Death makes our lives more vigilant. The crux of Jan Balabán’s last novel focuses on dying and death even though its inherent plot centers on the painstaking pursuit of life, which first has to be found in its depth or reinvented. In a sense, we are all somehow similar to the characters of this extraordinary, vibrant story replete with dialogue, soliloquy and silence. A story which searches for truth only to find sincerity. In our temporal existence, we are trying to discover something about the quintessence of actuality or be near - at least momentarily - to something substantial. It’s almost impossible because our knowledge is so limited. Our minds are overloaded with questions and doubts, suspicion and disbelief, restlessness and agression. The energy is wasted on the futile everyday existence. Words with their ill-natured inaccuracy are reluctant, hands are too short...There is the heart still.
Petr Hruška
Winner of the 2010 Magnesia Litera Prize in the category Book of the Year.
