A BLUE REVIEW OF TIGANA, A FANTASY NOVEL BY GUY GAVRIEL KAY

What kind of a review is a blue review? Well, as the colour would suggest, somewhat of  a  melancholic and sad one.  I would say appropriate for Tigana is somewhat of a sad and serene story. That's how I remember this fascinating fantasy novel by Guy Gavriel Kay. Published in 1990, this fantasy novel that explores identity and politics remains relevant for our times. The Winner of Aurora reward, this novel still has a lot to offer. As the Summer has just given way to Autumn, some of us might be in a somewhat blue, pensive, thoughtful and meditative mood. Simply perfect for a novel like this one. This transitional period is always an interesting one, and I do not just mean the often unpredictable weather forecast. In many ways, this transition between Summer and Autumn can be an inspirational and exciting one. When it comes to fashion and art, we might find inspiration in many ways. Why not use the change of seasons to inspire us, both in sense of fashion and other aspects of our life? Celebration is always a good idea. Happy Autumn everyone!

The sustainable outfit I'm sharing today combines Summer and Autumn. I'm styling a summer dress (my trusted blue Amadeus dress) and making it appropriate for Autumn. Just because the Summer has just ended, does not mean we cannot still wear our favourite summer dresses. During the recently ended Summer of 2025,  I have reviewed two novels by Guy Gavriel Kay: Ysabel and A Song for Arbonne. So, why not continue reviewing Kay and choose him as the first writer to review this Autumn? This time I will review a novel I have read quite some time ago. Don't worry, though. I have a pretty good memory. When it comes to books, my memory works even better. I would say that my reader memory is perhaps my strongest memory. Reading is what I tend to remember the best. Perhaps that explains why I read a lot. Without further ado, let's get to reviewing this blue novel and explaining this blue outfit. 

“In this world, where we find ourselves, we need compassion more than anything, I think, or we are all alone.”

 Guy Gavriel Kay, Tigana

TIGANA WAS THE FIRST KAY'S NOVEL I HAVE READ BUT IT WAS NOT THE LAST ONE!

Tigana is actually the first novel of Kay's that I have read was Tigana. If I remember correctly, I was around fifteen when I read Tigana, so basically an adolescent. At the time, my golden standard for fantasy was Tolkien, a writer I adored since I was a little girl. Falling in love with Tolkien's style at a young age, it took me a while to get used to other fantasy authors. While I still love Tolkien, I've grown to love other fantasy authors as well. I think that's a bit too young for this novel honestly. Most Kay's work are not exactly suitable for young adults. The only Kay's book that I read and that is suitable for adolescents and young adults is Ysabel. 

 As an adolescent, I was not the ideal reader to read Tigana. So, it is no surprise that it actually took some time for the story to grow on me. I think I was definitely a bit young to properly understand Tigana. I'm sure that if I read it today again, I would understand it better. However, there are advantages and disadvantages of everything. Had I not read Tigana at fifteen, I would perhaps never read any of Kay's novel. I did like Tigana, even at that age, it just was not the best pick for me at that time. However, I still remember it as a novel that introduced me to Guy Gavriel Gay and made me search for more of his writing. So, I'm really grateful for this novel. 

Over the years I have really fallen in love with Kay's writing. Two of his novels are especially close to my heart. Yes, A Song for Arbonne and Sailing into Sarantium remain among my top personal fantasy favourites. Now that I think of it, there was never a Kay novel that I read and did not like. I just liked some of them better than others. 

On overall, I really do enjoy Guy Gavriel Kay's writing style and the way he crafts his fantasy worlds. Kay often creates his fantasy worlds having in mind a specific historical period, and sometimes even real historical figures. As someone who likes history, this really appeals to me. As someone who loves fantasy, his unique blend of history and fantasy is especially fascinating and attractive. 

Kay does have a unique way of blending fantasy writing with history. Sailing into Sarantium is set in a world whose characters are based on real historical figures, for example emperor Justinian I (known as a man who never sleeps) becomes Valerious II in this novel and his empress Theodora (a former courtesan turned great ruler and empress) appears under name Aliana. Similarly, A Song for Arbonne features a setting that is based on twelve century Provence. Ysabel is set in the present day time and while it features a young adolescent protagonist, it also features characters from the times when ancient Romans invaded France (and Provence).

