IVAN ARALICA, GRMOVI DIVLJIH RUŽA (OGLED / BOOK REVIEW)
Hello dear readers and fellow bloggers! I've read a stunning book and I want to share it all with you. I've shared many books reviews with you, so why not one or many more? In this post I shall review Bushes of Wild Roses, a novel by Croatian writer Ivan Aralica. As you might have noticed, I'm quite fond of this writer. Presently in his nineties, Aralica continues writing and publishing. This book could also be considered a collection of short stories, but since these stories all focus on the protagonist of the novel Blaža, it makes sense to call it a novel. The framed narrative that this book employs works beautifully in the context of the story itself. Blaža makes for a fascinating female protagonist, strong and gentle at the same time. Her personality is rich, complex and layered, but she is essentially a virtuous person. I found her very inspiring. Speaking of virtue, there is a didactic element to the stories. The stories are filled with moral lessons. This Aralica's book seems contemporary and traditional at the same time.
I'm really glad I picked up this novel in a library in Jelsa. The library in Jelsa is really nice. Of course, I returned the book after finishing it. Now I'm thinking of whether I should purchase a copy. The copy I read was quite beautiful with a stunning red hard cover. While we shouldn't judge a book by its cover, a beautiful cover still helps. As Marilyn Monroe's character Lorrelei Lee said in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes- You wouldn't marry a girl just because she's pretty, but goodness does it not help? So, it is with book cover. It does not hurt if they are beautiful. For me a beautiful book feels like a double work of art, containing both the art of words and the art of design.
Besides this book review, I'll also take you for a walk around gorgeous Jelsa on island Hvar. While already there, I'll also show you two outfits I wore for strolling Croatian seaside. Is there anything more beautiful then the sea? If there is, I do not know it. It is such a blessing to live near the sea. Ready for a virtual walk by the sea?
Pozdrav mojim čitateljima i kolegama blogerima! Pročitah jednu prekrasnu knjigu, pa procijenih kako vrijeme je za podijeliti novi ogled knjige. Puno književnih ogleda podijelih sa vama, a vjerojatno je će ih biti još u budućnosti. Zašto ne? Danas ću podijelit svoj ogled za knjigu Grmovi divljih ruža Ivana Aralica. Neki od vas možda i primjetiše kako volim ovog pisca. U svojim devedestima Aralica još uvijek piše i objavljuje. Ova knjiga može se smatrati i zbirkom kratkih priča, ali pošto su sve usmjerene na istog lika, junakinju knjige Blažu, ima smisla smatrato je i romanom. Složena narativna struktura knjige odlično se uklapa u priču i daje piscu da nam se obrati. Priča o Blaži zapravo stiže do nas gotovo zaobilaznim putem. Blaža priča svoje životne priče Aralicinoj ženi znajući da će ih ona podijelit s Aralicom, zatim žena prenosi priču Aralici, a Aralica s nama dijeli sve to, priča o pisanju kao te konačno priča njezinu priču. Blaža je fascinatni protagonist, istovremeno snaža i blaga žena. Njena osobnost bogata je i složena, a u osnovi je moralna osoba u kojoj živi vrlina i meni je kao junakinja bila vrlo inspirativna. Govoreći o vrlini, smatram bitnim naglasiti da ima didaktički element u ovim pričama, one zaista u sebi nose niz moralnih pouka. Na neki način ova je knjiga moderna, a na neki ipak tradicionalna.
Gdje pronađoh Aralicu? U knjižnici u Jelsi, a Jelsa baš ima lijepu knjižnicu koju rado posjećujem. Naravno knjigu sam vratila kada sam je pročitala, ali izdanje je tako divno, s upečatljivim crvenim naslovom da se upitah ne bih li nju trebala kupiti? Lijepa je knjiga zapravo umjetničko djelo dvostrukog ostvarenja, prvo kao umjetnost riječi, a onda kao umjetnost oblika, slika i dizajna. Književnost definiramo kao umjetnost riječi, a likovne umjetnosti kao umjetnost oblika. Nije li lijepa knjiga i jedno i drugo. Često pomislim na onu poslovicu da ne treba knjigu suditi prema koricama, ali u isto vrijeme mislim da ne škodi kada su korice lijepe. Osim knjige, pokazat ću vam i održive odjevne kombinacije, a i malo vas provesti prekrasnom Jelsom. Spremni za virualnu šetnju uz more? Doista, ako ima nešto ljepše u prirodi od mora, ja to još nisam pronašla.
What kind of novel is Bushes of Wild Roses by Ivan Aralica?
It is a partly historical, and partly biographical postmodernist novel. I already mentioned that it can also be read as a collection of short stories featuring the same female protagonist. However, the way these stories are organized and connected with the main narrative makes me consider this book- a novel.
This book employs framed narrative. A double or triple framed narrative in a way. It is told from the perspective of its writer Ivan Aralica. At times it feels almost like a diary. Aralica talks about his personal life, marriage, and family. He talks about writing. He tells us how his wife inherited this house by the sea, and they renovated it. Their neighbour was Blaža. This neighbour helped them sort out some things concerning the house. It is implied Blaža did it because she has respect for the writer. The two of them are on very friendly terms. As the novel progresses, you realize it is a sophisticated and precious friendship.
As in his other works, postmodernist devices are uses subtly in this this novel. The elements of magic realism are almost entirely absent from this work. This novel feels more like a realistic novel with elements of postmodernism than anything else. I mentioned that it is didactic. The stories come with a moral message. There is also a touch of philosophy in it. The writer questions philosophical questions, such as the nature or life and art.
