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People We Were Before
A bold, dark, romantic debut set in war-torn 1990s Croatia, for fans of Victoria Hislop and Louis de Bernieres..
If war is madness, how can love survive?
Yugoslavia, summer 1979. A new village. A new life. But eight-year-old Miro knows the real reason why his family moved from the inland city of Knin to the sunkissed village of Ljeta on the Dalmatian Coast, a tragedy he tries desperately to forget.
The Ljeta years are happy ones, though, and when he marries his childhood sweetheart, and they have a baby daughter, it seems as though life is perfect. However, storm clouds are gathering above Yugoslavia.
War breaks out, and one split-second decision destroys the life Miro has managed to build. Driven by anger and grief, he flees to Dubrovnik, plunging himself into the hard-bitten world of international war reporters.
There begins a journey that will take him ever deeper into from Dubrovnik, to Sarajevo, to the worst atrocities of war-torn Bosnia, Miro realises that even if he survives, there can be no way back to his earlier life. The war will change him, and everyone he loves, forever.
If war is madness, how can love survive?
Yugoslavia, summer 1979. A new village. A new life. But eight-year-old Miro knows the real reason why his family moved from the inland city of Knin to the sunkissed village of Ljeta on the Dalmatian Coast, a tragedy he tries desperately to forget.
The Ljeta years are happy ones, though, and when he marries his childhood sweetheart, and they have a baby daughter, it seems as though life is perfect. However, storm clouds are gathering above Yugoslavia.
War breaks out, and one split-second decision destroys the life Miro has managed to build. Driven by anger and grief, he flees to Dubrovnik, plunging himself into the hard-bitten world of international war reporters.
There begins a journey that will take him ever deeper into from Dubrovnik, to Sarajevo, to the worst atrocities of war-torn Bosnia, Miro realises that even if he survives, there can be no way back to his earlier life. The war will change him, and everyone he loves, forever.
544 pages, Paperback
Published February 23, 2017
15 people are currently reading
332 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
July 25, 2016
Novel set in Croatia
This review first appeared on our blog, where Annabelle shares top 10 books set in the country:
http://www.tripfiction.com/novel-set-...
1979 – 1995 is a period in Balkan history that dominated the news, that lodged places like Kosovo, Krajina and Srebrenica in the world’s consciousness, whilst leaders Tudman and Milošević wrangled and fought at the expense of several nations and millions of people. A heart rending time. And it is against this background of fracturing Yugoslavia that author Annabelle Thorpe has set her novel The People We were Before.
There is a very helpful map thoughtfully included at the beginning of the book, setting the various places and countries in the context of the bigger Yugoslavia.
Miro Denković starts out as a young, carefree boy and relocates from Knin to Ljeta on the coast, where his family sets about helping other family members to run a small hotel and restaurant. He goes to school and makes two friends, one of whom has Serbian blood – increasingly unacceptable in this part of the country – and soon the boys find that the larger picture of darkening conflict is mirrored in their young lives. Dina becomes part of his world and they get married, but as the clouds of war build up they suffer a huge trauma within the family and life crumbles before their very eyes.
As a war reporter, Miro is thrown into the thick of conflict – hooking up with Nic and Marian, and even coming across his older brother Goran. Author Rosanna Ley is quoted on the front of the book, describing it as “A fascinating story told with integrity and authenticity” and I think that phrase sums up the book very well. For me the story slides quite effortlessly from one scene to another, but I found it difficult to feel really engaged – there wasn’t sufficient depth for me to really connect. For sure I felt I learned more about the war, it was a hugely complex time. The love between the Miro and Dina, the relationship issues, moved things along (although at times for me the relationship lacked flesh and blood passion) but there were times it lost momentum because the story meandered a little too much to keep me wholly captivated.
And could it really have been possible for this young man, with no training to become a top war reporter in such a short time and in such circumstances? But in a war situation reality is very different….
Overall a very readable novel.
This review first appeared on our blog, where Annabelle shares top 10 books set in the country:
http://www.tripfiction.com/novel-set-...