Is Tigana also based on a certain historical period? Yes, it is. Tigana is based on Renaissance Italy. So, like medieval Italy, it is basically a divided landscape we are talking about. When you look at the map of Tigana (Peninsula of the Palm),  it kind of looks like Italy if it were turned upside down and a bit more like a palm of a hand, and a little bit less like a boot. The shape of Tigana also resembles Greece, so that is another possible inspiration. Guy Gavriel Kay actually spoke of his inspirations in his afterword for tenth anniversary edition of Tigana,  and the full text of which you can find on Bright Weavings site: 

"....Another strand to mine, even before it was a story, came from reading early Italian Renaissance history. The record of that brilliant and brutal time brought home to me how long-delayed Italian coherence and identity was because of the savage feuding among the city-states. Internal warfare made them not only incapable of repelling the ambitions of France and Spain but led the Italian cities to take turns inviting them in – so long as the outside army did a proper job of raping and pillaging hated Milan or Venice or Florence or Pisa on behalf of whichever city had extended them an invitation. The boot of Italy became my Peninsula of the Palm, with the ambience of olive groves and vineyards I wanted, and my model for Brandin of Ygrath became that of a Borgia or Medici prince, arrogant, cultured, far too proud. Alberico, opposing him, was a crude, efficient Politburo survivor."

 According to Bright Weavings, an authorised site devoted to Kay's works, "Tigana involved a more eclectic set of readings than any of the books that came after, and I suppose that’s reflected in the range of themes in the book." This article site also lists a " personal selection here of those I drew upon..."

This selection includes: " The Civilization of the Renaissance ...and  Power and Imagination: City-States in Renaissance Italy by Lauro Martines. Both books make clear the degree to which the internecine feuding and warfare among the Italian cities left them wide open to invasion from outside. Two books by J. R. Hale are also very useful: War and Society in Renaissance Europe 1450-1620 and Renaissance Europe 1480-1520. Philippe Contamine’s War In the Middle Ages covers ground well into the early Renaissance and is (justly) seen as a classic text. ....On Florence (Firenze), which became a particular interest, the American scholar Gene Brucker seems to have spent his professional life doing wonderfully interesting work. I like everything he’s written. I’ll mention his major history, Renaissance Florence, an assembling of contemporary documents called The Society of Renaissance Florence, and a wonderful pairing of two merchants’ diaries called Two Memoirs of Renaissance Florence, along with another bit of detective work among the lives of people in the past entitled Giovanni and Lusanna: Love and Marriage in Renaissance Florence...." I will end my quote here but I recommend visiting this site for a full list. 

Speaking of that, here is a short description of Tigana from the same site. I enjoyed it and I recommend you reading all of it: 

 "Two sorcerors, one a petty lordling from Barbadior, the other the king of Ygrath, have come to the Peninsula from overseas, intent on conquest. Brandin, King of Ygrath, wants to carve out a realm for his beloved younger son, Stevan. Having conquered three of the nine provinces of the Palm, he sends Stevan to subjugate the next province whilst he faces Alberico, the other conqueror. Stevan is killed in battle by the people of that last province. Brandin, in bitterest grief, and in revenge against the people who killed his son, lays a curse on that province. After sweeping down and destroying the remnants of their army, burning their books and destroying their architecture and statuary, he makes it so that no one not born in that province can even hear its name. Tigana is a story of the struggle for identity and freedom in the face of brutal oppression... " 

I do agree that Tigana is a story about identity and search of freedom. It is also a wonderfully complex story, the kind that is not black and white, and that features nuanced characters that feel very much alive.

I love to hop by Bright Weavings to read about Kay's works. There are many interesting articles on this site, too many to link them all, so I recommend you to visit it. I'm sure that any fan of Guy Gavriel Kay will find something interesting to read there. I do like to share a good page or source when I find one. It is important to give credit to real people. With AI just copying everything, now more than ever we should appreciate the intellectual effort people put into sites about literature and writers. 

On this site I learned that: "GGK wrote a new afterword for the publication of a tenth anniversary edition of Tigana, in which he discusses the ideas that led him to write the book." and found a link to that foreword.

Anyway, back to the topic and that is my blue review of Tigana.

TIGANA, A FANTASY NOVEL BY GUY GAVRIEL KAY INSPIRED BY MEDIEVAL WORLD

Now, the introduction to this novel is really well written. Tigana is one fantasy book whose opening really drew me in. Early on, I was emotionally invested into the narrative. We are introduced to a group of rebels. So, who are they are who are they rebelling against?

There are rebels who want freedom and seek to dispose of Brandin, who is from their perspective a ruthless dictator. Let us take a step back for a second. 

I already wrote that Tigana the novel is based on medieval Italy. Like it was case with many medieval countries, this Pennisula is divided into provinces that are often fighting for power, one way or another.