Djelomično je to povijesni, a dijelom postmodernistički roman s biografskim i autobiografskim elementima. Već sam rekla da se može čitati i kao zbrika pripovjetki s istom junakinjom. No, sam način na koji je ova knjiga organizirana, kombinacija pripovjedanja, kratkih priča koje su međusobno povezane tematski a i sa glavnim pripovjedačem, sve me to navodi da ovu knjigu nazovem romanom.
Ova knjiga koristi uokvirenu naraciju. Na neki način dvostruku ili trostruku uokvirenu naraciju. Pripovijedana je iz perspektive pisca Ivana Aralice. Ponekad se čini gotovo kao dnevnik. Aralica govori o svom osobnom životu, braku i obitelji. Govori o pisanju. Priča nam kako je njegova supruga naslijedila ovu kuću uz more i kako su je renovirali. Njihova susjeda bila je Blaža. Ova susjeda im je pomogla riješiti neke stvari u vezi s kućom. Implicira se da je Blaža to učinila jer poštuje pisca. Njih dvoje su u vrlo prijateljskim odnosima. Kako roman napreduje, shvaćate da se radi o sofisticiranom i dragocjenom prijateljstvu.
Kao i u njegovim drugim djelima, postmodernistički elementi su suptilno korišteni u ovom romanu. Elementi magičnog realizma gotovo su u potpunosti odsutni iz ovog djela. Ovaj roman više djeluje kao realistični roman s elementima postmodernizma nego bilo čega drugog. Spomenuo sam da je didaktičan. Priče dolaze s moralnom porukom. U njemu postoji i dašak filozofije. Pisac propituje filozofska pitanja, poput prirode ili života i umjetnosti.
As the narrative shifts from the person person narration by the author himself to the third person narration in the form of the stories, we learn more and more about both the author and Blaža. One of the things I really loved about this book is that their subtle friendship seems so genuine. It is one of those friendships that are not loud or noticeable, but become more defining and strong with time.
We learn that Ivan has a really friend relationship with Blaža who is an older women, a chatty and fun granny basically. Ivan brings her presents quite often, and she always jokes about it, being both surprised and glad by these small tokens of appreciation. What kind of gifts are they? Little things, like fresh fruits or something he saw at the open market and thought she might like. Blaža is a talented narrator herself. She is good with the words, and people enjoying hearing what she says.
Blaža spends her evening doing embroidery or knitting ( needle work) and talking with other women. One of these women is author's wife. Ivan does not attend these evening talks, rather he closes himself in the study and works on his novels. Sometimes he looks at the stars.
Somewhere along the way in the novel, it is mentioned how Blaža found out that Ivan Aralica likes to look at the stars. So, Blaža had transferred some legal rights to his wife (something connected with the property laws) so that the two of them could more easily resolve the situation around the house. In other words, Blaža did a good neighborly deed. It gives some background to the story of their friendship, something that Ivan feels indebted to her for, and it is not exactly about the house itself, but more about Blaža's kindness.
Ivan is grateful even though the house is a burden to him and he is not exactly thrilled with his wife's desire to renovate it. He admits that he does love gazing at the night sky and the stars. Moreover, the writer's insight reveals to Aralica the subtlety and gentleness of Blaža's soul. Blaža appreciates his art, he appreciates literature, the art of words, and therefore wants him, as a writer, to be able to look at the stars.
The story of Blaža and Ivan's friendship starts to make more and more sense. It seems that Blaža really has respect for Ivan's work. She never tells him her life stories personally. She wouldn't dream of something like that. Still, a part of her perhaps wants to be preserved in his literary world. So, what does she do? Blaža tells stories of her childhood and youth to Aralica's wife, who in turn tells it to him. Aralica is sure that Blaža is well aware that Aralica's wife will tell him everything she heard that night. Of course, Aralica will then tell it to us. A complex narrative indeed!
So, what are the stories themselves like? Well, they focus on tears. Different tears that our lovely Blaža has cried over her long time. However, at the same time these stories are very uplifting. Blaža cries, but she always picks herself up and becomes stronger for it. Every tear serves to adds both hardness and gentleness to her character. As she grows up, Blaža becomes more hardened to the harsh realities of life, but she also becomes more gentle with both herself and the others. In other words, she grows like a character.
These stories by themselves had a distinctly folklore and traditional feel to me. The style of the stories is realism enriched with folklore and tradition. Paired with the autobiographical passages and the more philosophical first person narrative, this book turns into a postmodernist masterpiece. Simultaneously rooted in tradition and modern times, this book can speak to us all.
HR
Kako se narativ pomiče od pripovijedanja u prvom licu samog autora do pripovijedanja u trećem licu u obliku priča, saznajemo sve više i više o autoru i o Blaži. Jedna od stvari koja mi se veoma svidjela kod ove knjige jest prijateljstvo Blaže i Ivana, to što se njihovo suptilno prijateljstvo čini tako iskrenim. To je jedno od onih prijateljstava koja nisu glasna ili odmah primjetna, ali s vremenom postaju jasnija i jača te ponekad i definiraju naše živote.
Saznajemo da Ivan ima pravi prijateljski odnos s Blažom, koja je starija žena, u osnovi pričljiva i zabavna bakica koju rado posjećuju druge žene. Ivan joj često donosi poklone, a ona se uvijek šali na taj račun, istovremeno iznenađena i sretna tim malim znacima zahvalnosti. Kakvi su to pokloni? Sitnice, poput svježeg voća ili nečega što je vidio na tržnici i pomislio da bi joj se moglo svidjeti. Blaža je i sama talentirana pripovjedačica. Vješta je s riječima, a ljudi uživaju slušajući što govori.
Blaža provodi večeri vezeći ili pletući (ne mogu se točno svega sjetiti, ali znam da je njezin ručni rad u pitanju) i razgovarajući s drugim ženama. Jedna od tih žena je autorova supruga. Ivan ne prisustvuje tim večernjim razgovorima, već se zatvara u radnu sobu i radi na svojim romanima. Ponekad gleda zvijezde.