1979 – 1995 is a period in Balkan history that dominated the news, that lodged places like Kosovo, Krajina and Srebrenica in the world’s consciousness, whilst leaders Tudman and Milošević wrangled and fought at the expense of several nations and millions of people. A heart rending time. And it is against this background of fracturing Yugoslavia that author Annabelle Thorpe has set her novel The People We were Before.
There is a very helpful map thoughtfully included at the beginning of the book, setting the various places and countries in the context of the bigger Yugoslavia.
Miro Denković starts out as a young, carefree boy and relocates from Knin to Ljeta on the coast, where his family sets about helping other family members to run a small hotel and restaurant. He goes to school and makes two friends, one of whom has Serbian blood – increasingly unacceptable in this part of the country – and soon the boys find that the larger picture of darkening conflict is mirrored in their young lives. Dina becomes part of his world and they get married, but as the clouds of war build up they suffer a huge trauma within the family and life crumbles before their very eyes.
As a war reporter, Miro is thrown into the thick of conflict – hooking up with Nic and Marian, and even coming across his older brother Goran. Author Rosanna Ley is quoted on the front of the book, describing it as “A fascinating story told with integrity and authenticity” and I think that phrase sums up the book very well. For me the story slides quite effortlessly from one scene to another, but I found it difficult to feel really engaged – there wasn’t sufficient depth for me to really connect. For sure I felt I learned more about the war, it was a hugely complex time. The love between the Miro and Dina, the relationship issues, moved things along (although at times for me the relationship lacked flesh and blood passion) but there were times it lost momentum because the story meandered a little too much to keep me wholly captivated.
And could it really have been possible for this young man, with no training to become a top war reporter in such a short time and in such circumstances? But in a war situation reality is very different….
Overall a very readable novel.
July 6, 2022
I’m half Serbian and I had the chance to visit Serbia and the farm where my grandmother was born which is in Croatia. After my visit I was looking for a unbiased view of the Balkan Wars of the 1990’s. While this book was not the greatest and the language used by characters wasn’t authentic (a lot of English terms), I felt the author tried to show the different sides of the conflict and the toll it took on all people living there. A heartbreaking, harrowing, painful and incredibly moving read.
June 15, 2017
I saw an interview about Dubrovnik with Thorpe on the Guardian site. I am heading to Croatia in the fall, so decided to buy her book. Uh, she needs to stick with reporting, not fiction ...
Right off the bat, I was shocked at how sophomoric the writing was, like it was a young-adult novel. (Indeed, it is on a Goodreads YA list!) The characters remained extremely cardboard and stereotypical: devoted, cranky mom who's always cooking; ineffectual dad; pretty innocent young wife; older brother who can do no wrong in his siblings' eyes;, gallant journalists risking their lives heedlessly in a war zone, etc. Yawn ...
I found Miro entirely unsympathetic, blaming every thin and everyone else for his problems. He goes on and on about how devastated he is when Dina rejects him--then IMMEDIATELY turns around and screws Marian (and then Kate???) again and again. Yes, he is changed forever by the war--but seems to have learned few lessons from it. Was this supposed to be a Balkan "Gone With the Wind"? Not hardly!
I just never connected with this on an emotional level, and thought the conflict and politics were too lightly pedaled. But I did enjoy the history and descriptions of Croatia's landscapes.
Note: There were also several editing errors, including the baffling use of "sat," instead of "sitting." when I first saw that, I looked to see if it was a bad translation--but then remembered Thorpe is a Brit.
Right off the bat, I was shocked at how sophomoric the writing was, like it was a young-adult novel. (Indeed, it is on a Goodreads YA list!) The characters remained extremely cardboard and stereotypical: devoted, cranky mom who's always cooking; ineffectual dad; pretty innocent young wife; older brother who can do no wrong in his siblings' eyes;, gallant journalists risking their lives heedlessly in a war zone, etc. Yawn ...
I found Miro entirely unsympathetic, blaming every thin and everyone else for his problems. He goes on and on about how devastated he is when Dina rejects him--then IMMEDIATELY turns around and screws Marian (and then Kate???) again and again. Yes, he is changed forever by the war--but seems to have learned few lessons from it. Was this supposed to be a Balkan "Gone With the Wind"? Not hardly!
