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Black Soul
"The greatest assets are its characters. Well rounded and written in depth, the relation-ships between them can be compared to some in the world's greatest literature. Namely, relationship between Hamza and his father, by type and value is reminiscent of Andrei Bolkonsky and his father, in Tolstoy's "War and Peace."
It is a kind of love, between father and son, which on the surface reveals little, if anything. However, its depths contain everything one that human being is able to offer another.
- Academic, Tvrtko Kulenovic , Literature Professor
" Black Soul is the riveting tale of one man's journey from the battle-torn hills of Sarajevo to the bustling, windblown streets of Chicago.
Hamza's story describes the amazing resilience of a human being who has visited the depths of hell and has lived to tell about it.
- Susan Bertuglia
"Black Soul is a novel that cannot be put down, and grabs the reader from page one.
It is a story of love and war, of tenderness and brutality. The author depicts the raw, often brutal story and unorthodox aggression, the likes of which are unprecedented in the his-tory of war, madness, insanity, blood, and hypocrisy of world powers."
- Mugdim Karabeg, Journalist
It is a kind of love, between father and son, which on the surface reveals little, if anything. However, its depths contain everything one that human being is able to offer another.
- Academic, Tvrtko Kulenovic , Literature Professor
" Black Soul is the riveting tale of one man's journey from the battle-torn hills of Sarajevo to the bustling, windblown streets of Chicago.
Hamza's story describes the amazing resilience of a human being who has visited the depths of hell and has lived to tell about it.
- Susan Bertuglia
"Black Soul is a novel that cannot be put down, and grabs the reader from page one.
It is a story of love and war, of tenderness and brutality. The author depicts the raw, often brutal story and unorthodox aggression, the likes of which are unprecedented in the his-tory of war, madness, insanity, blood, and hypocrisy of world powers."
- Mugdim Karabeg, Journalist
- GenresHistory
338 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
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272 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
April 26, 2020
You know a book is good when it starts with:
I read this three years ago right after I went back from Sarajevo, it was recommended to me by one of the dearest people to my heart Azra Hodzic, reading it and going through it’s bitter and sweet it instantly became one of my all-time favorites, it filled me with all kinds of emotions it made me cry, laugh, scream and curse. I became so attached to Hamza’s story and I remember when I got to the middle of the book I really couldn’t read anymore I just closed the book and started crying.
The story follows Hamza a Sarajevan architect through the 1990s; one of Bosnia’s darkest times in history, it starts in Sarajevo’s mountains with Musa, Dado, Kemo and Dino going through their battles against the chetinks, the imperfections in this part, the language and the cursing all made this chapter more relatable to reality (or at least it did to me)
Near the end of the war Hamza decides to move to Chicago and to me this part is what made me think: “I really need six stars for this book”, this part basically shows the psychology of a deeply wounded man who has seen hell with his own eyes and is trying to forget the past, but can you ever escape the wounds of the war?
I honestly cannot give this part justice with a review, the dark humor, the grief, the loss, everything were thought of and written perfectly, although I was in a complete and utter shock at the end of the book but I guess this story was never meant to be a happy one...
For Amra,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3HGw...
“The following story if fiction.
What actually happened was worse.”
I read this three years ago right after I went back from Sarajevo, it was recommended to me by one of the dearest people to my heart Azra Hodzic, reading it and going through it’s bitter and sweet it instantly became one of my all-time favorites, it filled me with all kinds of emotions it made me cry, laugh, scream and curse. I became so attached to Hamza’s story and I remember when I got to the middle of the book I really couldn’t read anymore I just closed the book and started crying.
The story follows Hamza a Sarajevan architect through the 1990s; one of Bosnia’s darkest times in history, it starts in Sarajevo’s mountains with Musa, Dado, Kemo and Dino going through their battles against the chetinks, the imperfections in this part, the language and the cursing all made this chapter more relatable to reality (or at least it did to me)
Musa pushed Hamza along. “Should we hurry too?”
“No need to. You never know if you’re running from a bomb or towards one.”
Near the end of the war Hamza decides to move to Chicago and to me this part is what made me think: “I really need six stars for this book”, this part basically shows the psychology of a deeply wounded man who has seen hell with his own eyes and is trying to forget the past, but can you ever escape the wounds of the war?
I honestly cannot give this part justice with a review, the dark humor, the grief, the loss, everything were thought of and written perfectly, although I was in a complete and utter shock at the end of the book but I guess this story was never meant to be a happy one...
For Amra,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3HGw...
March 27, 2010
Amazing! 10/10
Black Soul is a mix between an action thriller and political documentary. As the preamble to the book, the author states, “The following story is fiction. What actually happened was worse.”
With the first sentence, “Can you imagine how many women in Europe are making love right now?” the author pulls us into the novel which cannot be put down.
