Genre: Historical Fiction
Author: Drago Jančar
Translators: Michael Biggins
Year Published: 2010
TWs: violence, SA
Rating: 4/5
I’m not going to lie this book was tough and talked about some pretty heavy themes but it was also so painfully beautiful. The synopsis says it’s about the disappearance of a woman and while it is, it also explores love and loss during wartime. I can already tell this is going to be one of my favourite Slovenia reads, so let’s get into it!
“In those crazed times you didn’t need a good reason to kill someone.”
Synopsis (spoiler-free, always)
This novel follows Veronika Zarnik, a young noblewoman from Ljubljana who disappears one night near the end of World War II. But this isn’t just her story, it’s the story of five different people who knew her, each giving us a different glimpse into her life.
Through her former lover, her servant, a German officer, a partisan soldier, and a family friend, we learn more about Veronika, an independent, unconventional woman whose privileged world is disrupted by the brutal realities of war. Each narrator tells us as much about themselves as they do about her, revealing not only personal memories but also the chaos of Slovenia during World War II.
“It’s not the deeds you’ve done that haunt you, it’s the ones you didn’t do. That you could have done, or at least tried to do, but didn’t.”
My Thoughts
This book seemed a lot like a war story when I first read about it, but it turned out to be something a lot different. It was more quieter, more intimate, and in some ways, more unsettling. It’s not just about war, but about the people who try to live normal lives in the middle of it, only to find that it’s impossible.
The novel is told through five narrators, each remembering Veronika from their own perspective which creates a sense of mystery. We never hear Veronika’s own voice, only about her through others. I loved how this made her feel both real and unreachable, like she both close but distant.
I really loved how different each version of Veronika felt. To some, she was reckless and naive. To others, she was kind, passionate, or even manipulative. The way these perspectives are layered makes you question how much of her story is truth and how much is shaped by the people telling it.
While the novel is under 200 pages, it feels much bigger. Jančar doesn’t waste words, each chapter is full of emotion and history. There were times when the war overshadowed Veronika herself, and I found myself wanting to stay with her story, but maybe that was the point, to show us how easy it is for individual lives to get lost in the history. It reminded me of a line from the poem ‘On Finding a Small Fly Crushed in a Book’ by Charles Tennyson Turner which said:
‘The closing book may stop our vital breath, but leave no lustre on our page of death.’
This book left me with a heavy feeling in my chest, but in the best way. It’s one of those novels that makes you sit in silence after finishing it, just thinking. If you’re looking for a gripping mystery or a action-paced war novel, this might not be for you. But if you love slow, literary stories that unfold slowly but beautifully, this novel is definitely worth your time.
Happy Reading!
About the Author
Drago Jančar was born in 1948 in Maribor, Slovenia (previously Yugoslavia). He is one of Slovenia’s most renowned writers, known for his novels, plays, and essays which have been translated into 21 languages. His work often explores themes of memory, history, and the impact of war on individuals. ‘I Saw Her That Night’ is one of his most popular books and won him the Kresnik Award for best novel of the year in 2011. He currently lives and work in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Some other works by him include:
- The Galley Slave
- The Tree with No Name
- Joyce’s Pupil
Find more on his Goodreads page!
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