I just never connected with this on an emotional level, and thought the conflict and politics were too lightly pedaled. But I did enjoy the history and descriptions of Croatia's landscapes.
Note: There were also several editing errors, including the baffling use of "sat," instead of "sitting." when I first saw that, I looked to see if it was a bad translation--but then remembered Thorpe is a Brit.
November 17, 2017
I chose this book because I’ve been to Croatia and loved the Country and it’s people. After reading this I want to return.
March 5, 2023
I bought this book two summers ago when I visited the city of Dubrovnik and decided to take a book related to that place as a souvenir.
This book is a historical fiction about the yugoslavian war and follows the story of a young boy named Miro who grows up noticing the hatred between Serbs and Croatians.
When the war breaks out he is already an adult and even though he does not physically fight on the front lines, the conflict between the two nation scars him and his loved ones.
Without giving any spoilers, the title of the book suits the end of the story very well. No one is the same as they were before the war.
-
-
On an emotional level, this book made me cry some tears towards the end. (might be wise to add that I cry very seldomly while reading a book)
The character’s and their development seemed very realistic to me and gave me a good insight on how people might behave/ tend to make mistakes being under such circumstances.
The storyline seemed thought through and the ending was definitely not something I expected.
I think that is why I loved the book so much. The ending wasn’t a lie and the author didn’t write a book about such a vulnerable topic to romanticize it and give us a cheesy happy ending. The ending gave me a pinch of what real life feels like. The ending was in a way „good“ but it wasn’t „HAPPY“ - it was more like a ending where everyone ended up „content“ with what is. And that was totally fine, because no one is supposed to be happy after a war.
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I rate this book with four stars, because even though I liked the book a lot, I didn’t quite enjoy the writing style..
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All in all, it was a great book that also served a little bit as educational purpose on the conflict and rivalry between those countries of which I almost didn’t know anything about.
This book is a historical fiction about the yugoslavian war and follows the story of a young boy named Miro who grows up noticing the hatred between Serbs and Croatians.
When the war breaks out he is already an adult and even though he does not physically fight on the front lines, the conflict between the two nation scars him and his loved ones.
Without giving any spoilers, the title of the book suits the end of the story very well. No one is the same as they were before the war.
-
-
On an emotional level, this book made me cry some tears towards the end. (might be wise to add that I cry very seldomly while reading a book)
The character’s and their development seemed very realistic to me and gave me a good insight on how people might behave/ tend to make mistakes being under such circumstances.
The storyline seemed thought through and the ending was definitely not something I expected.
I think that is why I loved the book so much. The ending wasn’t a lie and the author didn’t write a book about such a vulnerable topic to romanticize it and give us a cheesy happy ending. The ending gave me a pinch of what real life feels like. The ending was in a way „good“ but it wasn’t „HAPPY“ - it was more like a ending where everyone ended up „content“ with what is. And that was totally fine, because no one is supposed to be happy after a war.
-
I rate this book with four stars, because even though I liked the book a lot, I didn’t quite enjoy the writing style..
-
All in all, it was a great book that also served a little bit as educational purpose on the conflict and rivalry between those countries of which I almost didn’t know anything about.
May 13, 2017
5 fat, full stars for this painful, true, searing story of a 1990s war that was "just" part of the 6 o'clock news for so many of us in the U.S.
Miro's story, the war saga of a Croatian boy, his family, his friends, his loves, his losses, showed me that war as it was lived by one of the populations it ripped through. Lucky to keep home, family, friends, even though so hurt and changed, Miro is a mirror of the ravages of war on the human heart, on a land, on a people. A story I could not put down--read it in a day and a half--and one of the best books I've read this year.
"Don't wish you'd been there, or that you'd seen what I saw. It wasn't honourable or brave or even bloody worthwhile. Everyone was bad and everything was twisted and if you didn't see that, if you didn't have to witness it, then be thankful."
Yet, we see an awful lot of it, with Miro the cameraman who is there to capture the revealing moments, and he says, " ... it was about telling people what was happening, making sure people knew. Tara got hurt [as a child stepping on an old land mine] because no one ever talked about anything; it's like there was all this bad stuff everywhere in Knin and yet people pretended not to know."