Negdje usput je spomenuto da je Blaža saznala kako Ivan Aralica voli gledati zvijezde i da je ona prepisala neki zid ili dio zemlje ili što već na njegovu ženu kako bi njih dvoje lakše riješili situaciju oko kuće. Drugim riječima učinila je dobro susjedsko djelu, a tu i ima neka pozadina, nešto zbog čega joj se Ivan osjeća dužan, a to nije baš sama kuća, već više njezina ljubaznost. Ivan je zahvalan iako mu je ta kuća i nekakvo opterećenje i nije baš oduševljen supruzinoj želji da je obnove. Priznaje kako ipak voli to noćno nebo i zvijede. Zapravo, pronicavost pisca mu okriva suptilnost i blagost Blažine duše. Blaža cijeni njegovu umjetnost, cijeni književnost, tu umjetnost riječi, a stoga želi da on kao pisac može gledati zvijezde.
Priča o prijateljstvu Blaže i Ivana počinje imati sve više smisla. Čini se da Blaža zaista poštuje Ivanov rad. Nikada mu osobno ne priča svoje životne priče. Ne bi ni sanjala o nečemu takvom. Ipak, dio nje možda želi biti sačuvan u njegovom književnom svijetu. Pa što ona radi? Blaža priča priče o svom djetinjstvu i mladosti Araličinoj supruzi, koja mu ih pak prepričava. Aralica je uvjeren kako Blaža dobro zna da će mu Araličina supruga ispričati sve što je čula te noći. Naravno, Aralica će to onda ispričati nama. Zaista složena narativna priča!
Kakve su, dakle, same priče? Pa, usredotočuju se na suze. Različite suze koje je naša draga Blaža plakala tijekom dugog života. Međutim, istovremeno su te priče vrlo uzdižuće i nadahnjujuće. Blaža plače, ali se uvijek podigne i postane jača zbog toga. Svaka suza dodaje i tvrdoću i nježnost njenom karakteru. Kako odrasta, Blaža postaje sve otpornija na surovu životnu stvarnost, ali i nježnija prema sebi i drugima. Drugim riječima, ona raste kao lik.
Same po sebi, ove priče imale su izrazito folklorni i tradicionalni osjećaj za mene. Stil priča je realizam obogaćen folklorom i tradicijom. Uparena s autobiografskim odlomcima i filozofskijom pričom u prvom licu, ova knjiga pretvara se u postmodernističko remek-djelo. Istovremeno ukorijenjena u tradiciji i modernom dobu, ova knjiga može govoriti svima nama.
What kind of tears did Blaža cry? Different, very different. Aralica shows us how complex and intricate human life and our emotions are. Not all tears are the same. In fact, they are all different.
The book is set both in recent times, and in the last century. It depends whether the narrator is Ivan or Blaža. As Blaža talks about her childhood and adolescence, the story actually moves into the past, that is, the last century. Like most women who grew up in the twentieth century, Blaža has experienced many hard times, that is, the years of famine and war.
Blaža talks about her childhood, her girlhood and her tears. As a girl, Blaža had to work hard from an early age. Some of her tears are tears of hunger, but also of guilt, and some are tears of anger and regret. Blaža works as a shepherdess, tending to sheep, like most kids in that small rural community. Her father is a widower who has remarried, and her stepmother is not evil. However, like all women of that time, her stepmother is burdened by many duties, and a life that is anything but easy. Therefore, the stepmother cannot always help Blaža and be there for her. However, from the stories we learn that the stepmother loves Blaža, and Blaža loves and respects her.
One of the stories is actually connected to Blaža's stepmother's sister. This sister brings some fish that her husband caught. The fish must be eaten immediately so that it does not spoil. Blaža's stepmother is in trouble, if they cook the fish, the neighbors will see the fire and smoke, and since it is a time of famine, this seems to her like a sin of pride. The honest world is starving, and what will they say to her? However, it is a greater sin to let the fish perish. What to do?
Blaža's stepmother comes up with a plan. With Blaža's help, she prepares the fish in such a way that it is covered and the smoke comes out through the lower door rather than the chimney. However, this means that they will all get smoke in their face, and that means tears from the smoke. This story touched me because it shows a level of caring that we have perhaps lost as a society.
Blaža's stepmother is ashamed to be eat when there are hungry people. However, she is aware that she does not have enough to share with others. She doesn't want the food to go to waste because it's a sin, and she doesn't want to rub it in for others either. She comes up with a solution that results in tears that aren't bitter because they come from respecting others.
Some tears do come from pain. Blaža, in a fit of hunger, drinks some of her sheep's milk. In the story it is described how she squeezes some of it onto a fig leaf, drinks it, and then cries out in shame and regrets her crime. It doesn't seem like a crime to us, but the fact that Blaža has such a strong sense of duty actually makes sense in the context of that time. Duty is important. It is also evident it what her stepmother does. People used to rely on each other and had a strong sense of duty, both family and local. They had a responsibility to the community. We like to think that we are advanced or more advanced today, but in fact there was a lot of beauty in that kind of small community. There is beauty in that rural sense of duty and justice.
Kakve je suze Blaža plakala? Različite, veoma različite. Aralica nam pokazuje kako je komplesan i složen ljudski život i naše emocije.
Radnja je smještena i u novije vrijeme, ali i u vrijeme prošlog stoljeća. Kako Blaža priča o svom djetinstvu i mladenaštvu, radnja se zapravo premješta u prošlost to jest u prošlo stoljeće. Kao i većina žena odraslih u dvasetom stoljeću, Blaža je proživjela svašta, od godina gladi pa nadalje.
