What do you think?
Rate this book
No Bread Tomorrow: A sweeping drama of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Set in the turbulent Kingdom of Yugoslavia during World War II and amidst the chaos of a brutal civil war, No Bread Tomorrow transports readers on a gripping journey through the lives of the Nikolić sisters. These three courageous women bravely carry a perilous secret, which, if exposed, would lead to their certain death at the hands of the Nazis.
A resilient healer and mother of seven, Zora Brković faces the challenges of caring for her seven children, including two sons of fighting age and navigating a strained marriage. When her husband, Peda, refuses her sister's offer to send their sons to America for safekeeping, Zora's perception of him shatters, revealing a man she hardly recognizes.
Isolated and desperate, Zora struggles to protect her children from the horrors of war as her eldest son enlists in the Royal Yugoslav Army. Less than three months later, Hitler and his Axis Power viciously pounce on Yugoslavia, attacking them from all four corners. Eleven days later surrender is imminent.
In an act of incredible bravery, Zora's oldest sister, Dušica decides to honor a pact she made with her childhood friend, long ago. This particular act turns their entire family’s lives into a perilous dance with the devil.
Meanwhile, Zora's youngest sister, Sava, a historian, and university professor in Belgrade, lives a far different life. Bored with her pampered existence, Sava's life dramatically changes after she is asked to join the prestigious, male-only Cultural Club. What they ask her to do compels her to risk her very life for the sake of her beloved country.
Zora's fears turn to relief when she learns the truth about Goran, but then her husband shocks her by joining the Resistance, where his expertise guides his unit in successfully blowing up some of the Third Reich's trains and trucks. Inflamed, Hitler arms more defense in Serbia, and tensions mount as the Third Reich tightens its grip over the Serbian people, systematically closing schools, businesses, restaurants, and shops.
But when a second resistance group, the Communist Partisans emerges, confusion entails, prompting Hitler to order more ruthless retaliatory measures, including burning villages and killings of innocent civilians. Hostilities become palpable as the opposing resistance forces come together for an unforeseen event.
.
No Bread Tomorrow is a poignant, lesser-known account illuminating the sister’s unwavering fortitude and resilience as they fiercely safeguard their loved ones. This novel powerfully commemorates the indomitable spirit of the Nikolić sisters, who overcome adversity by supporting one another through life's most harrowing moments.
A resilient healer and mother of seven, Zora Brković faces the challenges of caring for her seven children, including two sons of fighting age and navigating a strained marriage. When her husband, Peda, refuses her sister's offer to send their sons to America for safekeeping, Zora's perception of him shatters, revealing a man she hardly recognizes.
Isolated and desperate, Zora struggles to protect her children from the horrors of war as her eldest son enlists in the Royal Yugoslav Army. Less than three months later, Hitler and his Axis Power viciously pounce on Yugoslavia, attacking them from all four corners. Eleven days later surrender is imminent.
In an act of incredible bravery, Zora's oldest sister, Dušica decides to honor a pact she made with her childhood friend, long ago. This particular act turns their entire family’s lives into a perilous dance with the devil.
Meanwhile, Zora's youngest sister, Sava, a historian, and university professor in Belgrade, lives a far different life. Bored with her pampered existence, Sava's life dramatically changes after she is asked to join the prestigious, male-only Cultural Club. What they ask her to do compels her to risk her very life for the sake of her beloved country.
Zora's fears turn to relief when she learns the truth about Goran, but then her husband shocks her by joining the Resistance, where his expertise guides his unit in successfully blowing up some of the Third Reich's trains and trucks. Inflamed, Hitler arms more defense in Serbia, and tensions mount as the Third Reich tightens its grip over the Serbian people, systematically closing schools, businesses, restaurants, and shops.
But when a second resistance group, the Communist Partisans emerges, confusion entails, prompting Hitler to order more ruthless retaliatory measures, including burning villages and killings of innocent civilians. Hostilities become palpable as the opposing resistance forces come together for an unforeseen event.
.
No Bread Tomorrow is a poignant, lesser-known account illuminating the sister’s unwavering fortitude and resilience as they fiercely safeguard their loved ones. This novel powerfully commemorates the indomitable spirit of the Nikolić sisters, who overcome adversity by supporting one another through life's most harrowing moments.
397 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 10, 2024
2 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 21, 2024
Mila Evanovich’s “No Bread Tomorrow” explores the delicate balance between survival, morality, hope, and the strength of the Yugoslavian community. Set in then-Yugoslavia in the preliminary and active days of World War II, Evanovich pulls readers into a world where food and jobs are scarce, and the safety of you, your family, and your neighbors is uncertain. Evanovich shows how war can bring a community together and build resilience but can also drive people apart, even when focusing on the common good of Yugoslavia.
Amidst the grim reality of World War II, the protagonist, Zora, navigates moral dilemmas in helping and supporting Jewish neighbors, which may involve conflicting solutions, growth, and self-empowerment in taking control of how she can help her own people. Complex relationships with her husband, past love interests, siblings, children, and other Yugoslavians in need are a daily focus. “No Bread Tomorrow” offers varying perspectives of World War II, from Zora and Peda in their life of scarcity to the perspective of her sister, Sava, a well-provided-for doctorate professor housed in the city-central of Belgrade.
