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When Zora chooses to stay behind in Sarajevo in the Soring of 1992, letting her husband escort her mother to the safety of England, she has no idea what the future had in store for her or her city. As the war escalates she and her community must find impossible levels of strength and resilience. This book was quick to read but I know many of its scenes will linger in my mind.

A slim novel about humanity in the face of war and unrest. I was hooked at the beginning when the main character, Zora, decides to stay in her home (Sarajevo) amid subtle, though abrupt and frightening changes. Her family leaves and she decides to stay to occupy her home, so that the government doesn‘t get it away! I had very little known of the events in this book prior.

Loved the writing in this novel about war and art. Highly recommend. 4 🌟

I ran to the grocery store yesterday for a couple items and was wearing my Book Nerd shirt. The woman at the check out asked me for a book recommendation, so I told her about the tagged book, which recently published in the US but was out last year in the UK. It‘s phenomenal and I‘m so glad the Women‘s Prize listed it, insuring I would read it.

This book. I always feel ashamed about the Bosnian war. It was so close and we did so little.
Zora and her brave friends live together in Sarajevo during the siege of 1992. Not giving a f*ck about different religions. The solidarity and the black butterflies brought tears to my eyes. And to realize the same is happening now in Ukraine and again I stand by powerlessly. A book that leaves a punch in the gut.

📸 Osaka, Japan

A very quick (though at times not easy) read about the war in Saravejo and one woman's determination to not only survive, but also make the lives of her family and friends better in a time of hell. Well written; I can see why it was longlisted for the Women's Prize in 2023.

Hard to describe: based on historical events, a city under siege, deteriorating in the midst of a civil war, yet it has a slice of life feel primarily following one woman's experience, small moments, not focused on the conflict, yet feeling the effects of it, but still pausing to appreciate art, colour, food and stories shared with friends. Everyone doing the best they can in impossible circumstances and mostly acting admirably.1/2

Winter-without-constant-heating chic. 🥶

Look what I found in my post box this morning! Thank you so much Barbara for these lovely books and you kind wishes. I am very much looking forward to another year of book chat with you - hopefully there will be more for me to chat about this year! Since you haven‘t read these yet, I think there might be a buddy read or two in our future😀

Every year I am so thankful for the English Women Prize for Fiction award. It gives continually gives me my favorite books of the year, and they are heavily ones that I had never heard of before.

#FavBook2024

Black Butterfiles is filled with imagry and beautiful prose. A story of a woman who stays behind during the 1992 Sarajevo war. It was an eyeopening and impactful read for me.

31 Oct-3 Nov 23
Wonderful novel which recounts the harrowing early days of the siege of Sarajevo and the Bosnian war through the eyes of the middle-aged artist, Zora. It portrays the confusion, hardship and fear in what had previously been a city of mixed ethnicity. I recall a friend who had fled Sarajevo explaining their bewilderment that this could be happening in their city.
Not surprised this currently has 100% positive response.

Very good read although in a sad and desperate place in history and society. And awful when read against the backdrop of current war.
The female narrator is strong yet she is human and suffering, both physically and mentally.
So terrible that it's happening again:(

Beautiful cover :)

Now I know what the title means. 😢

This book was beautiful and devastating all at once. It leaves you wanting to know more, but at the same time, fearful to know more.

This was excellent, just as everyone said it would be. Very impressive for a debut novel and I loved the author note at the end that described the people in her family who had lived these events. I can remember watching Sarajevo being bombed on the evening news but it‘s so easy to forget the human side of war and this really brought that home. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and my 4th #14booksin14weeks book

My best reads of each month, starting at top left then across each row, January to June, 2023.

This was part of my last ever Book Depository order, and I'm so glad I took the plunge. It was beautiful and horrifying in equal measure. Zora was an amazing character to serve as our viewpoint into the Siege of Sarajevo. Juxtaposing artistic and joyful descriptions of the pre-war city with the terrifying atrocities that man can commit against man and the everyday horrors of war, this one is worth every accolade. I'm astounded that it is a debut.