What kind of a world is Tigana the novel really set in? The setting for this novel is the so called Peninsula of the Palm, a map of which we can see at the start of the novel. The world as such is unnamed, but we do learn the names of the provinces of this Pennisula (that occupy the Southern Hemisphere). The names of the provinces are: Asoli, Astibar, Certando, Chiara, Corte, Ferraut, Senzio, Tregea and Tigana. It is perhaps important to note that while these provinces may share a tongue and even culture, they are definitely not a single nation and they have their own distinctive identities. Tigana is of special interest to us as readers obviously, and to rebels as well as their very identity is under attack. One of the themes of this novel is identity. 

During the wars that took place before the novel starts, Brandin attacked and defeated Tigana and then he used his powerful magic to erase it from the mind of people, to literally remove the name and history of Tigana from the minds of the population.  It is an act of supreme cruelty. Only those born before the invasion can remember Tigana as being something more than an insignificant part of neighbouring Corte province.

Those born after this event cannot even say the name of Tigana. The author does not go into detail as to what kind of powerful magic it took for such an act. Magic is not much dwelled on in this novel. We never learn the details of using magic, for example. There is no talk of magical formulas and explanations of magic as a phenomenon. However, the consequences of magic are very real in this novel, particularly of Brandin's magic. He renamed Tigana Lower Corte in order to make it seem even less significant. In the novel, one of the survivors Dianora is said to have remembered the exact moment she's called her home Lower Corde. Indeed, the act of calling their land Lower Corte is for Tigana's people described as a fish hook in the soul. A painful thing, indeed! 

Dianora could remember, with jagged, sharp-edged clarity, the first time she’d called her home Lower Corte. They all could, all the survivors: it was, for each of them, a moment embedded like a fish hook in the soul. The dead of Deisa, First or Second, were the lucky ones, so the phrase went that year.

What compelled Brandin to delete the name of Tigana from the minds of population? His motivation for such an act was the death of his son. If you think about it, an act like this is in fact a cultural genocide, an eradication of people. If you think about it some more, you will realize that in the past there were attempts to delete events from the memory and change the past. In fact, such events are still present. The magic Brandin used must have been powerful. However, it seems that magic is not enough as there are still those who remember Tigana.  So, even the most powerful sorcerer cannot completely remove the memory of one's country (or province) from the minds of its people. Those who lived before the magic was cast can still remember it. However, their memory is often a bitter one, as they cannot share it with younger ones. 

Tigana is a province that resisted most fiercely. Moreover, it seems there are still those who want to fight to save its soul. The idea of Tigana being banned from minds of people appealed to me. I found it very realistic somehow, both the idea of banning and removing the memory of Tigana, and the idea of memory still lingering. For those who remember it, Tigana is a part of their identity, their core and their soul. They are fighting for more than just land. They are fighting for its essence, the culture and identity of Tigana, and in a way for their souls. 

Brandin is not the only sorcerer in this book, but the other one is not much dwelled upon even if he  obviously plays a part in the plot. Brandin is a king, and the other one is described as a mere lording.  Between them two, they have divided the pennisula in a fragile balance of power. They rule separately and are not on good terms. So, the rebels actually see hope in trying to turn these two sorcerers one against another.

My favourite character in this book was Dianora, a woman from Tigana. In some of the chapters (the quotes below are from the eight chapter), the narration follows Dianora. While the novel is narrated by the third person all knowing narrator, some characters are favoured in some chapters. In chapter eight for example, we learn a lot about Dianora. She is to become one of the central characters in the book. Through the narration, we learn some of her thoughts. At this point in the novel, she is sixteen and her brother only fifteen. Their childhood and youth was robbed by the war. We learn of the horrors of the bloody conflict and the defeat of Tigana. 

 "She watched her brother come into a bitter maturity that first summer and fall, grieving for his vanished smile, laughter lost, the childhood too soon gone, not knowing how deeply the same hard lessons and absences were etched in her own hollow, unlovely face. She was sixteen in the late summer, he turned fifteen in the fall. She made a cake on his naming day, for the apprentice, the one old woman, her mother, her brother and herself. They had no guests; assembly of any kind was forbidden throughout that year. Her mother had smiled when Dianora gave her a slice of the dark cake – but Dianora had known the smile had nothing to do with any of them.

     Her brother had known it too. Preternaturally grave he had kissed his mother on the forehead and then his sister, and had gone out into the night. It was, of course, illegal to be abroad after nightfall, but something kept driving him out to walk the streets, past the random fires that still smouldered on almost every corner. It was as if he was daring the Ygrathen patrols to catch him. To punish him for having been fourteen in the season of war.

