The Cellist of Sarajevo [CELLIST OF SARAJEVO] [Paperback]

by StevenGalloway

The Cellist of Sarajevo [CELLIST OF SARAJEVO] [Paperback]

Genres: Historical Fiction

Paperback

Published March 1, 2009

Reviews

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This tragic, beautiful and deeply moving story of the siege of Sarajevo languished on my bookshelves for far too long. As others have stated, this is a book about war – but not about war in the way dealt with by most “war novels”. Rather, this novel traces the daily lives and inner thoughts of three people who live in brutal, bloody, besieged Sarajevo. One character is a man trying to get water for his family and watching as bullets come down from the hills above him onto every street crossing as well as the brewery, which is the sole water source for the city. Another character is a man attempting to get to the bakery where food awaits him. He also travels through streets where death or injury awaits at every corner. The third character is a young woman who is a sniper. Her story was riveting. The three characters are tied together by a cellist who plays every afternoon at the site of a massacre of people who were standing in line to get food.
Although each of the main characters constantly sees death (and in the sniper’s case, causes it), the novel centers around the fact that they are just humans trying to get necessities or defend their city. The reader sees what they see, and understands the utterly random targets (people in Sarajevo) shot out by the people on the hills above them. More importantly, the reader deeply experiences their thoughts as they try to make sense of the war, its brutality and its randomness. The characters ask whether the city can ever go back to its pre-war self – both physically and emotionally. They ask whether the war could have been avoided. The sniper asks why she continues to do what she is doing. All the characters consider the concept of hate – what it is and why it arises.
It is hard for me to explain that the spirit of the novel was beautiful and moving, even though it was full of random, bloody events. I also highly respect that the author never named the ethnicities of the combatants. The people who lived in Sarajevo we just that – and the people who held them under siege and shot at them from above were only “the men in the hills”. By not naming ethnicities or pointing fingers, the novel took on a spirit that captured much more that the siege of Sarajevo – and certainly many deep concepts about the nature of war and ordinary humans during war.

[Michelle Raybourn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been a slow reader lately. Getting back into the swing of work after the holidays and figuring out the daily rhythms of married life. It does feel easier to work on a crossword together or watch a show, than read. It can feel like solitary work sometimes.

However, I was REALLY glad that I made the time on my flight to finish the last 100 pages of this book. It felt like a good first step back into the joys of reading.

This was a heavy one to get through. People struggling to hold onto their humanity during a war, while they lose any shred of comfort. Overall though, I thought it was a beautiful piece.

[Lauren Lanning]

I have most of this book underlined. The four, mostly three, different stories were all moving in their ways. I found myself liking each of the characters and relating to them in ways I wouldn't have expected. The descriptions of the cellist are devastating and profound. I particularly loved the scene from Arrow's perspective where she says, " It is a rare gift to understand that your life is wonderous, and that it won't last forever." The whole scene has stuck with me each day since reading it. This book was incredible, and such a quick read.

[James Pascali · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells a story of survival during the conflict in Kosovo. As the heart of this story is a concert Cellist who plays a song at the site of a massive bombing that killed the town's residents while they were in line for bread. The playing of this song is both a moment of remembrance for those lost and a reintroduction of beauty in a space where joy has been extinguished. This book crushed me with each introduction of a new perspective of the same conflict. From a guy simply trying to retrieve water for his family to a sniper seeking vengeance, no one is left unscathed.

[Juliana Simmons · Rating 4 out of 5]

VG. The story of the siege of Sarajevo. The book follows 3 citizens of Sarajevo, a sharp shooter, a family man and an older retired baker and describes their life avoiding snipers on the hill. The cellist enters the story when 22 people were killed in a bread line & the cellist plays an adiago for 22 days-in line with the snipers, but protected by the sharp shooter. He ultimately gives hope that one day Sarajevo may return.

[Angelica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is not really about the cellist 😅. It's an interesting piece on the human condition during conflict and seige. But the cellist is literally just "background noise" in this book. I was hoping that the different storylines would intersect a bit more, and that wasn't really delivered on either.

[Cindy Costanza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book years ago. It was published in 2008. I remembered being very affected by it. Having just re-read it for a book club, I am just as affected now. It is beautifully written, takes you out of yourself, and puts you into the minds and hearts of people living through a war in their city.

[T.A. Par · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was unique that is for sure. I enjoyed the characters, but then all of a sudden it just ended.

[Jenna Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Felt like I could truly imagine myself in this war

[Kiana Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10 love the writing style and perspective of each character. Emotional and beautiful.