I‘m putting my #womensprize wish out into the bookish universe. I‘d love to see one of these win on Wednesday (June 14).

I won‘t be too sad though if Trespasses or Demon Copperhead win instead. Both great. I‘m still waiting on the audiobook for Fire Rush. I wasn‘t feeling Pod.

As a debut this book is impressive - it‘s a slow burn story of a devastating time in recent history that many don‘t think about. It made my heart ache for the people of Ukraine who must feel like the world has abandoned them. All that being said, I didn‘t love this book. It was a bit of a drag to read. I‘m rooting for Demon Copperhead #WomansPrize23 although I still have to read Trespasses 🤓

A deeply moving story of Zora, an artist and teacher who is trapped in Sarajevo at the start of the Bosnian war in 1992. The writing style is very readable; the final third was quite distressing to read, but equally gripping. It‘s humbling to read about something so awful that you only vaguely remember, and really should know more about. This is book 4 for me from the Women‘s Prize shortlist, the final 2 will have to wait for paperback releases!

“These have been falling all over the city for days now, as far out as the airport, and Ilidza. Do you know what people are calling them? [Mirdad] ‘No.‘ [Zora].‘Black butterflies,‘he says softly…Burnt fragments of poetry and art catching in people‘s hair.‘

#bookreport
The top row has books I finished up this week- they were at various stages.
The 2 books on the bottom row I am reading now.

Digging into this today. #bookmail #bookmailisthebestmail

Following Zora from the beginning of the war in Sarajevo when she believed nothing would come of rumors and small changes to the slow build up of war encroaching on her community to the devastation she experienced was a quite a journey. It is a stunning debut. I think this would be a good winner of the #WomensPrize.

3rd book for #20in4 and made progress on 2 others. Thanks for hosting @Andrew65

Sarajevo 1992, a city on the brink of war even if it‘s citizens don‘t believe it, because Sarajevo is a city where everyone lives to getter.

A book about holding on to normalcy as long as possible and doing every day things even if the bombs are falling.

I thought the ending was to happy until I read the author‘s note and realized that people like that actually exist.

1st book finished for #20in4
@Andrew65

I occasionally look into the Women's Prize for Fiction longlist for something new to read, and this year it was Priscilla Morris' Black Butterflies that caught my attention.

It isn't just the vivid cover. Black Butterflies is set in the time of the Siege of Sarajevo, and follows the story of a teacher and artist as she struggles to survive the siege. This is a part of history I want to know more of so it made sense to get a copy of this.

My final Book Depository order! Neither of these are available in Canada as of yet, and I've been putting off ordering them from overseas. But with BD closing, I felt like I had to grab the chance!

This tour de force novel sets you down with Zora in Sarajevo, as war slowly descends and siege sets in. It‘s visceral, stark, harrowing. A tremendous book that I did not want to put down. This will be one of my top books of the year, without question.

I am really glad it's been shortlisted. I thought it was really good, very moving, and I could picture the scenes of the siege and the terror. I don't know terribly much about the war, but glad to have read it.

I remember Sarajevo being on the news when I was young, but I didn't know as much about it and the Bosnian war as I should have. Really glad to have read this, and learned more about what happened. I'm glad this made the women's prize shortlist. It's beautifully written and very moving.

My April reads! My favorites were Black Butterflies and The Bandit Queens.

I read some super interesting things this month. A few misses, a few that were just nicely odd and a departure from the norm.

I think everyone should read A Knock At Midnight. It is incredibly important if you are American. We need to know the damage the "war on drugs" did to society.

Unbelievable, the punch this novel packs. And it‘s a debut?!

This story covers 10 months of war time living and I‘m gutted to think of those who suffer through far more. Heartbreaking.

