Genre: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction
Author: Goran Vojnović
Translator: Olivia Hellewell
Year Published: 2020 (English translation)
TWs: Death
Rating: 4/5
Family has varying levels of importance in different cultures. In some, family can be everything, shaping who we are and the choices we make. That’s exactly what this novel is about, exploring how our past and our roots quite literally have the power to define us. Let’s get into it!
“Now I think that you’ve woven your life into one great big story in your head; you’ve spun a huge, hefty tome in order to create a connecting thread in all the chaos”
Synopsis (spoiler-free, always)
This novel follows Jadran, a man in his thirties living in Ljubljana, Slovenia. His life has been changed by generations of complicated relationships and tough choices like his grandfather’s mysterious past, his father leaving them behind to go back to war-torn Bosnia, and his mother trying to hold everything together.
After his grandfather’s death, Jadran finds himself drawn to a fig tree in the family garden that his stood there for generations, a symbol for his family’s complicated history. Determined to uncover the truth about his grandfather’s life and his father’s choices, he pieces together old letters, faded photographs, and passed-down stories, discovering the secrets that have shaped his family.
“Like a fairy tale. The only pictures we’re left with are the ones our minds created, as we listened to their storytelling.”
My Thoughts
This book hit me hard. Jadran’s struggle to figure out his family’s past reminded me of Sylvia Plath’s fig tree analogy from ‘The Bell Jar’, where each fig represents a different possible life, and choosing just one feels impossible. He’s not just trying to figure out his own life, he’s also trying to understand all the choices his family made before him. That said, this book isn’t a fast read. The story is a little hard to follow at times, and it takes patience to piece everything together.
The writing is beautiful. Vojnović switches between past and present so smoothly, making every character feel real. I especially loved the little details, like how Jadran’s grandfather used random objects as bookmarks or how his dad read Slovenian obituaries from afar to feel connected to a place he left behind.
If you like deep, emotional stories about family, history, and identity, this book is definitely worth a try!
Happy Reading!
About the Author
Goran Vojnović was born in Ljubljana, Slovenia and is a writer, screenwriter and film director. He studied at the Academy for Theatre, Radio, Film and Television. His best known novel, Southern Scum Go Home won numerous awards and also prompted a lawsuit to be filed against him by the Slovenian Police which was then quickly withdrawn due to public outrage. His novel ‘The Fig Tree’ won the Kresnik Prize for the best Slovenian novel in 2017.
Find more his Goodreads page!
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