Blaža priča o svom djetinstvu, djevojaštvu i o svojim suzama. Blaža je kao djevojčica već morala raditi. Neke su od njenih suza i suze gladi, ali i krivnje, neke su i suze ljutnje. Blaža radi kao pastirica, njen otac je udovac koji je ponovo oženio, a njena maćeha nije zla. No, kao i sve žene tog vremena, maćeha je opterećena teškim životom te ne može uvijek pomoći Blaži. No, iz priča doznajemo kako maćeha voli Blažu, a i Blaža nju voli i poštuje.
Jedna od priča zapravo je povezana sa sestrom Blažine maćehe. Ta sestra donosi ribu koju je njezin muž ulovio, a koju treba odmah pojesti da se ne pokvari. Blažina maćeha je na muci, ako spreme ribu, susjedi će vidjet vatru i dim, a pošto su godine gladine to joj se čini kao grijeh oholosti. Pošten svijet gladuje, a što će njoj reći? No, veći je grijeh pustiti ribu da propadne. Što činiti?
Blažina pomajka smišla plan. Uz Blažinu pomoć priprema ribu tako da je pokrije i da dim izlazi kroz donja vrata. No, ovo znači da će se sve one zadimiti, a to znači i suze od dima. Ova priča me dirnula jer pokazuje jednu brižnost koju smo možda kao društvo izgubili.
Blažina pomajka se stidi biti sita pored gladnih, a svjesna je da nema dovoljno da podijeli sa drugima. Ne želi da hrana propadne jer je to grijeh, a ne želi ni vaditi mast drugima. Smišlja ona tako neko rješenje koje rezultira suzama koje ipak nisu gorke jer dolaze iz uvažavanja drugih.
Neke suze ipak dolaze iz boli. Blaža u napadu gladi pije malo mlijeka svojih ovaca, istiskuje malo mlijeka na smokvin list, a zatim plače od stida i kaje se zbog svog zločina. Nama se to ne čini kao nikakav zločin, ali to što Blaža ima tako snažan osjećaj dužnosti zapravo ima smisla u kontekstu tog vremena, kao i ono što čini njezina pomajka. Nekada su se ljudi oslanjali jedni na druge i imali izražen osjećaj dužnosti, kako obiteljske tako i mještanske. Imali su odgovornost prema zajednici. Volimo misliti da smo danas napredni ili napredniji, ali zapravo je bilo puno ljepota u tom seoskom ili ruralnom osjećaju za dužnost i pravednost.
Another one of Blaža's tears is related to hunger. She cries out of hunger again. It happens when she is sent to pick up her father, who was working for someone on fixing the roof or something. As a worker, he was offered food and was eating when Blaža arrives. He invites her to the table, but she refuses. Again, Blaža does so out of a sense of duty and justice. She believes that she has no right to eat if she did not participate in the work. Her father gives up on persuading her, and Blaža sticks to her decision even though it is difficult for her.
Blaža also cries because of injustice, when her sisters leave her alone with her work even though she has been promised the main role in the procession. It is something Blaža has been looking for the whole year. She was selected by the priest for this role, and spent all year preparing and making her clothes. Her two sisters selfishly leave without her, knowing that their parents won't return in time. Blaža wants to go, but cannot leave the animals alone. So, Blaža puts on her work clothes and takes care of the animals. Blaža puts duty first and lays the moral foundations for her life at an early age. This actually gives her the strength and ease she has as an older woman. When adversity presses upon her, she does not blame others but finds strength within herself. Like many women of the last century, in times of greatest challenge, she shows the strength of her character.
HR
Još su jedne Blažine suze vezane za glad. Ona plače kada ide po oca, koji je bio na radovima kod nekoga (popravljao krov ili tako nešto) te je ponuđen hranom i upravo jede kada Blaža dolazi. On je poziva za stol, ali ona odbija ponovo iz svog osjećaja dužnosti. Smatra kako nema pravo jesti ako nije sudjelovala u radu, jednostavno tako je odgajana. Otac odustaje od nagovaranja, a Blaža se drži svoje odluke iako joj je teško.
Blaža plače i zbog nepravde, kada je sestre ostave samu sa radom iako joj je obećana glavna uloga na procesiji. Cijelu godinu se Blaža spremala za tu procesiju, svećenik joj je dao glavnu čast i ulogu. Cijelu godinu je Blaža pripremala sebi opravu i sanjala o danu kada će zasjati na povorci. No, njezine sebične sestre odlaze bez nje, a roditelji su odsutni jer se netko razbolio. Blaža ima izbor ili ostaviti životinje same ili otići na procesiju i odabire prinuti se o blagu. Blaža stavlja dužnost na prvo mjesto i postavlja moralne temelje za svoj život u ranoj dobi. To joj zapravo daje onu snagu i lakoću koju ima kao starija žena. Kada je pritisnu nedaće, ona ne krivi druge već snagu pronalazi u sebi. Kao i brojne žene prošlog stoljeća, u doba najvećih izazova, ona pokazuje snagu svog karaktera.
Her character is revealed to us with each story. Blaža grows and develops as a person. These stories are not just moral lessons, they introduce us to Blaža's character, that is her soul. She resists temptations and takes responsibility in every situation. Where others would look for the guilt in others and give up on everything, she trusts in herself and builds her character by fulfilling her duties and adhering to her moral principles.
We learn that she is clever, that she calculates well. Even in the limited circumstances of a small community, she becomes a kind of small entrepreneur. Very early on, she starts earning her own money with her work, that is, with her relationship. There is another story within the story in which we learn about an elderly woman without children, a widow, with whom Blaža becomes friends. Their friendship was also very touching and full of life lessons and important messages. Just thinking about what I read about them makes me feel inspired.