Because of this deeply touching novel, we now know a lot more.
Miro's story, the war saga of a Croatian boy, his family, his friends, his loves, his losses, showed me that war as it was lived by one of the populations it ripped through. Lucky to keep home, family, friends, even though so hurt and changed, Miro is a mirror of the ravages of war on the human heart, on a land, on a people. A story I could not put down--read it in a day and a half--and one of the best books I've read this year.
"Don't wish you'd been there, or that you'd seen what I saw. It wasn't honourable or brave or even bloody worthwhile. Everyone was bad and everything was twisted and if you didn't see that, if you didn't have to witness it, then be thankful."
Yet, we see an awful lot of it, with Miro the cameraman who is there to capture the revealing moments, and he says, " ... it was about telling people what was happening, making sure people knew. Tara got hurt [as a child stepping on an old land mine] because no one ever talked about anything; it's like there was all this bad stuff everywhere in Knin and yet people pretended not to know."
Because of this deeply touching novel, we now know a lot more.
June 10, 2016
Set in former Yugoslavia leading up to the war and the aftermath. Really made me understand what happened over there and showed how war affects families and lives. I Googled a former Yugoslavia map to see all the places mentioned. I found it shocking that a tourist resort could end up how it did. I don't think I knew the extent of what happened there till I read this.
A fabulous book that I read in two days. Many thanks to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read it.
A fabulous book that I read in two days. Many thanks to NetGalley for giving me a chance to read it.
March 12, 2018
I read this as part of my trip-fiction and it definitely was a good choice considering I’m going to Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro. This is set in the early 1990s and covers Miro‘s life and story about war torn Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia. It feels personal and from his angle as a camera man you get an inside view of the destruction and hate between these cultures.
May 12, 2019
The story’s connection to the Homeland War and Dubrovnik were what drew me to the book while traveling in Croatia. The story was entertaining but the writing was not great. I never connected with the characters, but loved the descriptions of the Dalmatian coast, since I was seeing these places at the same time as I was reading.
June 18, 2019
Drivel. First person perspective of a Croatian boy yet so clearly written by an English woman. Why do all the Croatian characters keep saying "bloody hell"?!
No imagination used in plot; hints about the narrative direction are about as subtle as a sledgehammer. Got this as holiday reading to help me soak up atmosphere and contextualize but I'm just finding it frustrating.
No imagination used in plot; hints about the narrative direction are about as subtle as a sledgehammer. Got this as holiday reading to help me soak up atmosphere and contextualize but I'm just finding it frustrating.
November 14, 2023
This is probably 4 and a half stars. I’m not sure I enjoyed this book but it was very readable about a terrible war.
I did feel it was one step removed from reality but was grateful tbh. She is a journalist so that may be why too. However it was a good story, well told.
I did feel it was one step removed from reality but was grateful tbh. She is a journalist so that may be why too. However it was a good story, well told.
August 12, 2020
This is the author's first novel and I can't wait to see what she writes next.
This story is set in Yogoslavia starting as the wars there began. The tearing apart of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia. It brings home the utter stupidity of war and the fact that it brings so much pain and sorrow to so many people.
It basically follows one family and their extended family and friends during this time of war. It tars them apart not only physically but , mentally as well. People who used to be friends in the same village were now on different sides and loyalties were stretched to the limit.
Miro is the main character who does not physically fight in the war but this makes his suffering no less extreme.
I won't go into details as I don't want to add spoilers but suffice to say no one is the same after the war ends.
There are some pretty graphic descriptions of suffering but this does help the reader grasps a little of the sort of horrors experienced and seen.
The characters are well portrayed and you do feel for them as they try to live their lives before, during and after the war.
This story is set in Yogoslavia starting as the wars there began. The tearing apart of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia. It brings home the utter stupidity of war and the fact that it brings so much pain and sorrow to so many people.
It basically follows one family and their extended family and friends during this time of war. It tars them apart not only physically but , mentally as well. People who used to be friends in the same village were now on different sides and loyalties were stretched to the limit.
Miro is the main character who does not physically fight in the war but this makes his suffering no less extreme.
I won't go into details as I don't want to add spoilers but suffice to say no one is the same after the war ends.
