lutar pela felicidade. Que cada dia, cada hora deve ser repleta de alegria e amor.
http://viv-omundoencantadodoslivros.b...
December 20, 2011
Un libro piccolino, solo 220 pagine, eppure già sta facendo parlare di sé provocando aperti dissensi, o totali consensi.
Non pensavo che una storia del genere, che si legge in poche ore (un paio basteranno) e che racconta l'amore tra un ragazzo e una ragazza, iniziata nell'infanzia e durata un'intera vita, potesse provocare commenti così accalorati.
Luka e Dora vivono in un paese di mare, in Croazia e trascorrono la loro infanzia insieme, diventando in poco tempo inseparabili. come se fin da piccoli già sentissero di appartenersi, di essere destinati l'uno all'altra. I loro giorni trascorrono in riva al mare, guardando le nuvole, parlando. Quando Dora e la famiglia dovranno trasferirsi in Francia, tutto sembra aver fine. Perdono qualsiasi contatto fin quasi a dimenticarsi della recirpoca esistenza. Ma, come in una bella favola, l'arrivo di Luka a Parigi darà loro una seconda occasione e da questo nuovo incontro l'amore non nascerà ma ritornerà, più vero e forte di prima. Da quel momento in poi, insieme all'amore inizieranno mille altre difficoltà, fatte di amori passati, di figli non voluti, di responsabilità gravose.
Riusciranno Luka e Dora a vivere il loro amore, assecondando il destino che li vuole uniti, lottando contro quegli ostacoli che si presentano puntualmente sul loro percorso?
Ogni lettore potrà dare la risposta che più si addice al proprio animo: romantico, cinico, sognatore, concreto.
Cosa c'è di tanto detestabile e di altrettanto amabile in una storia come questa?
L'autrice è stata criticata per lo stile, per le sue frasi brevi e spezzate, per la punteggiatura ricorrente dopo due sole parole... c'è chi in questo modo narrativo ci ha visto della poesia, chi invece l'ha trovato irritante e superficiale. I due protagonisti si amano, sanno che si ameranno per sempre, eppure fanno spesso delle scelte incoerenti coi loro sentimenti: c'è chi ha smontato passo passo tutta la storia, soprattutto il personaggio maschile e le sue scelte infelici, e gli stessi eventi che si susseguono, e chi ha vissuto il tormento di quell'amore difficile apprezzandone l'intensità e la portata.
Dov'è la mia opinione tra le due correnti opposte?
il commento continua qui:
http://cuoredinchiostro.blogspot.com/...
Non pensavo che una storia del genere, che si legge in poche ore (un paio basteranno) e che racconta l'amore tra un ragazzo e una ragazza, iniziata nell'infanzia e durata un'intera vita, potesse provocare commenti così accalorati.
Luka e Dora vivono in un paese di mare, in Croazia e trascorrono la loro infanzia insieme, diventando in poco tempo inseparabili. come se fin da piccoli già sentissero di appartenersi, di essere destinati l'uno all'altra. I loro giorni trascorrono in riva al mare, guardando le nuvole, parlando. Quando Dora e la famiglia dovranno trasferirsi in Francia, tutto sembra aver fine. Perdono qualsiasi contatto fin quasi a dimenticarsi della recirpoca esistenza. Ma, come in una bella favola, l'arrivo di Luka a Parigi darà loro una seconda occasione e da questo nuovo incontro l'amore non nascerà ma ritornerà, più vero e forte di prima. Da quel momento in poi, insieme all'amore inizieranno mille altre difficoltà, fatte di amori passati, di figli non voluti, di responsabilità gravose.
Riusciranno Luka e Dora a vivere il loro amore, assecondando il destino che li vuole uniti, lottando contro quegli ostacoli che si presentano puntualmente sul loro percorso?
Ogni lettore potrà dare la risposta che più si addice al proprio animo: romantico, cinico, sognatore, concreto.
Cosa c'è di tanto detestabile e di altrettanto amabile in una storia come questa?