A myriad of politicians and authors have written on the war in Bosnia. Among them have been Bill Clinton, Joe Biden, Taylor Branch, Richard Holbrooke, Steven L. Burg, Ed Vulliamy, Jan Willem Honig, David Rieff, Swanee Hunt, and many more. In their attempt to retain “neutrality and objectiveness,” the majority of authors fell into a trap of equating the “parties to the conflict.” Following this logic, however, the Nazis and the Jewish people, in WWII, can also be described as “parties to the conflict,” and the “immediate mutual cessation of hostilities” can be demanded.
Other authors, such as Taylor Branch (Clinton Tapes), describe Bill Clinton as having the clear description of the ongoing events in Bosnia, and coldly shrugging at the possibility of the extermination of Bosnian Muslims.
Unlike the rest of such books, Black Soul is a novel with soul; perhaps too much for a thriller. The author leaves no room for guesswork as to what occurred in Bosnia. From time to time, in order to allow the reader to fully participate in the further events of the book, the author presents us with a journalistic description of certain places and events, which lends the novel the styling of a documentary work. The reader is left to conclude how and why such events were allowed to play out a mere hour’s flight from Vienna, Budapest, Rome, Milan, Istanbul, and Athens. And even there, the conclusion is a given.
Besides these qualities, what makes this novel unique, are the descriptions of Sarajevo, the siege, the legendary tunnel out of Sarajevo, wartime hospitals, survival methods of Sarajevans under nearly four years of shelling and snipers, derived of water, gas, electricity… And all throughout the novel, it is woven through in an unobtrusive, almost subliminal way through dialog and action.
After Sarajevo and Bosnia, Rahmanovic leads us through Rome and then Chicago – in the same fluid and dynamic way. Searching for a new meaning to life in a foreign country, former warriors try to escape the horrors of memory.
In his critique of the novel, the Bosnian literary academic and critic notes: “It is a novel which can be discussed within the context of the great works of world literature. The relations between characters, namely those between Hamza and his father, are reminiscent in form as well as value to the relationship of prince Andrei and his father, old earl Bolkonsky, in Tolstoy’s War and Peace. It is the type of love which, on the surface, is unnoticeable, or nearly so. However, hidden within its depths lies everything that one human being can offer another.”
In any case, Black Soul is a book which does not allow the reader to forget, and after which you surely cannot remain the same.
Black Soul is a mix between an action thriller and political documentary. As the preamble to the book, the author states, “The following story is fiction. What actually happened was worse.”
With the first sentence, “Can you imagine how many women in Europe are making love right now?” the author pulls us into the novel which cannot be put down.
A myriad of politicians and authors have written on the war in Bosnia. Among them have been Bill Clinton, Joe Biden, Taylor Branch, Richard Holbrooke, Steven L. Burg, Ed Vulliamy, Jan Willem Honig, David Rieff, Swanee Hunt, and many more. In their attempt to retain “neutrality and objectiveness,” the majority of authors fell into a trap of equating the “parties to the conflict.” Following this logic, however, the Nazis and the Jewish people, in WWII, can also be described as “parties to the conflict,” and the “immediate mutual cessation of hostilities” can be demanded.
Other authors, such as Taylor Branch (Clinton Tapes), describe Bill Clinton as having the clear description of the ongoing events in Bosnia, and coldly shrugging at the possibility of the extermination of Bosnian Muslims.
Unlike the rest of such books, Black Soul is a novel with soul; perhaps too much for a thriller. The author leaves no room for guesswork as to what occurred in Bosnia. From time to time, in order to allow the reader to fully participate in the further events of the book, the author presents us with a journalistic description of certain places and events, which lends the novel the styling of a documentary work. The reader is left to conclude how and why such events were allowed to play out a mere hour’s flight from Vienna, Budapest, Rome, Milan, Istanbul, and Athens. And even there, the conclusion is a given.
Besides these qualities, what makes this novel unique, are the descriptions of Sarajevo, the siege, the legendary tunnel out of Sarajevo, wartime hospitals, survival methods of Sarajevans under nearly four years of shelling and snipers, derived of water, gas, electricity… And all throughout the novel, it is woven through in an unobtrusive, almost subliminal way through dialog and action.
After Sarajevo and Bosnia, Rahmanovic leads us through Rome and then Chicago – in the same fluid and dynamic way. Searching for a new meaning to life in a foreign country, former warriors try to escape the horrors of memory.
In his critique of the novel, the Bosnian literary academic and critic notes: “It is a novel which can be discussed within the context of the great works of world literature. The relations between characters, namely those between Hamza and his father, are reminiscent in form as well as value to the relationship of prince Andrei and his father, old earl Bolkonsky, in Tolstoy’s War and Peace. It is the type of love which, on the surface, is unnoticeable, or nearly so. However, hidden within its depths lies everything that one human being can offer another.”
In any case, Black Soul is a book which does not allow the reader to forget, and after which you surely cannot remain the same.
