Customer Reviews

Natural Novel (Eastern European Literature)

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I was loaned this book by somebody presenting it as an "out-there" post modern novel featuring a stream-of-consciousness flow. While it may post-modern, and largely s.o.c (much in the style of a journal), it struck me as much more than a literary experiement. Considering the amount of 3rd person narrative and disjointed "scenes"/short stories/chapters, I found it very engaging, never lacking flow and surprisingly impactful. I can't speak to how much Bulgarian culture came through or how much credit to give the book as an example of non-western thought but there was a freshness that complemented rather than detracted from the ideas laid out in the book - depth in the mundane, coming to grips with pain, and losing one's grip on the order of things (for better or worse)

I was pleasantly surprised by this innovative, charming, smart and funny novel by this Bulgarian writer. Being from Bulgarian origin myslef, I found some portion to be particularly funny and they triggered memories of my childhood in Sofia. This speaks highly of the translation, which I believe captured well the nuances of the original language. In the novel, Mr. Gospodinov deals with many general topics facing our modern individuals in funny, clever and unique ways. I hghly recommend this novel to all and especially to those who are interested in learning about new talented writers from outside the major western countries.