     Two soldiers were knifed in the dark that fall. Twenty death-wheels were hoisted in swift response. Six women and five children were among those bound aloft to die. Dianora knew most of them; there weren’t so very many people left in the city, they all knew each other. The screaming of the children, then their diminishing cries were things she needed shelter from in her nights forever after."

Dianora witnesses things that will traumatize her until the end of her days. The food is scarce, and she tries to feed what is left of her family. Every day she can see soldiers bullying her brother and their friends, taunting them with Tigana's name, asking them to name their country Lower Corte.  One day, her brother defies the soldiers and at risk of his own life, he says the name of his country. Dianora's brother is then beaten up, and she watches on horrified but with dries eyes. Only after he leaves, does Dianora cry her tears for him. 

  "  And that much, looking around, the soldiers could see plainly and understand. It was written in the faces gathered around them. He had done only what they themselves had ordered him to do, but the game had been turned inside out, it had turned out wrong in some way they could but dimly comprehend.

    They beat him of course.

    With their fists and feet and with the flats of their cared-for blades. Naddo too – for being there and so a part of it. The crowd did not disperse though, which would have been the usual thing when a beating took place. The only sound was that of the blows falling, for neither boy cried out and the soldiers did not speak.

    When it was over they scattered the crowd with oaths and imprecations. Crowds were illegal, even though they themselves had caused this one to form. In a few moments everyone was gone. There were only faces behind half-drawn curtains at upstairs windows looking down on a square empty save for two boys lying in the settling dust, blood bright on their clothing in the clear light. There had been birds singing all around and all through what had happened. Dianora could remember.

    She forced herself to remain where she was. Not to run down to them. To let them do this alone, as was their right. And at length she saw her brother rise with the slow, meditated movements of a very old man. She saw him speak to Naddo and then carefully help him to his feet. And then, as she had known would happen, she saw him, begrimed and bleeding and hobbling very badly, lead Naddo east without a backwards look, towards the site where they were assigned to work that day.

     She watched them go. Her eyes were dry. Only when the two of them turned the corner at the far end of the square and so were gone from sight did she leave her window. Only then did she loosen her white-clawed hold on the wood of the window-ledge. And only then, invisible to everyone with her curtains drawn, did she allow her tears to fall: in love, and for his hurts, and in terrible pride."

Kay's writing in Tigana is wonderfully poetical. This novel is truly beautifully written and it adds so much to the atmosphere of the story.  Guy Gavriel Kay writes as someone who is in love with the words, as someone who understands their poetry, and evokes their meanings with pleasure: 

 “He sang one whole verse directly to her, then, in fidelity to the song, he sent his vision inward to where his purest music was always found, and he looked at no one at all as he sang to Eanna herself, a hymn to names and the naming of things.”

As this novel progresses, we learn more about the tyrant Brandin. The writer is clever to first introduce us to the rebels who kind of paint the sorcerer in the worst light. However, then we see him through the eyes of the woman who has fallen in love with him (avoiding to name her to avoid the spoilers) and we see another side to him. Whatever else he might be, Brandin is intelligent.

“The truer measure of power, Brandin had once said to her, wouldn't be found in having twenty heralds deafen a room by proclaiming one's arrival. Any fool in funds for a day could rivet attention that way. The more testing course, the truer measure, was to enter unobtrusively and observe what happened.”  quoted from Tigana

A king that is hero to his people is a villain to other people. One thing that I love about Kay's writing is how complex it often is. Nothing is truly black or white, there is a lot of grey areas in life. Moreover. Kay's writing is often quote philosophical. His novel really make you think, and I sure love that in a book.

a gif with photographs of my outfit

“It's the simple truth that mortal men cannot understand why the gods shape events as they do. Why some men and women are cut off in fullest flower, while others live to dwindle into shadows of themselves. Why virtue must sometimes be trampled and evil flourish amidst the beauty of a country garden. Why chance, sheer random chance, plays such an overwhelming role in the life lines and fate lines of men.”

I've been meaning to reread this book before I post my review, but I haven't managed to find the time, So, I had to  rely on memory and consult quotes for this book review. Some things are a bit dim in my memory. Not the plot itself, but the motivations of certain characters.  This is not strange, for I read Tigana more than two decades ago. As I already said, I might have been too young to fully appreciate it when I read it. I certainly could understand the Kundera's references Kay spoke about in that afterword I mentioned. I definitely understand them better now, having read Kundera. I understand how conquest and war trauma can have lasting effects on an individual. It is much easier for me to connect some of the ideas of Tigana now. Therefore, it is possible that I might warm up to Tigana even more on the second reading. I would certainly enjoy it more fully. 