There are some pretty graphic descriptions of suffering but this does help the reader grasps a little of the sort of horrors experienced and seen.
The characters are well portrayed and you do feel for them as they try to live their lives before, during and after the war.
August 22, 2021
It was difficult to get through the beginning of the book. My ethnic background comes from Croatia, even having my father being born there. The language that the author used just didn't seem authentic to the Croatian lifestyle that I've always known and have heard of from previous generations in my family. It was like reading about English people with Croatian/Slavic names. However, I pushed through and really enjoyed reading about the journey the main character, Miro, goes through with the hardships that were brought upon millions of Croatians and Slavs during the time of a war that made the land what it is today. There is a lot of truth behind the author's words and I was glad to see that she didn't downplay what people actually experienced at that time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2018
Coming back and changing from 4 to 5 stars. This book was amazing. The story line flowed as did the writing. The lead characters I came to know and love. I changed because after I finished reading I STILL could not stop thinking about the people.
I have been in some of the areas mentioned in the book and seen the remains of buildings that still show the signs of the war. You hear about war, see videos on tv, hear of the crazy men leading these wars but to see and read of the drastic changes one’s Life can take. Horrific. And this war wasn’t so long ago.
I have been in some of the areas mentioned in the book and seen the remains of buildings that still show the signs of the war. You hear about war, see videos on tv, hear of the crazy men leading these wars but to see and read of the drastic changes one’s Life can take. Horrific. And this war wasn’t so long ago.
July 10, 2023
A very good book to read before or during a Croatian holiday, my context, hence the 5 stars. In terms of literature would get 4 stars and the cover implies a lighter book. It helped me understand the complicated break up of Yugoslavia and covers the 70's until the turn of the 20th century from the perspective of a family who lived it. The horrors in terms of the worst atrocities are somewhat underplayed, but still scorchingly painful to to read. Very sad, and of course the tensions within the constituent nations remain.
November 7, 2025
An over long novel set partly during the Balkan wars. We follow Miro as he becomes a photographer both in civilian life and as a war correspondent. I found most of the war bits interesting and informative but found the love interest did nothing to enhance the novel and skimmed a lot of it. Interesting to think about how a thriving tourist destination was so devastated and how parts of the former Yugoslavia are once again popular resorts.
August 4, 2017
Absolutely captivating. A devastating account of the way war shatters lives irreversibly. A really sad story, but a very informative introduction to the Yugoslav Wars from a human perspective.
Anyone that takes a sunshine holiday to Croatia should have this in their suitcase, it really enabled me to appreciate the history behind Dubrovnik's now glimmering Stradun. Loved it.
Anyone that takes a sunshine holiday to Croatia should have this in their suitcase, it really enabled me to appreciate the history behind Dubrovnik's now glimmering Stradun. Loved it.
September 14, 2019
Romance and recent history combine
This was a little more substantial than your average holiday novel but was ideal reading material n the beautiful city of Dubrovnik. It was shocking to think that the level of violence and bloodshed happened not thirty years ago in Europe. It certainly made me think, be thankful and was engrossing.
This was a little more substantial than your average holiday novel but was ideal reading material n the beautiful city of Dubrovnik. It was shocking to think that the level of violence and bloodshed happened not thirty years ago in Europe. It certainly made me think, be thankful and was engrossing.
August 15, 2019
An engaging account of a complex war told through the first person narrative of Miro. A boy at the start who watches his friend’s foot blown off by a landmine, then Tito’s death, the repercussions of which send them all into dissarray as united Yugoslavia falls and different leaders battle for power. We see Miro’s journey as a war photographer and the devastation both nationally and on a personal level. I didn’t truly believe the relationships that Miro fell into - Dinah, Marian, Kate - but they all served as an appropriate vehicle to tell the story of the war from a Croatian point of view. Maybe because she was a travel writer originally, but her descriptions of events and setting come across more strongly than the characters and dialogue. However, reading it whilst on holiday in Croatia made those gaps easier to forgive and I ultimately liked this book and gained a greater awareness of the horrific conflict it portrays.
January 9, 2023
After visiting Croatia I wanted to read more about its past. This book is emotionally harrowing but compulsive reading, depicting not only the physical destruction caused by war but the emotional destruction as well.