I fell in love with Blaža in this book. Not only Blaža, but all women like Blaža. Strong, but gentle. Smart, but not cold. Women who have built their moral character, who don't blame everyone for everything, who take their fate into their own hands with the calmness of a truly good person. Now that I think about it, I realize how I met women like Blaža. Women who told their life stories. Women who welcomed old age without bitterness, who had a heart for everyone. It seems to me now that I didn't appreciate them enough. Maybe I still don't appreciate them enough, or as much as I should. Kindness and virtue should be appreciated. Kindness is everything. I wonder if we haven't lost that kindness sometimes in our modern world? Haven't we lost it by stopping to talk about our lives? Why are we sharing Netflix recommendations instead of our live stories, instead of our souls?
HR
Njezin karakter nam se otkriva sa svakom pričom. Blaža raste i razvija se kao osoba. Nisu te priče samo moralne lekcije, one nas uvode u dušu Blaže. Ona odoljeva kušnjama i preuzima odgovornost u svakoj situaciju. Gdje bi drugi tražili krivca u drugima i odustali od svega, ona se uzdaje u sebe i gradi svoj karakter izvršavanjem svojih dužnosti i pridržavanjem svojih moralnih principa.
Saznajemo da je spretna, da dobro računa i čak i ukolnostima manjeg mjesta, ona postaje nekakva mala poduzetnica gotovo. Vrlo rano počinje zarađivati vlastiti novac svojim radom to jest svojim vezom. Tu ima još jedna priča u priča u kojoj saznajemo o jednoj starijoj ženi bez djece, udovicom, s kojom se Blaža sprijateljuje. Njihovo prijateljstvo također je bilo vrlo dirljivo i puno životnih poruka. Samo razmišljajući o onome što sam pročitala o njima osjećam se nadahnutom.
Zavoljela sam Blažu u ovoj knjizi. Ne samo Blažu, već sve žene poput Blaže. Snažne, ali blage. Pametne, ali ne i hladne. Žene koje su izgradile svoj moralni karakter, koje ne krive svakoga za sve, koje preuzimaju sudbinu u svoje ruke sa smirenošću istinstki dobre osobe. Sada kada razmislim, shvaćam kako sam upoznala žene poput Blaže. Žene koje su pričale svoje životne priče. Žene koje su starost dočekale bez ogorčenosti, koje su imale srce za svakog. Čini mi se sada da ih nisam dovoljno cijenila. Možda ih još uvijek ne cijenim dovoljno, onoliko koliko bih trebala. Treba cijeniti dobrotu. Dobrota je sve. Pitam se nismo li izgubili ponekad tu dobrotu u našem suvremenom svijetu? Nismo li izgubili time što smo prestali sjediti zajedno i pričati naše živote? Što umjesto duše dijelimo preporuke za Netflix?
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| One of the houses I used to live in Jelsa. Do you remember how I told you I moved a lot? |
If you want to read more reviews for Ivan Aralica on my blog:
This book is actually a collection of essays written by Croatian writer Ivan Aralica. I picked up this book by chance and I'm happy I did. Now, I will say a few words about this book. It shed a new light on this writer, whom prior to reading this book, I have known only as a novelist. This book consists of two parts. The first part of this book consists of political essays and the second part consists of writer's comments on his own literary work. It is well written and very interesting.
A BUILDER OF AN INN/ GRADITELJ SVRATIŠTA
The novel is set during Napoleon wars. More precisely, the novel takes places during the French occupation of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The author is extremely knowledgeable about this period and exceptionally gifted at recreating past times. However, this novel is more focused on the psychological exploration of its main characters than on historical events or politics.
I would dare to say this is the case with most (if not all) of Aralica's novels. Aralica is an author who focuses on the fates of 'common' people during turbulent historical times. Ivan Aralica's writing is more on the deep and philosophical side. He often writes about friendships formed between people belonging to different nations, religions and classes. Born in 1930, this author has a lot of life experience to draw and pull from.
THE SUSTAINABLE OUTFIT FILES- How I wore these clothing items before?
Now, a few words about my outfit. I'm sharing two sustainable outfits today, and this is the first one. Both of them feature the same black puffer jacket that I will link up later (with the other outfit).
The pink sweater- (not sure about the brand, I think I bought it in Terranova) See how I wore it before
2. In 2024, with a seaweed green mini dress, burgundy checkered jacket and bag, and again the same boots (I think I see a pattern here).
The blue denim skirt (so old, I bought it two decades ago) with hand sewn floral applications (DIY element is by yours truly).
2. With a leopard top and brown heeled sandals- https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2018/07/how-to-wear-denim-skirt-with-patches.html
3. & 4. I showed you two ways to style it in 2021-
https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/12/plus-fifty-ways-to-wear-mary-jane-heels.html, and one of those outfits was posted in 2016: https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2016/04/outfit_30.html
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| I bought this bag in 2021 when I attended a summer fest. I also witnessed Dance of the Sails, an amazing event I painted on canvas I gifted to friends. |
The red and white (handmade by a local seamstress) sailing bag.
This bag is so amazing. It is made to resemble a sailing boat. Plus, it can fit so much.
The black biker boots from (retro shop Mostar)
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| A view from one of the houses in Jelsa, showing a little church and a bit further away the tower of the cathedral of Jelsa. I took this photograph from the house I used to live in two months ago. |
MORE CROATIAN WRITERS TO READ
VENERA STOJAN, ŠKATULE I BATULE- This is the lastest Croatian writer I discovered!
MORE CONTAMPORARY CROATIAN AUTHORS I REVIEWED
Melem, Pavao Pavličić
Melem, is a lovely novel by Pavao Pavlichich. This Croatian writer has (so far) published 95 books (most of them are novels), so he must be doing something right when it comes to writing. His works have been translated to German, French, Czech, Slovakian, Slovenian, Rumanian, Bulgarian, Macedonian and Danish language. Pavao, for me, is one of those authors whose works you're certain you will like even before you start reading them.