February 14, 2013
A powerful novel which explores the psychological and social effects of the war in Bosnia on participants from both sides of the conflict, through the experiences of one young man as he tries to recover--first in Sarajevo and then in Chicago. Definitely not a happy book, it exposes the corruption the author sees within the souls of both the Bosnians and the Serbians. No matter how hard they try, they simply can't escape the wounds of the war. Not for the feint of heart (or weak of stomach), the images and emotions in this book are haunting.
March 8, 2019
Ni sam ne znam zašto nisam dao jednu zvjezdicu. Knjiga je puna mržnje i ksenofobije i I sam sam preživio “ Sarajevo” ali ova knjiga ne daje nikakav doprinos našem sutra. Sama naracija nikada ne prelazi prosječnost. Možda jedina pozitivna stvar je njen kraj gdje nam autor poručuje, pretpostavljam, da nema pobjednika.
Read
December 13, 2021S obzirom na to da sam više puta čula pohvale na račun ove knjige, očekivanja su mi bila velika. Ispočetka mi se mnogo svidjela, posebno su mi se svidjeli ubačeni dijelovi sa historijskim činjenicama o ratu u BiH i opsadi Sarajeva. Svidjeli su mi se i razgovori boraca, opisi njihovih akcija i izvlačenje do bolnice Koševo. Nakon toga mi se radnja sve manje i manje dopada, a dio knjige nakon odlaska iz Bosne mi je zaista pričinjavao muku dok sam čitala, djelovao mi je neuvjerljivo i nevjerovatno da bi se takav u stvarnosti desio (bez obzira na to što je ovo priča, trebalo bi da ima neki mogući slijed događaja).
Sve u svemu zanimljivo je bilo, a knjiga kao knjiga me je ponukala na razmišljanje o agresoru i činjenici da je bošnjački narod jako slijep i naivan, te da prebrzo zaboravlja ko mu je stvarni, krvoločni neprijatelj, te da bi svaki Bošnjak te činjenice trebao biti svjestan sve do Sudnjeg dana.
Sve u svemu zanimljivo je bilo, a knjiga kao knjiga me je ponukala na razmišljanje o agresoru i činjenici da je bošnjački narod jako slijep i naivan, te da prebrzo zaboravlja ko mu je stvarni, krvoločni neprijatelj, te da bi svaki Bošnjak te činjenice trebao biti svjestan sve do Sudnjeg dana.
March 25, 2010
BLACK SOUL: Scar on Western History
After fifty years, genocide in Europe again. This time live, 24/7 coverage of the extermination of a nation. The author, Ahmet M. Rahmanovic pens a fictional novel based on the true events of Bosnia’s darkest period in “Black Soul,” a new book released through Xlibris.
The book, unlike any others, gives a face to all the actors in the Bosnian tragedy. In this gripping war-action thriller, Rahmanovic takes the readers from the battle-torn hills of Sarajevo to the streets of Chicago, where one man journeys to find new meaning in his life. Can he escape the horrors of memory in a foreign land?
“It is a story of love and war, of tenderness and brutality. The author tells a raw, often brutal story of unorthodox aggression, the like of which are unprecedented in the history of war. The reader will find madness, insanity, blood, hypocrisy of world powers…”
- Mugdim Karabeg, Journalist
But beneath the story, Rahmanovic presents us with a subtle account of the Bosnian Muslims; their outlook on life, justice, dignity, and honor. Most of al, this novel gives hope of building bridges between people, and shows how little good will is needed to turn the differences of religion, culture, and race from an obstacle to strength.
Since its initial release in Bosnia in 1999, Black Soul has enjoyed a consistent ranking on the best seller list.
For more information on BLACK SOUL, log on to www.blacksoul.us
September 25, 2017
This book was so informative, I can honestly say I have learned so much from it about a part of history that is rarely talked about.
The book takes you on a journey through a torn up Bosnia and shows you the different faces of war.
It starts with a battle scene in the mountains, then we travel to Sarajevo and finally end up in Chicago in the US.
The writing may not be the best, but it is due to the fact that it is translated from Bosnian.
The book takes you on a journey through a torn up Bosnia and shows you the different faces of war.
It starts with a battle scene in the mountains, then we travel to Sarajevo and finally end up in Chicago in the US.
The writing may not be the best, but it is due to the fact that it is translated from Bosnian.
August 18, 2011
"Covjek mora biti kao kafa, jak i topao."
January 10, 2017
Witty and sometimes darkly hilarious, Ahmet Rahmanovic’s Black Soul is a fictional account of protagonist Hamza's journey during the Bosnian War from besieged Sarajevo to the hoods of Chicago, Illinois.
Rahmanovic writes his epic matter-of-factly in what is, at its best, understated and powerful verse. In the epigraph, for example, he warns: “The following story is fiction. What actually happened was worse.” And, when Musa asks Hamza if they should run through a shelling, Hamza replies simply: '“No need to. You never know if you’re running from a bomb or towards one."'
