Ainuke

by Klára Jarunková, Asta Vender (Illustrator), Leo Metsar (Translator)

Slovaki lastekirjaniku noorsooromaan jutustab neljateistkümneaastase koolitüdruku, seejuures vanemate ainukese lapse eluprobleemidest. Autori sõnade järgi ajendas teda teost kirjutama mulje, et täiskasvanud suhtuvad laste ja murdeealiste maailmaprobleemidesse liiga pealiskaudselt. Oma raamatuga tahab kirjanik näidata, et on vaja austada noort inimest, kes alati on isiksus, seejuures täiskasvanutel on elu juba paljud teravad nurgad maha hõõrunud, lastel aga on palju järsemad piirid valguse ja varju vahel, neil on palju raskem endaga toime tulla, kui nad põrkavad kokku ülekohtuga, ükskõiksusega või pettusega.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Childrens, School

216 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1963

Reviews

[Carol Strange · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really struck a chord with me when I read it over thirty years ago. I read it at least three times. I felt I could identify with the girl in the book. The people on the other side of the iron curtain really were people just like us. Teenage girls have the same struggles and dreams even in such disparate cultures. The things in the book that seemed foreign only added to the appeal of the book. I no longer have the book, so I haven't read it recently, but it meant a lot to me at the time. I treasure that memory.

[Eva Lavrikova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Táto kniha je veľká nostalgia... a musím povedať, že v mnohých ohľadoch stále výborná kniha. Hoci má vyše 50 rokov a niektoré veci sú teda dnešnej mládeži naozaj vzdialené, pocity a problémy -násťročných sú, myslím, nadčasové a Jediná by aj v súčasnom boome YA mohla obstáť so cťou.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally published in 1963 as Jedina, Klara Jarunkova's Don't Cry for Me reminds me of the coming-of-age novels I read as a teenager. The story is told from the point of view of fourteen-year-old Olga, a Bratislava student who is struggling to assimilate to the new and different world of adolescence. We follow Olga as she dresses the part of a young lady, when she attends her first school dance, and during her love affair with Imo, the boy from the Maple Street School. Her heightened concern with her personal appearance and her place in her peer group are authentically adolescent. Authentic too is Olga's sometime disdain for her parent's presence with her in public; they can be so embarrassing!

Olga alternatively seeks her parents' guidance and approval, and tries to keep them at arm's length. When a situation at home erupts at the same time her boyfriend goes missing, Olga discovers the continuing importance of family as she embraces this new chapter in her life.

[Note: Today's teenager may very well be unable to relate to Olga's story, set as it is at a time where technology played a much smaller role in social life than it does today and when young people seemed to grow up just a bit slower. Indeed, the book does seem "quaint" at times, but for someone like me--a forty-something woman--that just adds to its charm.]

[Janko Hudáček]

Kapitolku z Jedinej sme na osemročnom gymku čítali na literatúre a doteraz si pamätám svoju pubertálnu túžbu dozvedieť sa viac o Oľge Polomcovej a jej živote. Po dnešku mi je okrem jej života jasné aj to to, že je to veľmi pekne napísaná postava. Naivná jednotkárka Olinka s dobrým srdcom má fakt silný main character vibe a rezonovala vo mne jej podobnosť s ľuďmi z môjho aktuálneho sveta. Jarunková v knihe aj zlyháva: vnútorné monológy a celkovo, pokusy o lyriku, sú oveľa slabšie ako dialógy a dej. Rovnako slabo je kniha vystavaná rozprávačsky, línia s Imrom je ukončená veľmi neuspokojivo, línia s troma susedovie deťmi sa v závere vráti prináhle. Trošičku cítime tendenčnú snahu o výchovu socialistických teenagerov jasným oddelením cností od nerestí, na druhej strane však pravidelne narazíme na peknú atmosferickú scénu; občas tieto dva fenomény dokonca splývajú (rodeo). Veľmi ma pobavila poloha, do ktorej autorka stavia vieru, veľmi príjemným spestrením je aj dobový jazyk (že ma niečo "kynoží" začnem používať). Jediná je uspokojivá jednoaktovka, ktorá dobu aj dievčenské srdiečko zobrazuje šikovne a čitateľne.

[Nadya Tsech · Rating 4 out of 5]

#Slovakia

Coming of age in the 60s in Bratislava. Olga is an absolutely normal teenager: she thinks adults are stupid, argues with her parents, struggles with exams, dreams about the first bra and heels, goes to a party for the first time.

It's also a very important story. It's a rare YA book from the Soviet bloc where abuse, sex and suicide are openly discussed.

[Cats 274 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jedna od najdražih knjiga mog djetinjstva. Pročitala sam ju ponovo nakon puno, puno godina i još uvijek mislim da je to jedno od najboljih djela omladinske literature tog vremena.

[S · Rating 2 out of 5]

Believable as a teen diary and interesting from a period and cultural perspective, but not particularly engaging.

[Katarina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prečítaná veľakrát, stále ten istý pocit. Úžasná nostalgia.

[Glennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A "coming of age" older children's book... No questionable behavior. Old school safe.
A young girl in communist Europe meets growing up. Torn between the new and the old, one and the other...

[magdalena · Rating 4 out of 5]

ciekawa rzecz! dawna, więc można zaobserwować zmiany jakie zaszły w tematach poruszanych w literaturze dla młodzieży i sposobie ich opisywania

[Heidy Rivero · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book, read it over 15 yrs ago and lost the hard copy during one of my home switchings, but still remember it fondly <3
It's strange to read a story about a 14 y.o that doesn't end with a cliche happy ending, and the thing is that Jediná might have been about a girl, and her friends and teenage love, but it was NOT a chick flick, it's an amazing coming of age story that I personally advice every teenager to read, and the end it shows we're not alone and that some things aren't meant to last, but merely to teach us things about life we need to know in order to grow up.
5 stars aren't close enough to state what this book meant to me :)

[m_miriam · Rating 1 out of 5]

Perhaps this was a bad translation or the generational divide was too great or the culture felt distant, or perhaps it was really was just a badly written prepubescent novel, but whatever it was, I did not like this book. I had little to no compassion for the narrator who, despite the title, seemed to looking for people to feel sorry for her. In part the unrecognized stalking of one teenager by another, which was then perceived as romance, was gross.

[jojo charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

fastastic read, i thought the character was absolutely hilarious in her blunt and real form of humour. immensely enjoyed the read and glad i picked it up from the opshop.

[Maci · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book a long while ago when I was 12 I think in Macedonian and I don't really remember what it's about I just remember I was shook and pissed and all in all I liked it.

[Heidy Rivero]

Best book ever, I remember it fondly when i ready it over 15 yrs ago

[Martina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slovenská Mia Thermopolisová so svojimi tínedžerskými problémami.