Indifferent

by Branko Jovanovski

Mojag is in his early twenties, in the prime of seeking adulthood by being willingly torn from his home. Finding himself in a position of a wanderer, he soon realizes that being away from the warmth of his "safehouse" is not the only cause of his self-perceived misery, but his reluctance to a natural change in life. The mental evolution of his character is what he unconsciously aspires to achieve. That is his only objective goal. His girlfriend, his comfort, his friends, his family are vivid aids in his quest of life; the foreign land of his childhood dreams only his playground.

Mojag's honesty is what makes readers find themselves in his actions, in his unbiased feelings, in his lust for life, in his quest for freedom, in his restless character. Neither a hero, nor a spineless cord, Mojag is someone that we all claim we are not. And Indifferent is a story so real that it can be touched.

318 pages, Paperback

First published June 20, 2012

About the author

Branko Jovanovski leads a self-imposed lifestyle. Like a proper dreamer, he lives in his own world and occasionally lets people in. He creates his own values, constantly challenging himself, and he sometimes tries to find a meaning. The form of literary fiction best describes his work, without hiding his sentimental convictions of pure existentialism. Until today, he has made one mistake in his life that stands out much more than the rest: he had said he knew himself before having realized how wrong and doubtful that statement was, and how complex one's awareness of his own realization could be.

Reviews

[Elena Jovanovska · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of Mojag, the main character, can be everyone’s life story! I indeed agree with the author that “Mojag is someone that we all claim we are not”.
The story of Mojag reminds us that life is too short to risk refraining from living it just the way we want……As Mojag did, we have to confront ourselves in order to overcome all our thoughts which prevent us from enjoying our life. We need guidance, but we can write it for ourselves!
Mind is really powerful tool; we just need to take care of it! The book shows us that “Indifferent” concept is a matter of personal choice, but a certain price might be paid to afford it!

BRAVO for the author’s courage and honesty to share such a story with all of us!

Great book!

[Simon · Rating 2 out of 5]

There have been many books that have explored the borderlines between childhood and adulthood,; between youth and age. The fifties produced some fine explorations of what can happen when you reach this barrier. The frustrated searching of Holden Caulfield as he fights away from the idea of lost innocence; an innocence he hopes to catch and preserve. The having to grow up quick end of any possible childhood of Ponyboy in The Outsiders or Jo from A Taste of Honey. Denied the role models, love or any hint of luxury they must grow or fail. You end up making the journey with all three, empathising with them and coming to like them. Mojag, the hero of Indifferent, is more a Holden type. Comfortably off he has no real need to rebel against anything, and he doesn't really. He thinks he does and I think that this is a real strength of the book. It is more than a tired "nobody understands me" rant of an overage teenager who thinks that the world is against him. Its an exploration of what it is like to be this person. through a clever filtering of the narrative voice we catch some of the characters thoughts, some overview of the character from a sort of invisible super-narrator who inhabits a position of dominant specularity, first person narrative and even the voice of the author coming through.
Much of the weakness of the novel is in the character of Mojag. (All the characters are given native American names - a device that doesn't really add much to the novel). The journey we make with him is not an enjoyable one. He is rather unpleasant company; self centred, deluded, misogynistic, a poor friend, an awful boyfriend/lover. Even when he undergoes an epiphany, the essential ephemeral shallowness of the character leaves us not believing in any sort of change, let alone a transformation.
I was excited by the use of English. Jovanovski is not a native English speaker and there is something in the fracturing of traditional syntax that allows for some worthwhile phrasing. It's not Stravinski re-writing the grammar of western music, but it is something that brings a vibrancy to some passages. In other parts, the grammar is just wrong and would only work that way in an Ernie Wise play.
Mainly through difficulties in finding a way to relate to the central character (not a bad thing in itself - there are plenty of dislikable heroes) I found the book something of a struggle at times. There is however a tone, a voice, an touch of excitement here and there in the telling that make me think that the writer has a much, much better book inside him.

[Lara E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I see as "dishonesty" is how some unjustified bestsellers have thousands of followers and raving reviews and every one has read or want to read them just because some cheap, poorly written, shallow and meaningless book has been boosted by the media. These days it is hard to get people to even acknowledge unknown authors. Just because a new author like this one (at least I assume he is new since I could not find any other books by him)needs to somehow get his book known and has friends to help him, it is not dishonesty. Maybe it would be dishonesty if the votings and reviews were biased or fake but I have read this book and I agree with every star.

Once in a while you come across a book that you can feel. That touches you in way as if it was the touch of a hand. And you see yourslef in the story and it comes so close you that you unconsciously wonder if you have told your thoughts and secrets to the writer.
This book is beautiful. It is real, it is honest, it is anything but indifferent.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can appreciate the amount of thought the author put into this book and I definitely have known some Mojags in my life but I found 300 pages of self-analysis a bit tiring after a while. Having said that I can see this book making a connection with a younger crowd.

[Haris Primorac · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a great experience reading this book. I thought I was slightly biased as I know the writer for some time now, and I thought I probably liked it because I could relate to many of the places and happenings he is writing about, as if I could see the words coming out of his mouth. It was funny at moments, and it was sad at times, but the way he portrayed the battle of one person with himself, that inner conflict in all of us made me realize that some time after I have read the book, I understood that I have been related to the book because I could relate my own life to many of the dilemmas and emotional crossroads. I have read it many times again, and each time I have been laughing at myself on how close he seemed to have known me, although he had portrayed a writing of another person, totally unrelated to me!

[Vw · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tiresome....took me more than a month to get through it. About as long as it takes the character in the book to actually DO something. Not my cup of tea... but others have given a really high rating so I feel like I've missed something and this saddens me even more. And something else a little troublesome? So many references to Native American names, and I was confused as to whether the characters were intended to be Native American - and I kind of feel like the book did not do the culture justice....my husband is Native American and honours his cultural traditions and beliefs and I felt like this book was beginning to touch on something that the author pulled back on or the author may not have had knowledge in this area, though is intrigued ?

[Rini Budihartati · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5
I got it from Goodreads giveaway.
The book is a bit boring. But it's really good to read Mojag's life experiences. I agree with his visions about living away from home for studying. And about Uni life and student life. It relates to me and my surroundings. I like some quotes from the book in page 10, 16, 18, 23, 26 and much more pages. Thanks for writing this book.

[Elena · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't finish the book. I got tired after 135 pages of the main character complaints.

[Csimplot Simplot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book!!!

[Dolly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave up after 50 pages. I will plow through anything in the hope that there is something for me in the pages; no such luck.

[Raki.nikahetiya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Passionately written story of a 21st century Odyssey. Get it. Read it. Love it!