Besides being an epic, Black Soul is also a novel of ideas whose characters expound theories of intervention, nationalism, and corruption. But unlike, say, Dostoevsky, who presents ideas as discussions between two, often equally intelligent, opponents, Rahmanovic presents ideas in outbursts or rants given by one character to another. The result is an overall less engaging exchange of ideas that tires in places.
What other reviewers have said about the English translation is true; it is riddled with mistakes, inconsistencies, typos, and formatting errors. There is a problem on almost every page. It is really a shame because the extensive technical issues do take away from the overall power of the book. Also, if reprinted, the historical blurbs should be updated to reflect the indictments of Karadzic and Mladic.
This book was highly recommended to me by a respected and intelligent friend who read the Bosnian version. This leads me to believe that many of the book’s issues (lack of clarity, lack of style) might stem from the bad translation and not from the writing itself.
Rahmanovic writes his epic matter-of-factly in what is, at its best, understated and powerful verse. In the epigraph, for example, he warns: “The following story is fiction. What actually happened was worse.” And, when Musa asks Hamza if they should run through a shelling, Hamza replies simply: '“No need to. You never know if you’re running from a bomb or towards one."'
Besides being an epic, Black Soul is also a novel of ideas whose characters expound theories of intervention, nationalism, and corruption. But unlike, say, Dostoevsky, who presents ideas as discussions between two, often equally intelligent, opponents, Rahmanovic presents ideas in outbursts or rants given by one character to another. The result is an overall less engaging exchange of ideas that tires in places.
What other reviewers have said about the English translation is true; it is riddled with mistakes, inconsistencies, typos, and formatting errors. There is a problem on almost every page. It is really a shame because the extensive technical issues do take away from the overall power of the book. Also, if reprinted, the historical blurbs should be updated to reflect the indictments of Karadzic and Mladic.
This book was highly recommended to me by a respected and intelligent friend who read the Bosnian version. This leads me to believe that many of the book’s issues (lack of clarity, lack of style) might stem from the bad translation and not from the writing itself.
August 15, 2012
Hands down the WORST book I have ever read. AVOID at all costs. I bought this book in Sarajevo, because I wanted to read a fiction set during the Bosnian tragedy that would both be a good story and enlightening about the war. There were a few interesting facts about the war, but it was mostly a giant diatribe against Serbia with an atrocious and preposterous plot.
This book quite honestly could have been written by a child. At many points during the book I actually thought I was reading something written by a 4th grade student. I'll leave the massive amount of translation errors aside.
The dialogue is banal and pointless and characters are extremely shallow with little development, their sole purpose to villify Serbia and Serbians. Action scenes were lame, the plot was convoluted and preposterous, and the title had very little to do with the actual story (it was just a stupid nickname given to the protaganist by a bunch of characters who turn out to be ultimately unimportant).
Serbia did terrible things during the war and it is important that we talk about it and understand the Bosnian genocide. HOWEVER, if you are going to write a book, write a book, don't try and force a story into a vicious op-ed against Serbia and the West.
DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK.
This book quite honestly could have been written by a child. At many points during the book I actually thought I was reading something written by a 4th grade student. I'll leave the massive amount of translation errors aside.
The dialogue is banal and pointless and characters are extremely shallow with little development, their sole purpose to villify Serbia and Serbians. Action scenes were lame, the plot was convoluted and preposterous, and the title had very little to do with the actual story (it was just a stupid nickname given to the protaganist by a bunch of characters who turn out to be ultimately unimportant).
Serbia did terrible things during the war and it is important that we talk about it and understand the Bosnian genocide. HOWEVER, if you are going to write a book, write a book, don't try and force a story into a vicious op-ed against Serbia and the West.
DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK.
November 5, 2017
This is book goes in the category: I want to keep on reading.
October 28, 2018
Unfortunately there are no more stars on goodread. This is a heartbreaking story and one that was eloquently told.
August 28, 2024
Ironično bi bilo reći za knjigu sa ovako teškom temom da je lijepo napisana, ali to je upravo ono što ona jeste. Način na koji se pisac ophodi prema glavnom liku, prema njegovoj porodici i prijateljima, prema cijeloj situaciji koja se dešavala u Sarajevu i BiH tokom agresije je izražen kroz mnoštvo iskustava, priča i uspomena. Hamza i njegov otac Avdaga su samo jedni od stotinu hiljada sudbina koji su preživjeli rat da ga mogu ispričati. Hamza - aslan, lav, zlatno dijete, Avdaga - otac, uzor, stub porodice, pa opet, svaki otac vidi svoje dijete kao Avdaga svog zlatnog Hamzu, i svaki sin vidi svog oca kako Hamza vidi svog, bili oni bogati ili siromašni, ratnici ili bjegunci, jer neprijatelj ne bira. Hiljade je Hamzâ vjerovalo i izgubilo povjerenje, bilo sretno pa devastirano, pokušalo naći novi život i razlog za život i hiljade je Avdagâ gledalo svoju djecu kako im se gasi nada u očima, kako se gubi sve ono za šta su se borili i radili, pa na kraju i kako se gasi sam život. Da li bi sudbine ljudi bile manje ili više tragične da to nisu sinovi jedinci, da to nisu stare begovske porodice, da sa tom jednom osobom nestaje i prestaje cijeli život? Svakom je svoja tuga najveća, pa tako i ovdje, jer ovo je zapravo roman o nečemu što nam je svima zajednično - o životu i smrti .
August 12, 2021
Dobih preporuku sinoć za knjigu o Sarajevu, opsadi, i životu nakon agresije, te natuknicu da je "bolja od Hodže" i to me kupilo da provedem noć uz "Crnu Dušu". Hajde, reko', da vidimo ko to smije na crtu s mojim Hodžom! 😃
Odakle početi? Prvo i prvo, spoiler alert za one koji nisu čitali.
Očekivala sam mnogo i najgore je kad tako uđem u knjigu. Ne usuđujem se reći da sam protraćila par sati života jer za knjigu nikad ne traćimo vrijeme, ali ovo što sam pročitala poprilično me dovelo blizu ruba preispitivanja.
Ok, ulazimo u štivo...
Knjiga je fikcija, ali autor nam u prvim redovima daje na znanje da je ono što se desilo mnogo gore. Istina. Tema je, u najmanju ruku, problematična i teška k'o crna zemlja. Ali, ja sam mazohista i gutam sve što dođe pod ruku o Sarajevu.
Blago rečeno, napatio me dio s početka iz akcije, stradanje, i borba za život. Svjesna sam da je doista nekome tako bilo, mojim bližnjima, ali čak i gore. Taj sam početak mogu izdvojiti kao najbolji dio romana. Mislila sam da će duže trajati, ali autor vrlo brzo skreće radnju na glavnog lika i njegov "bijeg" preko.
Pratimo sudbinu Hamze, zlatnog momka s Čaršije, potomka begovske porodice. U životu mu ničeg nije falilo i to se prečesto potencira u knjizi, mada ne vidim toliku relevantnost tog podatka. Hamza, kao i skoro svi njegovi vršnjaci već u aprilu/ maju 1992. stupa u snage odbrane BiH, u Beretke. Super. Krasno. Mladalački entuzijazam i ljubav prema domovini. Fino dočarano, samo potaknuto apsolutno filmskim događajem. Naime, Hamzinu suprugu i kćerku ubija njegov Kum (o kojem znamo samo da je s druge strane) stravičnim potezima sablje. Te groteskne dijelove bolje ne prenositi. Ok, autore, malo si se zanio... Malo puno, a? Hamza sve to snima sasvim slučajno svježe pristiglom kamerom iz Amerike, i istu noć ih sahranjuje, ubija svog prvog čovjeka i ide kući gdje prolazi očevu brzu obuku.
A otac? Avdaga, ćutljiv i moćan čovjek. Sa 18 pobjegao u ustaške redove i borio se protiv Švaba i Rusa, ubijao jedne i druge, nestvarnim događajem spasio i sreo svoju suprugu Azru (Amerikanku, medicinsku sestru, koju je preveo na Islam i naučio svemu). Jao, zdravi razume! Znam da je sve ovo roman, ali, brate.. odvadi malo!
Nakon što je jedva preživio jednu akciju i zatvorio se u sebe Hamza ide prvo u Italiju, očevom prijatelju, gdje uživa kao član kraljevske obitelji, potom u Ameriku rođaku. Sam dolazak u Ameriku je toliko siromašno opisan. Čim je stigao do rođakove kuće s njim zatiče nekog čovjeka, Srđana, i automatski ide van i traži sebi stan. Čekaj, stani! Zašto? Ko je rođak i što je to bilo značajno toliko? Pa sam nalazak stana, jednog pa drugog, komične situacije s Afroamerikancima gangsterima... A u svemu se Hamza snalazi i više nego odlično. Jer, on je lav, jak, sve mu ide od ruke, zlatni vojnik. Previše potenciranja je tu. Bode u oči koliko je on naj naj, a koliko se bori s demonima.
Dolazimo do, takoreći, ključne figure drugog dijela, tj. do Amerikanke Jun(e). Sasvim slučajno je Hamzu zapazila par puta, zapamtila zbog ožiljka, i naprasno ide s njim na ručkove, sreće se, bez ikakve ideje da razmijene brojeve, adrese, bilo šta! Kao da joj je bilo zapisano da se sretnu kad god požele!
Istini za volju, zbrda-zdola mi je njegov boravak u Americi, susreti s June, Pukovnikom, Ekremom, pa na kraju i Dinom (drugom iz jedinice) i njegova tragična sudbina. Previše propadanja u ništavilo i čarobnog izdizanja. Previše idealizacije, a premalo razvoja ličnosti.
Šta je bilo na kraju? Toliko željeni susret s Kumom i obračun. Ako je Kum tako važna figura u djelu, onaj koji je započeo haos u Hamzinom životu, zašto a autor nije podrobnije predstavio? Kako su se poznavali? Zašto mu je on kum a ne Musa, najbolji haver? Zašto je ubio Amru i Malecku? Siromašne odgovore nudi Ahmet Rahmanović. Svjesna sam da je ovo autorov prvi roman. Svaka čast na mnogim historijskim činjenicama i detaljnoj elaboraciji stavova o agresiji na BiH. Kao profesor historije to jako cijenim. Kao ljubitelj pisane riječi sam previše kritična na knjigu iz koje kipe događaji i likovi. Sve u svemu, Hollywood na bh način.
Za kraj, pošto je ovo škakljiva tema voljela bih da izbjegnemo priču"ko je počeo rat" i sl. I sama zamjerim autoru na tolikoj anti-srpskoj propagandi i pogrdnim nazivima u knjizi. Ne volim spuštanje jednog da bi se veličalo drugo. Ovdje sam da pričam o književnom kvalitetu ovog filmski i nestvarnog djela. Ala si ga nakitio, majstore, kao osnovac pismenu iz jezika!
Odakle početi? Prvo i prvo, spoiler alert za one koji nisu čitali.
Očekivala sam mnogo i najgore je kad tako uđem u knjigu. Ne usuđujem se reći da sam protraćila par sati života jer za knjigu nikad ne traćimo vrijeme, ali ovo što sam pročitala poprilično me dovelo blizu ruba preispitivanja.
Ok, ulazimo u štivo...
Knjiga je fikcija, ali autor nam u prvim redovima daje na znanje da je ono što se desilo mnogo gore. Istina. Tema je, u najmanju ruku, problematična i teška k'o crna zemlja. Ali, ja sam mazohista i gutam sve što dođe pod ruku o Sarajevu.
Blago rečeno, napatio me dio s početka iz akcije, stradanje, i borba za život. Svjesna sam da je doista nekome tako bilo, mojim bližnjima, ali čak i gore. Taj sam početak mogu izdvojiti kao najbolji dio romana. Mislila sam da će duže trajati, ali autor vrlo brzo skreće radnju na glavnog lika i njegov "bijeg" preko.
Pratimo sudbinu Hamze, zlatnog momka s Čaršije, potomka begovske porodice. U životu mu ničeg nije falilo i to se prečesto potencira u knjizi, mada ne vidim toliku relevantnost tog podatka. Hamza, kao i skoro svi njegovi vršnjaci već u aprilu/ maju 1992. stupa u snage odbrane BiH, u Beretke. Super. Krasno. Mladalački entuzijazam i ljubav prema domovini. Fino dočarano, samo potaknuto apsolutno filmskim događajem. Naime, Hamzinu suprugu i kćerku ubija njegov Kum (o kojem znamo samo da je s druge strane) stravičnim potezima sablje. Te groteskne dijelove bolje ne prenositi. Ok, autore, malo si se zanio... Malo puno, a? Hamza sve to snima sasvim slučajno svježe pristiglom kamerom iz Amerike, i istu noć ih sahranjuje, ubija svog prvog čovjeka i ide kući gdje prolazi očevu brzu obuku.
A otac? Avdaga, ćutljiv i moćan čovjek. Sa 18 pobjegao u ustaške redove i borio se protiv Švaba i Rusa, ubijao jedne i druge, nestvarnim događajem spasio i sreo svoju suprugu Azru (Amerikanku, medicinsku sestru, koju je preveo na Islam i naučio svemu). Jao, zdravi razume! Znam da je sve ovo roman, ali, brate.. odvadi malo!
Nakon što je jedva preživio jednu akciju i zatvorio se u sebe Hamza ide prvo u Italiju, očevom prijatelju, gdje uživa kao član kraljevske obitelji, potom u Ameriku rođaku. Sam dolazak u Ameriku je toliko siromašno opisan. Čim je stigao do rođakove kuće s njim zatiče nekog čovjeka, Srđana, i automatski ide van i traži sebi stan. Čekaj, stani! Zašto? Ko je rođak i što je to bilo značajno toliko? Pa sam nalazak stana, jednog pa drugog, komične situacije s Afroamerikancima gangsterima... A u svemu se Hamza snalazi i više nego odlično. Jer, on je lav, jak, sve mu ide od ruke, zlatni vojnik. Previše potenciranja je tu. Bode u oči koliko je on naj naj, a koliko se bori s demonima.
Dolazimo do, takoreći, ključne figure drugog dijela, tj. do Amerikanke Jun(e). Sasvim slučajno je Hamzu zapazila par puta, zapamtila zbog ožiljka, i naprasno ide s njim na ručkove, sreće se, bez ikakve ideje da razmijene brojeve, adrese, bilo šta! Kao da joj je bilo zapisano da se sretnu kad god požele!
Istini za volju, zbrda-zdola mi je njegov boravak u Americi, susreti s June, Pukovnikom, Ekremom, pa na kraju i Dinom (drugom iz jedinice) i njegova tragična sudbina. Previše propadanja u ništavilo i čarobnog izdizanja. Previše idealizacije, a premalo razvoja ličnosti.
Šta je bilo na kraju? Toliko željeni susret s Kumom i obračun. Ako je Kum tako važna figura u djelu, onaj koji je započeo haos u Hamzinom životu, zašto a autor nije podrobnije predstavio? Kako su se poznavali? Zašto mu je on kum a ne Musa, najbolji haver? Zašto je ubio Amru i Malecku? Siromašne odgovore nudi Ahmet Rahmanović. Svjesna sam da je ovo autorov prvi roman. Svaka čast na mnogim historijskim činjenicama i detaljnoj elaboraciji stavova o agresiji na BiH. Kao profesor historije to jako cijenim. Kao ljubitelj pisane riječi sam previše kritična na knjigu iz koje kipe događaji i likovi. Sve u svemu, Hollywood na bh način.
Za kraj, pošto je ovo škakljiva tema voljela bih da izbjegnemo priču"ko je počeo rat" i sl. I sama zamjerim autoru na tolikoj anti-srpskoj propagandi i pogrdnim nazivima u knjizi. Ne volim spuštanje jednog da bi se veličalo drugo. Ovdje sam da pričam o književnom kvalitetu ovog filmski i nestvarnog djela. Ala si ga nakitio, majstore, kao osnovac pismenu iz jezika!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2015
I bought this book hoping to gain insight into the Bosnian-Serbian war and while it does do a little to explain some of the atrocities of the genocide and the psyche of the survivors, that is its only redeeming quality. This book is translated horribly - rated 'R' scenes are narrated by 'PG' dialogue. Definitive cultural and religious themes are unexplained. The storyline is full of unnecessary characters that seem only to serve as a way of injecting over-dramatized monologues from the main character. The editing is horrendous. There are multiple grammatical and format errors. There are so many punctuation errors that many parts of the book are difficult to follow. It is especially difficult to decipher dialogue as you often lose track of which character is speaking. There are so many absurd, Hollywood cliches that I actually caught myself rolling my eyes. This book was just, simply and unfortunately, terrible.
September 2, 2018
Ovu knjigu sam počinjao tri puta čitati i tek iz trećeg pokušaja sam uspio pročitati do kraja. To je dokaz o kakvoj se knjizi radi, ovo je tek druga knjiga koju sam iz trećeg pokušaja pročitao. Ovu knjigu bih preporučio svima da pročitaju, kao što pisac napisa, sve se nije desilo kao u priči što slijedi, u stvarnosti je bilo gore. Roman koji odlične prikazuje bosanski humor, kad je najgore i najteže čemu ćemo se okrenuti - humoru, naravno. Istovremeno je i prepun boli, bijesa, ogromne hrabrosti i bosanske snalažljivosti. Kraj će mnoge razočarati ali ovaj roman nije mišljen kao roman sa sretnim krajem.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2023
Каков неверојатен роман. Приказната блиска, локацијата - исто. Сараево и несфатливата војна која ја преживеа.
Книгата сѐ уште не можат да ја прифатат дел од народите од поранешна Југославија, но јас сум благодарна што го уловив моментот кога беше поставена во една од групите, за потоа, под притисок на оние кои не сакаат да ја видат и деругата страна на таа иста војна, беше тргната од таму. Иако поминаа повеќе од 30 години од почетокот на таа братоубиствена војна, раните се уште живи, мозокот уште затворен.
Ликовите во книгата се толку пластично опишани, а толку човечни. Сите кои се со отворен ум, од поранешните југословенски простори, треба да ја прочитаат оваа книга. Одлична.
Книгата сѐ уште не можат да ја прифатат дел од народите од поранешна Југославија, но јас сум благодарна што го уловив моментот кога беше поставена во една од групите, за потоа, под притисок на оние кои не сакаат да ја видат и деругата страна на таа иста војна, беше тргната од таму. Иако поминаа повеќе од 30 години од почетокот на таа братоубиствена војна, раните се уште живи, мозокот уште затворен.
Ликовите во книгата се толку пластично опишани, а толку човечни. Сите кои се со отворен ум, од поранешните југословенски простори, треба да ја прочитаат оваа книга. Одлична.
July 9, 2020
Nakon ove knjige, stvarno ne znam šta bih mogla da napišem. Potresna do te mere da zamišljam kako je ovo sve fikcija, ali kad se sjetim da je Bosanski narod prolazio kroz sve ovo, pa i gore... kako i da je, predobra knjiga
October 3, 2025
Not many are those who know a bit about the Genocide that took place in Bosnia around 30 years ago...
Many, >200000 Bosnian souls were killed, just being Bosnians.. Hamza survived to tell, but didn't, for the sake of his HONOR..
Many, >200000 Bosnian souls were killed, just being Bosnians.. Hamza survived to tell, but didn't, for the sake of his HONOR..
January 13, 2021
Amazing!
Read
September 4, 2022I went into it thinking it was a more historical recounting...certainly not the case. Good in its own rite however
October 6, 2022
A must read!
July 18, 2023
Best read of 2023!
September 20, 2022
“Nekada se zbog časti ratovalo, ubijalo i ginulo.
Nekada su ljudi išli uspravno i gledali pravo.
Nekada su generali zbog izgubljene časti
izvršavali samoubistvo. Nekad su kapetani
tonuli sa svojim brodom. Nekad. Sada,
političari bez kičme postaju predsjednici.
Oficiri bez kičme postaju generali i dobijaju
medalje. Zemlje bez kičme dobijaju
predsjednike bez kičme. Ljudi s kičmom se
lome. Jer strše. A to nije dobro. U masi
pognutih i povijenih ljudi, uspravni strše i
treba ih slomiti.“
Nekada su ljudi išli uspravno i gledali pravo.
Nekada su generali zbog izgubljene časti
izvršavali samoubistvo. Nekad su kapetani
tonuli sa svojim brodom. Nekad. Sada,
političari bez kičme postaju predsjednici.
Oficiri bez kičme postaju generali i dobijaju
medalje. Zemlje bez kičme dobijaju
predsjednike bez kičme. Ljudi s kičmom se
lome. Jer strše. A to nije dobro. U masi
pognutih i povijenih ljudi, uspravni strše i
treba ih slomiti.“
July 28, 2025
You can read my review (in Slovene) on https://maticpise.com/2025/07/28/crna...
February 24, 2022
To be honest, I did not like this book much, especially compared to the people who would give it 5+ stars.
To me, it did not sound convincing. Not because these things didn't happen, since a lot of worse crimes (including genocide) were committed in Bosnia during the aggression, but because it was shallowly written. No deepts. No explanations of actions sounding more convincing. In some parts it sounded like a cheep psychology book.
However I would still recommend it to be read, the plot is nicely designed, it is a very interesting story. Even tho it is not supposed to be a source where you can learn about Bosnia in time of the aggression, it can give you some perspective how it was, the general atmosphere, what people were doing, especially the part where the main character fights with his companions.
To me, it did not sound convincing. Not because these things didn't happen, since a lot of worse crimes (including genocide) were committed in Bosnia during the aggression, but because it was shallowly written. No deepts. No explanations of actions sounding more convincing. In some parts it sounded like a cheep psychology book.
However I would still recommend it to be read, the plot is nicely designed, it is a very interesting story. Even tho it is not supposed to be a source where you can learn about Bosnia in time of the aggression, it can give you some perspective how it was, the general atmosphere, what people were doing, especially the part where the main character fights with his companions.
October 27, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
“Black Soul” is a gripping and emotionally powerful novel that pulls you deep into the complexities of Bosnia’s history. The story is intense, filled with suspense, and written in a way that makes you feel the weight of the events unfolding. It doesn’t just present historical facts—it immerses you in the lives of its characters, showing the personal and emotional toll of war and conflict. I loved how the plot was both engaging and thought-provoking, unfolding seamlessly and keeping me absorbed the entire time. However, the English translation had quite a few grammar mistakes that couldn't go unnoticed, which is the only reason I’m giving it 4.5 stars instead of 5.
Also, trigger warning: it has some quite descriptive scenes related to war that are not for the fainted heart.
Around the World Challenge: Bosnia & Herzegovina
“Black Soul” is a gripping and emotionally powerful novel that pulls you deep into the complexities of Bosnia’s history. The story is intense, filled with suspense, and written in a way that makes you feel the weight of the events unfolding. It doesn’t just present historical facts—it immerses you in the lives of its characters, showing the personal and emotional toll of war and conflict. I loved how the plot was both engaging and thought-provoking, unfolding seamlessly and keeping me absorbed the entire time. However, the English translation had quite a few grammar mistakes that couldn't go unnoticed, which is the only reason I’m giving it 4.5 stars instead of 5.
Also, trigger warning: it has some quite descriptive scenes related to war that are not for the fainted heart.
Around the World Challenge: Bosnia & Herzegovina
Read
December 25, 2008Great book so far! It gives an intimate portrayal of young Bosniacs fighting in the Bosnian War in 1992-1995.
July 12, 2013
The real truth about the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the lives of people who left the country with scars in their hearts.
May 4, 2014
This book is the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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