L'autrice è stata criticata per lo stile, per le sue frasi brevi e spezzate, per la punteggiatura ricorrente dopo due sole parole... c'è chi in questo modo narrativo ci ha visto della poesia, chi invece l'ha trovato irritante e superficiale. I due protagonisti si amano, sanno che si ameranno per sempre, eppure fanno spesso delle scelte incoerenti coi loro sentimenti: c'è chi ha smontato passo passo tutta la storia, soprattutto il personaggio maschile e le sue scelte infelici, e gli stessi eventi che si susseguono, e chi ha vissuto il tormento di quell'amore difficile apprezzandone l'intensità e la portata.
Dov'è la mia opinione tra le due correnti opposte?
il commento continua qui:
http://cuoredinchiostro.blogspot.com/...
May 20, 2013
Someone whose recommendations I implicitly trust suggested this book and maybe that's why I found it so disappointing..expectations too high? It's not truly awful, not in the writing, which can be a bit overcooked, but was certainly atmospheric; nor in the characters, who I liked (well at least Dora) in spite of myself. No, it was the stupid ass plot that drove me bonkers. Two adults madly in love who can "hear" each others thoughts across miles but cannot somehow figure out a way to be together? They were mindless and weak people, particularly the male lead, Luka. The idiotic plot points that kept them separated were not monumental. No, not war or debilitating illness or financial ruin or prison. Nope...just an unplanned pregnancy. Like that never happens and as if there aren't perfectly reasonable ways to deal with that instead of ruining your life with a comp,eye,y unsuitable, unhappy and abysmal marriage. And maybe if the novel was set in the 1860's I could buy that marriage was the only acceptable course of action to remedy such a calamity, but it takes place in the 1980's and beyond! The late 20th century, when an unplanned pregnancy doesn't mean a woman is stoned to death by ignorant villagers. And the author has the temerity to use an unplanned pregnancy twice more to move the insipid plot along! So simplistic and lazy when you feel that the author is not untalented and could have done so much more with her two young lovers.
June 22, 2012
I don't even know what to say yet....review to come...
In the meantime, just go read it.
In the meantime, just go read it.
September 13, 2012
Красива любов и безусловна и невъзможна! Родени един за друг, перфектно си пасват, а пък осъдени да са все разделени. Хареса ми книжката!
March 22, 2013
Nl-talige versie. Prachtig liefdesverhaal doorwoven met stukjes poëzie van Neruda. Geen sentimenteel gedoe, maar een recht-door-zee relaas van de (onmogelijke) liefde tussen de 2 hoofdpersonages.
July 22, 2013
Patetično sranje. Ne uzimajte je u ruke!
June 3, 2018
La storia d'amore nata all'asilo tra Luka e Dora, in un paese di mare in Croazia, Makarska, passa tra le mille vicissitudini della vita. I due bambini vengono separati quando il padre di Dora, un architetto, va a lavorare a Parigi. La bambina dimentica il nome del suo principe azzurro, il suo compagno di giochi, per quanto è grande il trauma della separazione. Sia lei che Luka sentono che c'è un pezzo mancante nelle loro vite, e più in là Luka si rifiuta di andare a studiare all'Accademia delle Belle Arti di Zagabria perché teme che lei torni e non lo trovi, malgrado sia un pittore molto talentuoso. Quando la madre muore (probabilmente suicida), però - per Luka è l'ennesimo abbandono: prima il padre, spesso assente, poi Dora, ora la madre - decide di cominciare a vivere e dopo qualche anno in Accademia è un pittore talmente bravo che
Lo stile è molto particolare, c'è un utilizzo del presente e si passa dal punto di vista di Luka a quello di Dora da un paragrafo all'altro all'interno di uno stesso capitolo. Spesso è difficile seguire la corretta sequenza temporale, ma il libro scorre ugualmente, mostrandoci sommariamente la storia della Croazia nell'arco di mezzo secolo (l'argomento politico viene solo accennato qua e là, all'interno di alcuni dialoghi, ma serve a fare da sfondo ai vari periodi della vita dei due protagonisti).
Lo stile è molto particolare, c'è un utilizzo del presente e si passa dal punto di vista di Luka a quello di Dora da un paragrafo all'altro all'interno di uno stesso capitolo. Spesso è difficile seguire la corretta sequenza temporale, ma il libro scorre ugualmente, mostrandoci sommariamente la storia della Croazia nell'arco di mezzo secolo (l'argomento politico viene solo accennato qua e là, all'interno di alcuni dialoghi, ma serve a fare da sfondo ai vari periodi della vita dei due protagonisti).
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