Definitely need to read this!
Definitely need to read this!
August 20, 2019
Really harrowing and heartbreaking look into life in the Balkans war, made extremely poignant by reading it where it was written and set!
April 22, 2020
Such a complicated history! I can't even imagine going through such turmoil in my own country.
June 8, 2023
Simplistic writing, almost YA, but fun read to give you a sense of place.
July 10, 2024
Story of a family & the impact the war in Yugoslavia, Dubrovnik & Bosnia has on their lives.
October 14, 2024
Well written story, yet very uncomfortable to read at times. Balance a bit skewed, imho, but the author did strive for it, undoubtedly. Very good book, enjoyed it.
March 5, 2017
This book was just wonderful. So beautifully written, so involving, characters that you could really relate to & understand even when you didn't agree with everything they did nor experience all that they had. I devoured it and loved the story. It is amazing when a book can make you reconsider so many things about life and with this one war, ethnic cleansing and all the other atrocities that happened in Croatia and Bosnia and are still happening across the world. Reading from the viewpoint of a character who is experiencing it all is brings it home so much more. Yet it was not depressing, there was sadness, but also hope.
Perhaps some parts were a little idealistic but I genuinely loved it.
Perhaps some parts were a little idealistic but I genuinely loved it.
October 16, 2017
I have recommended this to everyone
April 30, 2016
Wow. What can I say about The People We Were Before by Annabelle Thorpe? My mind has been blown apart by this novel.
Ok, let’s start here:
I was born in 1983. I was raised in Liverpool and I have spent my years trying to consume as much information and knowledge as I could. Yet I knew nothing about the war in Kosovo. Sure I had heard about it on the news but I was too little to comprehend what was happening. This book, The People We Were Before, has changed that somewhat. I’m shocked at my ignorance of a genocide that took place in my lifetime and I knew absolutely nothing about it. Nothing.
The People We Were Before could be described in many ways: a family saga, a romance, a thriller, historical fiction, war story. It cannot be pigeonholed into just one category.
Thorpe’s story focuses on Miro, a young boy whose family has just moved to the Dalmatian Coast with his family amidst the stirrings of political strife. The story develops along with Miro’s change from boy into man; the trials and tribulations that grown up life bring shakes Miro’s world to the very core and his life mirrors the chaos of the warzone that is developing in Dubrovnik.
Thorpe’s character development is tremendous. I truly felt the familial ties between Miro and his brother Goran, I enjoyed the friendships that Miro developed and I fell hopelessly for his love story with Dina. I became part of the story with them. When an author can so seamlessly transport me to another world I know that I am reading something pretty special.
Whilst normally I am a character driven reader it was the descriptions of the abject horrors of war that really packed a punch with me. The panic and the mayhem that Thorpe portrays in The People We Were Before is astounding. My heart was beating wildly throughout most of the book as I felt true panic for Miro and co.
The People We Were Before by Annabelle Thorpe is the most ambitious debut I have read in a long time and fortunately for Thorpe she delivers.
The People We Were Before by Annabelle Thorpe is available now.
Ok, let’s start here:
I was born in 1983. I was raised in Liverpool and I have spent my years trying to consume as much information and knowledge as I could. Yet I knew nothing about the war in Kosovo. Sure I had heard about it on the news but I was too little to comprehend what was happening. This book, The People We Were Before, has changed that somewhat. I’m shocked at my ignorance of a genocide that took place in my lifetime and I knew absolutely nothing about it. Nothing.
The People We Were Before could be described in many ways: a family saga, a romance, a thriller, historical fiction, war story. It cannot be pigeonholed into just one category.
Thorpe’s story focuses on Miro, a young boy whose family has just moved to the Dalmatian Coast with his family amidst the stirrings of political strife. The story develops along with Miro’s change from boy into man; the trials and tribulations that grown up life bring shakes Miro’s world to the very core and his life mirrors the chaos of the warzone that is developing in Dubrovnik.
Thorpe’s character development is tremendous. I truly felt the familial ties between Miro and his brother Goran, I enjoyed the friendships that Miro developed and I fell hopelessly for his love story with Dina. I became part of the story with them. When an author can so seamlessly transport me to another world I know that I am reading something pretty special.