LJUDI KOJI SU SADILI DRVEĆE, JOSIP MLAKIĆ
+ In this post, I reviewed People Who Planted Trees (Ljudi koji su sadili drveće), a novel by Croatian writer Josip Mlakić. Published in 2010, this novel focuses on a group of war veterans and friends living in an unnamed city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The city is left unnamed so that it can represent any city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. While the general atmosphere of this novel is bleak and depressive, the book ends on a more hopeful note.
In this post, you can find my book review for The City In a Mirror, an autobiographical novel by Mirko Kovač. I don’t know if I’ve ever read a more magical, tender, layered, and melancholy autobiography. I have to admit that for me in the past, reading Kovač's works was a bit of a struggle. The city in a Mirror, on the contrary, I read without a pause, in one breath. This autobiographical work is the first book by Kovač that I have completely fallen in love with.
Gavran simply can't do no wrong. How We Broke Our Legs is one of the funniest books I've read so far. I passed this novel to to my husband, who found it very funny as well. We both enjoyed this book, so I can (for once) give you a double recommendation.
This novel enchanted me. What kind of novel is it? I would describe it as a profound philosophical and autobiographical novel, written in a post-modernist style. Its author is a well-known Croatian University professor who has written numerous academic works, papers and books on the subject of literature. This unique book is skillfully, beautifully and eloquently written.
This is a novel by Ankica Topić, a Croatian author. If I'm not mistaken this was my first read from this writer. Ankica Topić is from Makarska, so from the same region in Croatia as yours truly (Dalmatia). Damen kapric is a wonderfully funny novel that starts of as a family comedy with elements of romance, but soon turns darker and evolves into a mystery of some kind.
DAMNED CROATIAN WOMEN BY MILANA RUNJIĆ
Another book that I absolutely loved was Proklete Hrvatice- od Cvijete Zutorić do Ene Begović by Milana Runjić Vuković (here you can read my review for one of her other books). This book focuses on lives of several notable Croatian women. I found it absolutely fascinating and I enjoyed the writing style very much.
MARINA ILI O BIOGRAFIJI, IRENA VRKLJAN
In this post I reviewed a novel Marina ili o biografiji (Marina or About Biography) by Croatian writer Irena Vrkljan. Published in 1985, this lyrical novel is a poetical blend of biographical and autobiographic writing. This dual exploration of women's psyche and life is Vrljan's signature writing style. While writing about these two remarkably talented women with sad fates, Irena writes about her private sorrows as well.
And now, let's go for that walk? Shall we? Let me show you the place I painted quite a few times.
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| https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2021/03/happy-international-womens-day.html |
Do you want to see more of Jelsa? Feel free to check out the posts below:
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| Just me trying to capture some of Jelsa's beauty with my new phone. Look at the reflection of clouds in the water. So precious! |
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| I just love the dramatic clouds. They sea looked very beautiful that day as well. |
Another thing I love to admire, besides the sea, are of course the boats.
The boats are our home on the sea and my perpetual inspiration.
If you follow my blog, you know how often I paint them.
Of course, gathering some new inspiration is always good, right.
Osim mora, još jedna stvar kojoj se volim diviti su naravno brodovi. Brodovi su naš dom na moru i moja vječna inspiracija. Ako pratite moj blog, znate koliko ih često slikam. Naravno, uvijek je dobro pronaći novu inspiraciju, zar ne?
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| If you remember I painted some of these boats in Jelsa..... |
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| Another photograph of stunning Jelsa! |
If you noticed some construction work, that's actually the new Jelsa marine. Jelsa has a marine already, but they are upgrading and expanding it. It looks beautiful so far. It is progressing quite nicely. They are using gorgeous white stone. I stroll here pretty often, so I can always see the work in progress.
Ako ste primijetili neke građevinske radove, to je zapravo nova marina u Jelsi. Jelsa već ima marinu, ali je nadograđuju i proširuju. Zasad izgleda prekrasno. Lijepo napreduje. Koriste prekrasan bijeli kamen. Često šetam ovdje, tako da vidim kako napreduju radovi.
Sustainable fashion files
I actually enjoyed wearing this almost all black styling. While I'm not necessarily a fan of wearing dark colours just because it's winter, sometimes an all black styling has a special aura. Of course, I couldn't really keep it all black, I wore a leopard top and an olive blazer underneath- as you will see.
What is the story of these clothing items?
Now, let us talk about my second outfit.
The leopard blouse (second hand)
Now, let us talk about my second outfit.
The leopard blouse (second hand)
1) See how I styled this leopard blouse with a midi grey skirt and heels for a chic summer styling in Jelsa.
The olive green blazer (old)
The black platform heel boots- bought in Retro shop.
The black belt bag
I have had this bag for a long time but I still like it. I feel like it adds an element of chic to any outfit.
I even illustrated this black belt bag three times so far!
1) See how I illustrated this black belt bag with a vintage dress in 2021 ( this outfit comes this same short camel coat I'm wearing today, but I did not illustrate the coat that time).
2) See how I illustrated this belt bag it with a black leather jacket , a vintage mesh long coat and flared leggings in 2022.
Anything else I illustrated? Yes, this pair of black flared leggings. I must have worn them hundred of times, they are so comfy and warm.
Black flared leggings (New Yorker if I recall well):
2) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2022/04/what-have-i-been-wearing-in-mostar-5.html
3) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2022/02/fashion-illustration-friday.html
4) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2022/01/maigret-et-le-clochard-novel-by-georges.html
...... I won't link too many outfits with them because for me leggings are mostly an undergarment like tights (one example of me wearing them here, I practically lived in them while I was on Malta).