 I did that with the second novel by Kay that I have read--A Song for Arbonne. I liked it the first time I read it, but loved it the second and the third time I reread it. Some novels need to be reread to be fully understand, and I think this might be one of those novels. I hope I'll get the chance to reread Tigana. Maybe my opinion won't change, maybe it will. I'm really curious myself.

For now, I remember Tigana as an original and wonderful story that managed to draw me in but failed to win we over completely. I enjoyed it a lot, but I didn't fall in love with this novel. Not the way I did with the others. Still, I really liked this novel. 

Why I did not like Tigana as much as some other Kay novels? It is certainly in many ways a succesful novel. The setting is well written, and so is the plot. There are some slow parts, but on overall it is enjoyable. Perhaps I just couldn't resonate with the characters. With the exception of Dianora, the characters failed to truly capture my heart.

Perhaps I was too young when I read it first and too grossed out with some of the things. Now, I understand that in the context of the story, some things really made sense. The psychology of the conquered nations is obviously affected by the conquest. War trauma is very much real, and it affects the generations to come.

 When I read some passages in this novel, I remember thinking :'What is with the incest and fantasy books? Does every sister have to sleep with her brother?' Still, in this novel could find justification for it. Incest can be caused by psychological trauma and that could be the reason it happened in this one. It is not there for the shock factor, it really does make sense in the context of war trauma, especially for this family. 

There were quite a few things and details I liked about this novel, from the world building to little details. Rusalka, the mythological creature in a form of a woman that briefly appears is obviously based on Slavic water fairies named Rusalke and it fit really well into the story. 

“One man sees a riselka: his life forks there.
 Two men see a riselka: one of them shall die.
 Three men see a riselka: one is blessed, one forks, one shall die.

One woman sees a riselka: her path comes clear to her.
 Two women see a riselka: one of them shall bear a child.
 Three women see a riselka: one is blessed, one is clear, one shall bear a child.”

Guy Gavriel Kay, Tigana

The word Tigana describes has some resemblance with Italy in its shape, and Italy is a clear inspiration. However, Kay might have based some elements of the story on other European countries as well.

 Anyhow, I liked the appearance of this creature and how it fit in the story. As far as I can remember, it is the only supernatural creature in the book. There were more of them in his other works, unless I'm mistaken. 

Another thing I liked is the setting, that reminds me of Europe of middle ages, a lot of divided regions functioning almost independently. I also loved how small details made this world seem more real, like the descriptions of the religion. 

“She lifted her hands and closed them around his head... and it seemed to Catriana in that moment as if that newborn trialla in her soul began to sing. Of trials endured and trials to come, of doubt and dark and all the deep uncertainties that defined the outer boundaries of mortal life, but with love now present at the base of it all, like light, like the first stone of a rising tower. ”
Guy Gavriel Kay, Tigana

I guess that it mostly that the characters didn't won me over completely. Some of them did, and so did their actions, just not all of them. I do remember the characters, but not in detail. Some of them really stayed with me, but others did not and I suppose it made all the difference. I remember what some of the characters  did, but not how that felt or why- or I just haven't cared for that or it was overshadowed by other things. 

 I loved the idea of a woman falling in love with a man she planned to kill- that made sense to me. Love and hate can be strangely connected. Pretending to love someone can bridge that gap. Sometimes we play the part too well. Living with someone, we get to know them. It is hard to hate someone you truly get to know. Love is sometimes find not in the new and exciting but in the familiar. That whole part of the novel was well written. A believable love story is always good, and when it is love against all the odds, it is even better. 

 All in all, there were many thing I liked about this novel. However, there were also some things that left me unimpressed. As I said, it was perhaps mostly the characters. I wanted to know more about some of them. Tigana is a lovely and complex novel but something seems to be missing.  In comparison, I enjoyed  A Song for Arbonne ( that one also has that two moon thing  and that middle ages society setting but it is not the same world) and Sailing to Sarantium (that was based on Byzantine Empire) more then this one.

     Still, I would recommend this one especially to fans of this writer.

“He gave them what they demanded of him, he obeyed the command, but not sullenly or diffidently, and not in shame. Rooted in the land of his fathers, standing before the home of his family he looked towards the sun and let a name burst forth from his soul.

'Tigana!' he cried that all should hear. All of them, everyone in the square. And again, louder yet: 'Tigana!' And then a third, a last time, at the very summit of his voice, with pride, with love, with a lasting, unredeemed defiance of the heart.

'TIGANA!'

Through the square that cry rang, along the streets, up to the windows where people watched, over the roofs of houses running westward to the sea or eastward to the temples, and far beyond all of these-- a sound, a name, a hurled sorrow in the brightness of the air.” ....quoted from  Tigana

...and  a photo with my photographer and husband.

THE SUSTAINABLE OUTFIT STORY- HOW I WORE THESE ITEMS BEFORE?

I have actually worn this outfit last Spring in Mostar, but I'm presenting it to you as an example of Autumn styling. This is of course something that I do wear these days. In this outfit, there is quite a bit of layering. I layered a white sleeveless shirt under this blue Amadeus dress. I also layered this dress with blue tights. I wore a mint blazer over it. When it comes to accessories I choose a red bag and a striped scarf with red in it. I often use a scarf to tie and secure my hair. It can look tres chic when done right. The slick back hairstyle is always a safe bet, especially with a statement scarf securing the bun. The shoes I opted for are my pale pink heeled boots. I also wore a pair of black sunglasses and a pair of golden statement earringy. This was a comfortable outfit to wear, and aesthetically I was happy with it. The mix of blue and mint worked well. The red touches fit in well as well. I feel good wearing it. I'm happy I figured how to layer this summer dress. I even wear it in in winter time now. The light colours can be very appealing. You can still get a colourful look even with light colours. You can also combine light colours with darker ones. The darkest colour in this outfit is the pair of burgundy tights. Maybe next time I will try this same outfit with lighter tights and see how that will influence proportions. 

THE WHITE SHIRT WITH A BEADED COLLAR- a second hand find

I think this is actually the first time I'm wearing this sleeveless shirt on my blog. I have worn it a couple of times by now, but the photographs must have not made it to the blog. I distinctly remember wearing it to work a couple of times, back when I worked at school that had a black and white uniform code. This sleeveless shirt is very practical for layering. I often layer it under clothes. I do like the statement collars with beads. It's like wearing a necklace!

THE MINT BLAZER/JACKET WITH NO COLLAR - inherited, second hand. This is an item of clothing that I have illustrated. Maybe I will illustrate it again. Who knows? It is one of the favourite pieces in my closet. It is light, so it is perfect for transitional period. I wear it in all seasons. In Winter, I wear it under jackets and coats. In Summer, I wear it when I need an additional layer. In Spring and Autumn, I often layer my outfits with it. 

See how I styled it:

1) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2019/08/8-ways-to-style-white-ruffled-tunics.html

Back in 2019, I shared a look with this mint blazer and a white tunics. 

2) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/12/fashion-illustration-friday-mint-blazer.html

Back in 2021, I illustrated this vintage mint blazer. 

A WATERCOLOUR ILLUSTRATION: A VINTAGE MINT BLAZER- This is a quick watercolour sketch of my outfit featuring this mint long blazer or a jacket.

3) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/05/what-i-wore-six-outfits-one-bag.html

One more post from 2021. This post features six outfits and one of them includes this mint blazer.

4) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2013/04/todays-outfitdanasnja-odjevna.html

Back in 2013, I styled this vintage blazer with fun tights, a mini skirt and a white shirt.

5 ) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/07/45-ways-to-style-plastic-yellow-bag.html

Back in 2021, I browsed my archives to find 45 ways to style a yellow bag. Among those outfits, I found another styling with this mint blazer. 

6) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/05/inspired-by-vintage-edition-of-anna.html

In 2024, I wore this vintage mint blazer with a brown vintage midi skirt and a Stanka Zovko blouse. 

7) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2017/04/using-acrylic-paint-to-paint-on-shoes.html

Back in 2017, I wore it with a high waisted black pencil skirt under which I layered a grey sweater dress and finished the look with snake print heels.

8) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2016/05/ethno-village-to-be-etno-selo-koje-ce.html

In 2016, I wore this mint blazer with leggings and a pair of caramel boots.

9) MINT BLAZER WORN WITH BLUE JEANS AND STRIPED STARTAS SNEAKERS 

10) MINT BLAZER WORN WITH A WHITE TUNICS,  BLACK LEGGINGS  AND BIKER BOOTS

11) with a pencil skirt, a blue statement necklace, a pair of heels and  sweater dress

THE LIGHT BLUE MIDI DRESS WITH PLEATS- from Croatian brand Amadeus

This dress was one of my best purchases. I wear it all the time and I always feel good wearing it.

1. HERE - WITH SANDALS AND A MINI RATAN BAG

2. HERE- WITH STATEMENT NECKLACES AND A SUMMER STRAW BAG

3 & 4. HERE- TWO WAYS TO STYLE THIS DRESS

5. HERE- WITH BLUE TIGHTS, a white blazer and a pair of pink heels

6. HERE- LAYERED WITH A RED BLAZER AND A GREY COAT

7. HERE - WITH COMFORTABLE TROPICAL SANDALS

8.HOW TO STYLE A PALE BLUE SUMMER DRESS? Here I wore it with leopard heels and a white vintage blazer.

9.  Blue dress worn with a leopard denim jacket, a pair of leopard heels and a black belt bag.

10. Blue dress styled for winter with a burgundy tartan winter jacket, brown boots and a bag.

11. With a brown leather winter coat with faux fur collar

12. With a pair of black flip flop sandals and a straw bag for a summer visit to Jelsa

THE STRIPED SCARF- vintage

https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2025/01/friday-illustration-and-miss-harriet-by.html

https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2019/10/new-outfits.html

THE RED MINI CROSS OVER BAG  (gifted)

1) In 2025, I styled this red bag with a maxi green knit dress, biker boots and a beige coat. 

2-3) In this post, I styled this red bag with two feminine ferry outfits, one featuring a grey dress and a neon blazer and the other an Ozz set from designer Stanka Zovko.

4) In this 2025 post, I wore it with a pink polka dot dress.

5)  It was also worn with a floral print ruffled mini dress in 2025.

6)....and with a golden metallic dress, black heels and burgundy tights in 2025.

7) with a geometric print dress for a visit to Trogir in 2025.

THE BURGUNDY TIGHTS- no name,  I don't remember when and where I bought them. I actually have a few pairs of the same burgundy tights. You could say that burgundy tights are a key feature in my wardrobe. 

See how I styled them here:

https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2025/07/ysabel-by-guy-gavriel-kay-book-review.html

https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2024/10/supporting-local-designers-in-mostar.html

https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/10/two-sporty-floral-outfits-featuring.html

https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/09/layering-pink-pleated-dress-with-subtle.html

https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/09/two-more-ways-to-wear-long-sleeved-grey.html

THE PINK LACED UP HEELED BOOTS- no name, bought in a Retro shop in Mostar. 

This pair is a 2025 purchase and you know what? I have already illustrated them. I bought them in Spring time and I have already got a lot of wears out of them. 

1) In this recent post, I paired these pink heeled boots with a teddy bear coat, a maxi green knit dress and a tote bag.  It's also an outfit I illustrated so this means this is the second time I illustrated this pair of laced up high heeled boots!

2-3) In this suit themed post where you can also see more ways to style this pair of pink laced up heels. More precisely, I wore them with two outfits, both of whom featured a grey suit but worn with different coats and accessories. 

4-7) In this post, I wore this pair of laced up heeled boots with three outfits featuring a pink polka dot dress. I showed you 3 outfits with this pair of spink shoes, an outfit where I layered the polka dot dress under a Bellissima skirt, where I wore a grey trousers under the dress and where I wore the dress with sheer thighs and a white blazer. All of these outfits featured these boots.

8) In this recent 2025 post, I showed you how I styled this pair of pink boots with a burgundy bag, a black dress with golden polka dots, black flares and a burgundy checkered jacket. I also illustrated that outfit!

9) In this outfit (that I have also illustrated) I paired with with a yellow jumpsuit and a magenta coat.

So, that is all for today. I travelled down the memory lane with my outfit. I recalled all the times I wore a certain item. Sustainable fashion for me is about telling stories with our clothes. It is about treasuring what we have. It is about creating memories with our clothes. 

Clothes can tell stories. Clothes can help us create fun memories. If you give in  to modern day shopping and consumerism, you will not be able to create much memories with clothes. Worse than the ecological impact of fast fashion is perhaps the impact it has on our souls. Consumerism corrupts. Consumerism kills imagination and creativity. Sustainability heals not just our planet but our minds. It teaches us to be grateful. It teaches us to appreciate what we have. 

Sustainability is more than a fashionable word for me. It is a responsibility, but the kind of responsibility that heals and gives meaning to life. Sustainability brings us closer. It makes us care. It teaches us it is alright to rewear clothes, to appreciate items we have and to reread books. We do not always have to be in a rush to consume and consumer. We can take a breath and relax. Breathe in and out. Think. Live. Remember.

The book I reviewed today is about memory and identity. Our memory and identity is also threatened by materialism and consumerism.  So, I think it is appropriate that I connect the novel Tigana with the sustainability talk. 

Sometimes we have to fight for our identity and culture. Sometimes we have to fight to keep the memory of things that matter. 

May what you have found beautiful and meaningful not fade away in the rush of every day life!

Hold onto beauty!

“The land is never truly dead. It can always come back. Or what is the meaning of the cycle of seasons and years?" She wiped her tears away and looked at him.

His expression in the darkness was much too sad for a moment such as this. She wished she knew a way to dispel that sorrow, and not only for tonight. He said, "That is mostly true, I suppose. Or true for the largest things. Smaller things can die. People, dreams, a home.”  Tigana

Do not let what matters die! Beauty and meaning are something we have to find by ourselves. We have to think with our heads. We have to treasure our own identity and culture. 

Another styling of this dress, an outfit that was featured in a book review!

MORE FANTASY READING RECOMMENDATIONS 

When I think of Kay and Tigana, a few more authors come to my mind mainly:  A. Sapkowski, Ursula K. Le Guin, Leigh Bardugo, Johanatan Strout, R. Zelazny and George R.R. Martin. 

SAPKOWSKI CREATES A BLEAK BUT MIGHTLY IMPRESSIVE FANTASY WORLD

If you like fantasy, maybe you would enjoy the Polish author A. Sapkowski? Here are links to all the Witcher books I reviewed! In the Witcher universe, you can also read a lot about identity and the effects of wars. 

1) THE LAST WISH 2) SWORD OF DESTINY   3) BLOOD OF ELVES

4) TIME OF CONTEMPT 5) BAPTISM OF FIRE  6) THE TOWER OF THE SWALLOW  7) THE LADY OF THE LAKE

URSULA K. LE GUIN IS ONE OF THE GREATEST WRITER EVER, AND HER FANTASY WORKS ARE MARKED BY PHILOSOPHICAL THEMES 

Ursula K. Le Guin is another fantasy author I would like to recommend. Many of her novels also feature complex philosophical subjects. Her Earthsea circle focuses on magic and its effects, some of which are as devastating as those described in Tigana:

1) A WIZARD OF EARTHSEA, THE FIRST  NOVEL IN THE EARTHSEA CYCLE

2) THE TOMBS OF ATUAN, THE SECOND EARTHSEA NOVEL

 3) THE FARTHEST SHORE, THE THIRD EARTHSEA NOVEL

4) TENAHU, THE FOURTH EARTHSEA NOVEL 

Moreover, a number of her works focus on war torn societies and suppressed identity. Ursula often explores complex subjects in her works. Check out a number of her works below

1. THE WORD FOR WORLD IS A FOREST  (A NOVELLA)- This novella is an absolute masterpiece! Poetically written, profoundly serious and wonderfully imaginative, The Word for World is a Forest is an exceptional book. The story Le Guin created is a incredibly tragic and sad one, but it rings absolutely true in its sadness and tragedy. 

2. THE TELLING (A NOVEL)- The Telling in the novel's title is actually a philosophy (or a religion if you will) based on Taoism. I loved Le Guin's take on Taoist inspired religion/philosophy know as 'The Telling' in the novel. 

3. THE LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS (A NOVEL)- The Left Hand of Darkness is a brilliant novel set on a planet whose culture is quite different from our own. It questions gender identity in the most brilliant of ways. This is a novel way ahead of its time. 

4. THE DISPOSSESSED (A NOVEL)- The Dispossessed is an Utopian (at times Dystopian) philosophical science fiction novel with a developed plot, charismatic protagonist and detailed world building. 

LEIGH BARDUGO IS A RELATIVELY NEW FANTASY AUTHOR THAT DOES HISTORICAL FANTASY WRITING JUSTICE!

Another fantasy author I'd like to suggest to you is Leigh Bardugo. Her novels are not as complex and deep as Ursula K. Le Guin or Kay's writing, but her Shadow and Bone trilogy is worth a read. Like Tigana, these books are inspired by a certain historical period and place. Bardugo places her grisha heroes in a place that is clearly inspired imperialist Russia. She creates a . I also found her views and portrayal of magic and grisha abilities very interesting and in some ways quite original. Like calls to like. 

1. SHADOW AND BONE BY LEIGH BARDUGO

2.SIEGE AND STORM 

3.  RUIN AND RISING BY LEIGH BARDUGO

Finally, if you want another great fantasy recommendation placed in the world of magic, 

The Golem's Eye by Jonathan Stroud is a safe bet!

Thank you!