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The Scent of Rain in the Balkans
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Wikipedia article
'The Scent of Rain in the Balkans' (, ) is a historical novel written by Gordana Kui. The novel was published in 1986, becoming an instant bestseller. It centers on the Salom family, most notably five sisters Buka, Nina, Klara, Blanki and Riki. The novel was inspired by Kui's mother Blanki Levi and her sisters. 'The Scent of Rain in the Balkans' follows the destinies of, not only Jews, but also Orthodox, Bosniaks and Catholics during two major historical events World War I and World War II.
In his review of the novel, David Albahari wrote:
'The Scent of Rain in the Balkans' has been adapted into a ballet, a play and a television series.
Plot
The novel describes the historic period in the Balkans from the beginning of World War I in 1914, to the end of World War II in 1945 through the lives and destinies of the Saloms, a Sephardic Jewish family from Sarajevo. The leading characters are the five courageous Salom sisters whose struggle to fulfil personal desires and aspirations run contrary to the strict conventions of the multicultural and religious societies Bosnian Jew, Muslim, Orthodox and Catholic of the time, living side by side in the small town of Sarajevo.
Characters
The Salom family
* 'Leon Salom', the father of the family* 'Estera Salom', the mother of the family
* 'Laura "Buka" Salom', later 'Laura Papo', the eldest daughter of Leon and Estera
* 'Nina Salom', later 'Nina Ignjati', the second daughter of Leon and Estera
* 'Klara Salom', later 'Klara Vali', the third daughter of Leon and Estera
* 'Isak "Atleta" Salom', the eldest son of Leon and Estera
* 'Blanka "Blanki" Salom', later 'Branka Kora', the fourth daughter of Leon and Estera
* 'Rifketa "Riki" Salom', the fifth and the youngest daughter of Leon and Estera, who becomes a successful ballerina
* 'Elijas Salom', the second son and the youngest child of Leon and Estera
* 'Nona Salom', one of the aunts of the Salom children and a highly respected member of the family
Serbian characters
* 'Marko Kora', a Mostarborn Blanki's childhood crush and eventually her husband* 'koro "Ignjo" Ignjati', Danijel's friend and Nina's husband
* 'Milo Rankovi', Riki's mentor and lover for a while
* 'Duan', a journalist from Belgrade who fancies Riki
* 'Sanda Jovanovi', Riki's friend from Belgrade of Jewish heritage
* 'Nena Rankovi', Milo's wife
* 'Vlada Stefanovi', a teacher in the village where Riki hides
* 'Danica Stefanovi', Vlada's wife
* 'Vera Kora', Blanki and Marko's daughter
* 'Risto Kora', one of Marko's brothers
* 'Pero Kora', one of Marko's brothers
* 'Saveta Primorac', Marko's sister
* 'Jovo Primorac', Saveta's husband
* 'Ana Primorac', one of two Saveta and Jovo's daughters
* 'Jelena Primorac', one of two Saveta and Jovo's daughters
* 'Toma', a Serbian peasant who shelters Riki
* 'Spasenija', Toma's wife
* 'Mrs. Ninkovi', a frequent shopper in Nina's hat boutique who likes gossiping
Jewish characters
* 'Danijel Papo', Buka's husband and the father of her sons Leon and Koki* 'Zdenka Vajs', an Ashkenazi Jew, Atleta's wife
* 'Leon Papo', Buka and Danijel's elder son, named after his maternal grandfather
* 'Barkohba "Koki" Papo', Buka and Danijel's younger son
Other characters
* 'Ivo Vali', a Catholic Croat, Klara's husband* 'Didi Vali', Klara and Ivo's daughter
* 'Pol Vali', Klara and Ivo's son
* 'Cliff Morton', an American soldier and Didi's husband
* 'Grethen', a rich Austrian girl and Blanki's good friend from school
* 'Carl Raimund', the agent of a ballet school from Vienna
* 'Dragu', a ballet dancer and Riki's friend
* 'Mr. Panzini', an Italian rich man who fancies Blanki
* 'Sister Agata', a nun in the convent where Buka dies
Structure and language
'The Scent of Rain in the Balkans' is written in Serbo-Croatian language, with some parts in Ladino, the language of Sephardi. It is divided in thirteen parts '28 June 1914' ('28. jun 1914'), 'A Flight to Unknown' ('Let u nepoznato'), 'Linden, the Tree of Old Slavs' ('Lipa, drvo starih Slovena'), 'Time for Decisions' ('Vreme za odluke'), 'Toboggan' ('Tobogan'), 'When a Day Turns Cold and the Shadows Are Gone' ('Kad zahladni dan i senke odu'), 'The End of One Age' ('Kraj jednog vremena'), 'A Critic Point' ('Kritina taka'), 'Runaways' ('Beanja'), 'Paper Jesters' ('Papirni pajaci'), 'A New Life' ('Novi ivot'), 'Lasting' ('Trajanje') and 'Epilogue' ('Epilog').
Awards
* 1986 Association of Jewish Communities in Yugoslavia Award for Novel of the Year
Adaptations
In 1992, ballet by Croatian composer Igor Kuljeri 'The Scent of Rain in the Balkans a Ballet for Riki' premiered in Sarajevo, and then a week after in Belgrade. In 2009, screenwriter Neboja Romevi wrote a stage adaptation of the novel that premiered on 12 April 2009 in the Madlenianum Opera and Theatre, starring Sloboda Mialovi and Vuk Kosti. In 2010, Ljubia Samardi directed the television adaptation of the novel, which was shown on the RTS.
References
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