Daughter is celebrating her 13th birthday at a resort with enough activities to keep her & friends occupied, which means I get to simply read! ☺️

Riveting so far, frightening.

Just finished before anyone else has appeared for breakfast 😁
Loved this, such a heart wrenching, brilliant telling of this story. I remember this on the news all the time, important to remember the people, as always, that are in the middle of these stories.

Hoping for some train reading, but work trip, so who knows.

"No access, the soldier says, motioning with his gun that she's to turn around.

He's smooth-cheeked and pink-lipped, no more than sixteen or seventeen. His teeth are skewed. He's a village boy. Certainly, not from Sarajevo.

"Why not?" she says.

He scowls and draws himself taller. 'This is now Republika Srpska. Only Serbs here.'

I'm a Serb.'

He stares at her, seemingly confused.

I am amazed this is a debut novel. Gorgeous and gut-wrenching, following an artist during the lead up and start of the 90s Bosnian war. I was a teenager during this time, and shamefully I had to look up the history and a map to remember.
Morris' writing and weaving of story is exceptional. Her characters are vivid and realistic, the horrors of war and what it does to civilians well told.
One of my picks for the shortlist #womensprize

'Black butterflies,' he says softly. He peers at the scorched page as if trying to read it, then carefully places it in his breast pocket. 'Burnt fragments of poetry and art catching in people's hair.'

*Fragments of books floating through the city after a bombing.
I rarely have the realization of a book's title hit as hard as this one has.

#firstlinefriday @ShyBookOwl

"It sometimes seems to Zora that, with all the teaching and curating and meetings and paperwork and caring and cooking and cleaning and errands, she is floundering at the midpoint of her life."

It took me 20-30 pages to get into but after that I couldn't put it down.
Imagine your city is suddenly under siege, by non-local members of your ethnic group who have decided to grab your newly independent nation. Your attitude is “No thanks, we're all coexisting harmoniously here!“ But now you're dodging sniper bullets and mortar shells on your way to work and food is scarce. Your art is all that keeps you going. It's Sarajevo in 1992.

I normally enjoy it when a book's title turns up in the text, especially if the title doesn't immediately make sense. This time I got chills. My heart hurts. 💔

#WomensPrize 2023 #longlist

This is about Zora, as she somehow lives through the siege of Sarajevo. There is so much in this story, the horror and hardship of war, Zora‘s paintings , her yearning for what is lost to her … I loved how the memories so close to the surface of her mind could be triggered by almost anything .. it would make your heart lurch. Beautiful book.

Wow, this book! I just couldn‘t put it down - it will definitely be up near the top of my #womensprize shortlist.

Based on real-life accounts it follows Zora as she lives (exists?) through the Siege of Sarajevo in 1992.

This extract says it all - how on earth could this happen in Europe at the end of the twentieth century?*

That‘s me finished with the long list - I‘ll post my shortlist in a day or too, as I need to whittle 8 down to 6 faves.

I started ( out of the blue ) this book today. I‘m smitten. It‘s a beautifully written story. Wow 🖤♥️ I‘m taken along by the writing to Sarajevo, a city under siege, and Zora‘s life at that time. Beautiful. A book I had not been drawn to , now I can‘t put it down.

Harrowing, visceral, immersive. We follow 55-year-old Zora, an artist and teacher separated from her family, as she and her neighbors try to survive the siege of Sarajevo. A lot of darkness, but not without light, color and hope. Inspired by real-life accounts. Glad the #WomensPrize longlist brought this debut to my attention.

This book is set just after the siege of Sarajevo takes place. Zora, an art professor, is separated from her family and as the war worsens, there is shelling around her and shortage in essential supplies including water and electricity. This book is a confronting read on the realities of war from the perspectives of civilians. Like the cover, there is colour splashed throughout the story giving us hope and showing strength of unified community.

#bookmail part 1

All longlisted for the #WomensPrize. I‘m most looking forward to tagged.