I have actually bough this puffer jacket in 2019/ 2020, when I came to live and work on island Hvar.
How I wore this puffer jacket before ?
1) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2025/01/five-fun-winter-outfits-i-wore-in-mostar.html
2 & 3 ) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2025/05/spring-in-bay-torac-island-hvar-3.html
2 & 3 ) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2025/05/spring-in-bay-torac-island-hvar-3.html
https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2022/04/visit-omis-town-croatia-with-me-part-1.html
25) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2020/05/3-beautiful-gdinj-bays-jedra-srhov.html
26 & 27) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2020/04/6-months-living-in-jelsa-on-island-hvar.html
26 & 27) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2020/04/6-months-living-in-jelsa-on-island-hvar.html
29) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2020/04/30-ways-to-style-pair-of-jeans.html
30) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2020/02/two-ways-to-style-black-ruffled-midi.html
30) https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2020/02/two-ways-to-style-black-ruffled-midi.html
32 & 33) The two outfits I'm sharing today.
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| I have also illustrated this black puffer jacket in the past (2020). |
How is life treating you? I've been a bit slow with blogging and I will likely continue so. I'm more into slow blogging these days, possibly because I cannot get myself into slow living. Year 2025 has been a year of changes for me, and I'm still trying to find my path. Sometimes I feel incredibly blessed, sometimes I wonder if I'm overdoing it all and sometimes I feel exhausted. That's life, though. Blogging at the slower pace works for me these days. I also like to go back to my old posts and study them, sometimes I even try to improve and update them. I want to feel that I really have something to post before I hit that post button. I don't want to blog and post just for the same of posting. I need it to have meaning for me. I also need to have at least a bit of time on my hands. So, that's the blogging talk for day.
Speaking of blogging, I have just realised that all my posts in year 2026 revolved around my fashion sketches. I posted a couple of Fashion Illustration Friday posts and that was it.
Most of these sketches (plus some more) were made in one day. I sketched a couple of my outfits in ten minutes and somehow those quick sketches became the foundation for all my posts this year. Somehow fashion illustrations tie well with my accent on sustainable fashion. Illustrating fashion items I have had for a long time gives another dimension to the sustainability and eco-friendly talk. I think it's kind of cute, actually. My desire to still do fashion illustrations even if I'm short on time.
It reflects my stubbornness not to give up art while not wanting to give up other things as well. I have also made some paintings, but haven't posted them yet. I want to, but the time fllies. As my name says, I'm Split. There is so much that I want to do. I suppose it's better than not wanting to do anything, right? I'm Split between my affinity to art and my affinity to other work.
A sada hrvatski.......Kako ste? Blog je usporio i vjerojatno ću tako i nastaviti, manje objava, a više promišljanja. Ovih dana više volim spori pristup blogosferi, možda zato što se ne mogu natjerati da živim sporo. Godina 2025. bila je godina promjena za mene i još uvijek pokušavam pronaći svoj put. Ponekad se osjećam nevjerojatno blagoslovljeno, ponekad se pitam pretjerujem li sa svime, a ponekad se osjećam iscrpljeno. Takav je život. Pisanje bloga i objavljivanje sporijim tempom mi ovih dana odgovara. Također volim vraćati se svojim starim objavama i proučavati ih, ponekad ih čak pokušavam poboljšati i ažurirati. Želim osjećati da stvarno imam nešto za objaviti prije nego što pritisnem gumb za objavu. Ne želim objavljivati samo radi samog objavljivanja. Trebam mi to imati smisla. Također moram imati barem malo slobodnog vremena. Dakle, to je to na tu temu bloga za danas.
Kad smo već kod bloga, upravo sam shvatila da su se sve moje objave u 2026. godini vrtjele oko mojih modnih skica. Objavila sam nekoliko objava Modne ilustracije petkom i to je bilo to (usput poveznice za njih su u gornjem dijelu teksta)
Većina ovih skica (plus još neke) napravljena je u jednom danu. Skicirala sam nekoliko svojih odjevnih kombinacija u desetak minuta i nekako su te brze skice postale temelj za sve moje objave ove godine. Nekako se modne ilustracije dobro uklapaju s mojim naglaskom na održivu modu. Ilustriranje modnih predmeta koje imam već dugo vremena daje drugu dimenziju razgovoru o održivosti i ekološki prihvatljivosti. Mislim da je to zapravo pomalo simpatično. Moja želja da i dalje radim modne ilustracije čak i ako nemam puno vremena.
To odražava moju tvrdoglavost da ne odustanem od umjetnosti, a da pritom ne želim odustati ni od drugih stvari. Kao što mi ime kaže, ja sam podijeljena (split na engleskom, ime mog rodnog grada me dobro opisuje). Toliko toga želim učiniti. Pretpostavljam da je bolje nego ne željeti ništa učiniti, zar ne? Podijeljena sam između svoje sklonosti umjetnosti i svoje sklonosti drugim poslovima.
I do not want to be a professional artist or to be an artist full time. Why? The reason why I do not want to be artist full time does not have anything to do with the fact that it is challenging, for every work is challenging if you do it well. It is more about me liking what I actually do for a living. The same goes for blogging, I don't want to blog professionally no more than I want to be a professional artist. I want to work in education and that's it. However, I want to be that good of an artist. Be as good as any professional. I want to have the art skills of the old masters. I want to make great art. Maybe that means I'm on the right track. Roger Zelanzy said something along the lines- If you want to be a writer but you don't want to write, it's just an ego trip. I looked it up and managed to find the exact quote:
“I don't know that I ever wanted greatness, on its own. It seems rather like wanting to be an engineer, rather than wanting to design something - or wanting to be a writer, rather than wanting to write. It should be a by-product, not a thing in itself. Otherwise, it's just an ego trip.”
So, if I want to create amazing art and I do not care for being an artist...it means my devotion to art goes beyond an ego trip. Hey, maybe I'm really on the right track. I don't really care about the titles or what to put on the CV. I want to know that I made something of beauty. Painted it. Wrote it. Something I would or could be content with. Or even proud of. That's enough for me. At forty, the worldy definitions of success mean nothing to me. See, we do learn a thing or two as we get older. Don't be afraid of aging, it's a privilege.
You cannot have everything in life. Not at once. You will never have it all. That's alright. I'm very grateful for what I got. I'm just trying to keep my many interests up and do some good hopefully. Even if often I feel that if I split myself anymore, I'll be divided into separate particles.
And to end this post, here is a little gif!
P.S. Only upon hitting the publish button did I realize that this handmade textile bag with red roses matches with both the book cover and the title perfectly....Bushes of Wild Roses. I borrowed the book in Jelsa, and I bough the handmade bag from a local designer in Jelsa. It's fate! That's not even the end, but more about that some other time.
Upravo prevodimo na hrvatski......
Ne želim biti profesionalna umjetnica, kako kažu umjetnik puno radno vrijem. Zašto? Razlog zašto ne želim biti umjetnik s punim radnim vremenom nema nikakve veze s činjenicom da je to izazovno, jer svaki posao je izazovan ako ga radite dobro. Više se radi o tome da mi se sviđa ono što zapravo radim za život. Isto vrijedi i za blog, ne želim profesionalno stvarati sadržaj ili blog ništa više nego što želim biti profesionalni umjetnik. Želim raditi u obrazovanju i to je to. Međutim, želim biti stvarno dobar umjetnik. Biti dobar kao bilo koji profesionalac. Želim imati umjetničke vještine starih majstora. Želim stvarati sjajnu umjetnost. Možda to znači da sam na pravom putu. Roger Zelanzy je rekao nešto u stilu - Ako želiš biti pisac, ali ne želiš pisati, to je samo ego. Potražih taj citat i pronađoh ga:
„Ne znam jesam li ikada želio veličinu, samu po sebi. Čini se to kao željeti biti inženjer, a ne nešto stvarati ili dizajnirati - ili željeti biti pisac, umjesto željeti pisati. To bi trebao biti nusprodukt, a ne stvar sama po sebi. Inače, to je samo ego trip.“
Dakle, ako želim stvarati nevjerojatnu umjetnost, a ne zanima me biti umjetnik... to znači da moja predanost umjetnosti nadilazi ego trip. Hej, možda sam stvarno na pravom putu. Zapravo me ne zanimaju titule ili što staviti u životopis. Želim znati kako stvorih nešto lijepo. Naslikah. Napisah. Nešto s čime bih mogla biti zadovoljna. Ili čak ponosna. To mi je dovoljno. U četrdesetima, svjetovne definicije uspjeha mi ništa ne znače. Vidiš, naučimo ponešto kako starimo. Ne bojte se starenja, ono je privilegija.
Ne možete imati sve u životu. Ne odjednom. Nikad nećeš imati sve. U redu je. Jako sam zahvalna na onome što imam. Samo pokušavam održati svoje brojne interese i nadam se učiniti nešto dobro. Čak i ako često osjećam da ako se još više podijelim, bit ću podijeljena na odvojene čestice, a onda raspad sistema.
I za kraj jedan gif!
P.S. Tek kada sam objavila, shvatila sam da se platnena torba koju sam kupila u Jelsi prije pet godina, ova predivna crveno bijela torba s ružama koja je ručni rad žene iz Jelse, savršeno slaže s naslovicom knjige pa i naslovom knjige Grmovi divljih ruža koji mi se toliko svidio. Sada kada razmislim, ima još tu i većih sudbenih pokazatelja, ali o tome neki drugi put. Ljubim vas!
Thank you for visiting this little place to call my own! Hvala na posjeti!
Thanks for the review Ivana. Even though you say it's short, it seems like a very interesting and life-affirming book. I would love to read it. The pictures and your photos are amazing as always, Jelsa is a very beautiful and interesting place. Best regards and thanks again for the summary of the book 🤗
ReplyDeleteI love the enthusiasm here! 🌊✨
ReplyDeleteYour introduction makes me feel like I’m right there with you, strolling through Jelsa on Hvar. The mix of book review, travel sights, and fashion adds such a personal and engaging touch — it’s like a mini adventure wrapped into one post.
And I totally relate: there’s something magical about the sea. Your excitement is contagious — I’m definitely ready for that virtual walk by the Croatian coastline! 🏖️💛
https://nanajee.com/2025/06/11/cheap-flight-tickets-from-toronto-to-new-york-city-your-guide-with-nanajee-travels/
Such great photos with your review. So nice to see these. The book looks very promising. I will take note. Great to read about friendships! Such great art in your article as well. Love the brown outfit with your drawings. Wonderful! 💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛Thank you for your sweet notes! Oh, I have been revisiting the idea of writing more of a novel than just little stories of characters in my blog. I suppose I might have went off the deep end with my rather dark story about one character going off with some and the end she might wonder how much she has changed. Of course, I think I look back on stories of youth while growing up in my rural part of the woods. These days, none would venture since being in the safety of their home.💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙 I have been doing better, now I have to get to appointments I have put off. Hopefully, March will be good, but our weather still might hold at least one blizzard. 💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛 thanks so much for being here. All the best to your creativity and health!
ReplyDeleteThis one definitely looks like a book I need to find. Thanks so much for your beautiful review!
DeleteCaitlin&Megan
Ivy
Ellie
My So Called RP Life
Glad you enjoyed the book. Great photos, you are looking gorgeous Ivana. I am liking your boots. I wonder if I'll be able to wear heels again. I really hope so :-D
ReplyDelete