Peda, Zora’s husband and father of their 7 children, struggles with alcoholism and anger as a respite from being unable to provide for his family, and Zora finds herself questioning the life she once thought was secure as the world unravels. In an incredibly dark setting, Evanovich evokes a strong emotional undertone of hope, found within the resilience of the human spirit and the support and charity of those around us.
In Zora’s, Peda’s, and Sava’s experiences, we’re introduced to an incredible variety of characters and experiences. Though the story begins slowly, taking time to explain the many different characters and their complex relationships, lifestyles, and perspectives, it does unfold into a novel with well-paced suspense, building engagement without feeling rushed or convoluted.
Evanovich builds tension and emotional investment in the story easily. Her writing style is clear and fluid, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in the lives of Zora, Peda, and Sava. Zora and Sava, though both strong leads, have entirely different experiences as women in Yugoslavia: one, though passive, is the foundation of her family, and the other more active, pushes past what society expects of women and drives into traditionally male-led roles. Evanovich blends conflict with introspection, fully immersing the reader in the characters’ emotions.
While World War II novels are readily available, Evanovich’s writing and ability to evoke emotional responses sets “No Bread Tomorrow” apart. The characters are well-developed and vary incredibly from one to another. Whether they’re walking hundreds of miles on foot without eating in days to fighting feelings of inadequacies in providing for their family, experiencing rage, sorrow, and, strongly, hope, the reader will feel it.
The themes of the book resonate deeply with challenges in today’s world, such as survival in a difficult world, strength within community, and the conflicting nature of morality. Evanovich’s writing shines light on how communities can have the same goals but are unable to attain them when split on beliefs in how to get there. A deep sense of love for their country drives strong, passionate actions, which can create cracks in a society of conflicting opinions.
I recommend Mila Evanovich’s “No Bread Tomorrow” to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or memoirs of World War II with rich emotional undertones, those with their ancestry rooted in then-Yugoslavia, and especially those who are drawn to different perspectives of morality and human nature.
Leave A Comment
Amidst the grim reality of World War II, the protagonist, Zora, navigates moral dilemmas in helping and supporting Jewish neighbors, which may involve conflicting solutions, growth, and self-empowerment in taking control of how she can help her own people. Complex relationships with her husband, past love interests, siblings, children, and other Yugoslavians in need are a daily focus. “No Bread Tomorrow” offers varying perspectives of World War II, from Zora and Peda in their life of scarcity to the perspective of her sister, Sava, a well-provided-for doctorate professor housed in the city-central of Belgrade.
Peda, Zora’s husband and father of their 7 children, struggles with alcoholism and anger as a respite from being unable to provide for his family, and Zora finds herself questioning the life she once thought was secure as the world unravels. In an incredibly dark setting, Evanovich evokes a strong emotional undertone of hope, found within the resilience of the human spirit and the support and charity of those around us.
In Zora’s, Peda’s, and Sava’s experiences, we’re introduced to an incredible variety of characters and experiences. Though the story begins slowly, taking time to explain the many different characters and their complex relationships, lifestyles, and perspectives, it does unfold into a novel with well-paced suspense, building engagement without feeling rushed or convoluted.
Evanovich builds tension and emotional investment in the story easily. Her writing style is clear and fluid, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in the lives of Zora, Peda, and Sava. Zora and Sava, though both strong leads, have entirely different experiences as women in Yugoslavia: one, though passive, is the foundation of her family, and the other more active, pushes past what society expects of women and drives into traditionally male-led roles. Evanovich blends conflict with introspection, fully immersing the reader in the characters’ emotions.
While World War II novels are readily available, Evanovich’s writing and ability to evoke emotional responses sets “No Bread Tomorrow” apart. The characters are well-developed and vary incredibly from one to another. Whether they’re walking hundreds of miles on foot without eating in days to fighting feelings of inadequacies in providing for their family, experiencing rage, sorrow, and, strongly, hope, the reader will feel it.
The themes of the book resonate deeply with challenges in today’s world, such as survival in a difficult world, strength within community, and the conflicting nature of morality. Evanovich’s writing shines light on how communities can have the same goals but are unable to attain them when split on beliefs in how to get there. A deep sense of love for their country drives strong, passionate actions, which can create cracks in a society of conflicting opinions.
I recommend Mila Evanovich’s “No Bread Tomorrow” to anyone who enjoys historical fiction or memoirs of World War II with rich emotional undertones, those with their ancestry rooted in then-Yugoslavia, and especially those who are drawn to different perspectives of morality and human nature.
Leave A Comment
November 20, 2024
No Bread Tomorrow deftly brought to life people caught up in war. The family seems so real that I almost consider them friends. The meticulous research details the daily lives of ordinary people plus how many were willing to risk their lives to join the resistance.
My book club gave it 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!! We look forward to a sequel. We also enjoyed the scrumptious Kafne 🍩🍩🍩
My book club gave it 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!! We look forward to a sequel. We also enjoyed the scrumptious Kafne 🍩🍩🍩
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews