Set in Sarajevo in the late 19th century, the novel tells the story of a dervish named Sheikh Nuruddin who is deeply devoted to his spiritual practices and beliefs. But when his younger brother is arrested and sentenced to death on false charges, Nuruddin is forced to confront the realities of the world around him and question everything he thought he knew. One of the key themes in Death and the Dervish is the power of love. Throughout the novel, Nuruddin is faced with a series of difficult decisions, and it is his love for his brother that drives him to take action. This love is not just limited to familial relationships, however, as Nuruddin also encounters people from all walks of life who show him compassion and kindness despite the adversity he faces. Through these interactions, the novel highlights the power of love to bridge differences and bring people

A New Name: Septology VI-VII is the final installment in Jon Fosse‘s major prose work, which explores the human condition. It follows two versions of the same person, both painters grappling with existential questions, as they lead parallel lives. One lives alone on the coast of Norway and has two close friends, while the other is consumed by alcohol and lives in Bjørgvin. The book flashes back to when the two were younger, showing events such as meeting their loves, joining the church, and getting married, and culminates in the first painter agreeing to celebrate Christmas with his fisherman-friend and sister for the first time. Written in slow, hypnotic prose, the novel is a captivating and distinctive read that delves into the human experience. The “slow tone” of the book offers a transcendent exploration of the human condition, resulting in a reading experience that is incantatory, hypnotic, and unlike anything

Ivo Andric’s The Bridge on the Drina is a historical novel that tells the story of the people of Višegrad, a town located in the Ottoman Empire, and their experiences over the course of several centuries. The town was caught between two empires, the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian, for a long time but its 16th-century bridge remained unscathed until 1914 when the Balkan tensions sparked World War I. The bridge of the title is a symbol of the town, its people, and the changing times that they endure. In the novel, Andric depicts the lives of different people from various generations, nationalities, and beliefs that revolved around the bridge. The novel spans the years from the late 16th century to the early 20th century and covers a wide range of historical events, including the Ottoman Empire’s decline, World War I, and the dissolution of Yugoslavia. Throughout the story, the bridge serves

In this masterful novel, Tisma tells the story of a Hungarian Jewish man who becomes a concentration camp kapo, or prisoner overseer, during the Holocaust. The novel is a searing exploration of the moral complexities of survival in a world marked by violence and oppression. The story follows the character of Kovály who becomes a kapo in a Nazi concentration camp. As a kapo, Kovály is given certain privileges and a modicum of power over other prisoners, but he must also navigate the moral and ethical challenges of being complicit in the oppression and murder of his fellow prisoners. Through Kovály’s story, Tisma explores the themes of survival, complicity, and moral ambiguity. The novel raises important questions about the nature of power, responsibility, and complicity in the face of unspeakable evil. Overall, “Kapo” is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that offers a poignant and haunting portrait of life in a

Set in the port city of Santa María, “The Shipyard” follows the story of a man named Larsen, a former shipyard worker who tries to revive a useless and abandoned shipyard. Bringing the shipyard back to life and winning the heart of the shipyard’s owner Petrus’s daughter is, for Larsen, the last opportunity to find his purpose in life. However, the attempt soon becomes a meticulous farse: there is nothing to do in a stagnant, ruined shipyard, nor is it possible to will oneself to love. Even though life precludes it, Larsen continues undaunted in his role, as though he doesn’t want to look at the reality of a world en route to extinction, or perhaps because pretending is the only possible way out of the madness. This classic Latin American novel explores themes of isolation, disillusionment, and the search for meaning in life. In The Shipyard, Onetti omes close

The Hive was the second great success in the career of one of the most influential Spanish writers of the 20th century, Camilo José Cela. The novel, set in Madrid in 1943 after the Spanish Civil War, explores the poverty and dissatisfaction in Spain through the eyes of various fictional characters. It is notable for its large number of characters, over 300, and is considered a significant work written in post-war Spain. Due to strict censorship, Cela was unable to publish the book in Spain and instead had to release it in Buenos Aires. The novel was eventually got released in Spain in 1966. Conceived as the first part of a trilogy that would never be completed, in The Hive, Cela experimented with a radically new approach to novelistic structure. The book is structured into six chapters and an epilogue, with each chapter featuring a set of brief passages that focus on

Hurricane Season is one of those dark, intense novels that you cannot put down and have to finish in one sitting. The story is set in a small Mexican village gripped by poverty, violence, and superstition (no surprise there). The story centers around the brutal murder of a local witch, whose death reveals layers of depravity, secrets, and despair within the village. Each as the story develops, the book dives into the minds of different characters, exposing the harsh realities of their lives and the traumas that drive them. I recommend you read this book during fall evenings, as the early dusk will suplement the story.