Whilst normally I am a character driven reader it was the descriptions of the abject horrors of war that really packed a punch with me. The panic and the mayhem that Thorpe portrays in The People We Were Before is astounding. My heart was beating wildly throughout most of the book as I felt true panic for Miro and co.
The People We Were Before by Annabelle Thorpe is the most ambitious debut I have read in a long time and fortunately for Thorpe she delivers.
The People We Were Before by Annabelle Thorpe is available now.
April 28, 2016
This is a superb book, it is stunning in the way that it is described, envisaged and written. It contains some beautiful storytelling. I can't really fault it!
This book covers a span of more than 20 years and covers the period of the wars that were happening in the 1990's. It follows the main character Miro through his story, growing up, and getting married and described when war begins how conflict changes people and those around them.
This book is a brutal and realistic portrayal of the savages of war on lives and also those that are left to continue afterwards. War changes everybody. I felt incredibly emotional reading this book, the author did such a fantastic job of describing Croatia, and then also did am accurate job of describing how whole villages were destroyed when the fighting starting.
The author has managed to create a host of flawed but likeable characters, characters for whom I felt a warmth and an empathy. Characters that I was rooting for at all costs. The author writes with beauty and style and clearly shows a passion for the region. There is emotional depth within the characters and their individual stories, whilst still keeping a reality over the things that happen to people.
Overall I would say that this is a story about the brutalities of war, of friendships and families, of overcoming obstacles. Right within the heart of it though is a story of love in all its many guises.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book and eagerly await what this author comes up with next. She is one to watch!
This book covers a span of more than 20 years and covers the period of the wars that were happening in the 1990's. It follows the main character Miro through his story, growing up, and getting married and described when war begins how conflict changes people and those around them.
This book is a brutal and realistic portrayal of the savages of war on lives and also those that are left to continue afterwards. War changes everybody. I felt incredibly emotional reading this book, the author did such a fantastic job of describing Croatia, and then also did am accurate job of describing how whole villages were destroyed when the fighting starting.
The author has managed to create a host of flawed but likeable characters, characters for whom I felt a warmth and an empathy. Characters that I was rooting for at all costs. The author writes with beauty and style and clearly shows a passion for the region. There is emotional depth within the characters and their individual stories, whilst still keeping a reality over the things that happen to people.
Overall I would say that this is a story about the brutalities of war, of friendships and families, of overcoming obstacles. Right within the heart of it though is a story of love in all its many guises.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book and eagerly await what this author comes up with next. She is one to watch!
June 10, 2016
The book "The People We Were Before" leaves you thinking about it after you have done reading it (which is always a good thing) It starts with eight-year-old Miro and his best friend Tara, playing "soldiers" with Miro's older brother Goran. It is a foreshadowing of events to come and although the first eight years of his life in Knin are pretty much idyllic to him there is always this undercurrent and things best not talked about hovering in the background.
When Miro's family are offered a chance for a better life in the coastal village of Ljeta after a terrible tragedy, they move there although his big brother Goran decides to stay. Time passes and Miro grows up, falls in love and marries a girl called Dina, all seems well until war breaks out and the future is uncertain.
It shows how overnight how people who were friends become enemies and the horrors of war and the senseless violence. Miro is a cameraman reporting the stories of the atrocities in his country as they happen as he gets sucked into the war machine. The story is told in a sympathetic and authentic way and leaves a sense of hope in such terrible destruction. Really enjoyed this book and it was a pleasure to read.
When Miro's family are offered a chance for a better life in the coastal village of Ljeta after a terrible tragedy, they move there although his big brother Goran decides to stay. Time passes and Miro grows up, falls in love and marries a girl called Dina, all seems well until war breaks out and the future is uncertain.
It shows how overnight how people who were friends become enemies and the horrors of war and the senseless violence. Miro is a cameraman reporting the stories of the atrocities in his country as they happen as he gets sucked into the war machine. The story is told in a sympathetic and authentic way and leaves a sense of hope in such terrible destruction. Really enjoyed this book and it was a pleasure to read.
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