Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
3rd out of 76 books
—
46 voters
Broken April
From the moment that Gjorg's brother is killed by a neighbour, his own life is forfeit: for the code of Kanun requires Gjorg to kill his brother's murderer and then in turn be hunted down. After shooting his brother's killer, young Gjorg is entitled to thirty days' grace - not enough to see out the month of April.
Then a visiting honeymoon couple cross the path of the fugit...more
Then a visiting honeymoon couple cross the path of the fugit...more
Paperback, New Edition, 216 pages
Published
November 6th 2003
by Vintage
(first published November 23rd 1978)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,560)
When reading this book I recalled "Blindness" of Saramago. Broken April is haunting, dark, disturbing and yet strangely attractive. The narration is so matter of fact yet the chill of death is looming in every word. It is the story of the relentless Kanun holding sway over the Albanian mountainsmen. The currency of the Kanunis death and so death seems as ever-present as money is in our society. There is always a sense of weirdness and unreality in the way the Mountainsmen deal with death, reveng...more
6 likes · like · see review
view 1 comment
BROKEN APRIL
186046503x
9781860465031
Albania
paperback
spring 2012
pub 1978
translation (by whom is not stated)
revenge
tbr busting 2012
History
Lifestyles
Families
Filthy Lucre
Pronounciation guide
Opening: His feet were cold, and each time he moved his numbed legs a little he heard the desolate grating of pebbles under his shoes. But the sense of desolation was really inside him.
p.19 - Then April will come, or rather the first half of it. Gjorg felt an emptiness in the left side of his chest. From now on...more
186046503x
9781860465031
Albania
paperback
spring 2012
pub 1978
translation (by whom is not stated)
revenge
tbr busting 2012
History
Lifestyles
Families
Filthy Lucre
Pronounciation guide
Opening: His feet were cold, and each time he moved his numbed legs a little he heard the desolate grating of pebbles under his shoes. But the sense of desolation was really inside him.
p.19 - Then April will come, or rather the first half of it. Gjorg felt an emptiness in the left side of his chest. From now on...more
I wanted to read this book for a long time even if Kadare has never been one of my favorite writers. Although, since this book was recommended, I decided to give it a try. And what a fine surprise it was.
The main subject is opened plainly, giving us a swift conflict, that of vengeance, a delicate issue for our country. At the same time, the finale is also prearranged. In fact Albanian people can understand it better, because they already know a bit regarding Kanun. But a foreigner, who isn’t fa...more
The main subject is opened plainly, giving us a swift conflict, that of vengeance, a delicate issue for our country. At the same time, the finale is also prearranged. In fact Albanian people can understand it better, because they already know a bit regarding Kanun. But a foreigner, who isn’t fa...more
داستان در قرن بيستم در كوهستان هاي آلباني جريان دارد . جايي كه مردم همچنان در قيد و بند رسوم و سنن قديمي هستند . قوانيني كه ضامن اجرايي جز عرف ندارد اما همين عرف پشتوانه عظيم اين اجراست . قوانين بسيار وحشيانه و سنتي است .
در اين قوانين مهمان اهميت فوق العاده بالايي دارد و چيزي شبيه به نيمه خداست . روزي رهگذري در خانه برشيا را مي زند تا اندكي غذا به او دهند . خانواده برشيا نيز از او پذيرايي مي كنند و سپس مرد خانواده او را بدرقه مي كند تا راه خروجي روستا را نشانش دهد . در اين هنگام فردي از خانواده...more
در اين قوانين مهمان اهميت فوق العاده بالايي دارد و چيزي شبيه به نيمه خداست . روزي رهگذري در خانه برشيا را مي زند تا اندكي غذا به او دهند . خانواده برشيا نيز از او پذيرايي مي كنند و سپس مرد خانواده او را بدرقه مي كند تا راه خروجي روستا را نشانش دهد . در اين هنگام فردي از خانواده...more
Mar 24, 2008
Dennis
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone with the mildest curiousity about Albania
This is a strange book. When I lived in eastern Europe, I was told there were two sorts of Eastern European countries, those which were highly-developed and industrialized (Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary) and those which were not (Bulgaria, Romania) as well as those which were a mix of the two (Yugoslavia, Soviet Union) but no one knew anything about Albania. Reading this book, it's like the land that time forgot because you're never quite sure where you are in history. (As it turns out, it's A...more
I absolutely loved this book-- a well-written bittersweet love story that is set in Albania. The novel really explores the lifestyle of those who lived on the high plateaus of the country in the early 20th century and their code of ethics, (namely the never-ending blood feuds that allow a death for a death, with family constantly having to sacrifice one of their own).
Worst honeymoon ever! This story of a young man whose days are almost literally numbered (he gets a 30-day reprieve before all bets are off) reminded me of Marquez's "Chronicle of a Death Foretold." The novel alternates between his viewpoint and that of a young couple who are spending their honeymoon touring this bleak region and learning about its sad and hopeless system of rules - many of which concern the offenses for which one may be put to death or legitimately assassinated by those one has...more
KADARE, Ismail: „Der zerrissene April“, Frankfurt 2007
Schon auf den ersten Seiten wird man in die albanische Kultur eingeführt: Blutrache. Ein Mann lauert einem anderen auf und erschießt ihn. Viel Ritual gehört da auch dazu. Immer wieder wird auf den Kanun, das Buch, dass alles regelt Bezug genommen. Vieles dreht sich um Tod und Mord. So gibt etwa der Vater der Braut seinem Schwiegersohn eine „Mitgiftpatrone“ mit. Wenn die Ehefrau davonlaufen will, darf sie der Mann erschießen.
Kadare ist ein aus...more
Schon auf den ersten Seiten wird man in die albanische Kultur eingeführt: Blutrache. Ein Mann lauert einem anderen auf und erschießt ihn. Viel Ritual gehört da auch dazu. Immer wieder wird auf den Kanun, das Buch, dass alles regelt Bezug genommen. Vieles dreht sich um Tod und Mord. So gibt etwa der Vater der Braut seinem Schwiegersohn eine „Mitgiftpatrone“ mit. Wenn die Ehefrau davonlaufen will, darf sie der Mann erschießen.
Kadare ist ein aus...more
An amazing work of fiction that explains a dismal, distressing, oppressive, and highly ritualized code of revenge in an obscure area of Albania. Much to my dismay, this code of revenge is fact. (I googled it.) Perhaps this is Kadare's point. The book, hands down, is my favorite "dark" book because it so explictly depicts the karmic absurdity of revenge.
One wonders if revenge is actually a natural response or perhaps a form of defensive behavior gone wrong. At any rate, our desires for revenge de...more
One wonders if revenge is actually a natural response or perhaps a form of defensive behavior gone wrong. At any rate, our desires for revenge de...more
After spending 7 days in Albania with my brother, I wanted (needed?) to understand this odd culture a little better. Specifically, what's up with the whole "blood feud" thing?
Kadare's brief novel very cleverly and delicately weaves together two very different stories of commitment and conformity to the norms of Albanian society. Gjorg must enact his part in a long standing chain of revenge between his family and the Kruyqeqe family. Meanwhile, city girl (?Name?) travels with her new husband/auth...more
Kadare's brief novel very cleverly and delicately weaves together two very different stories of commitment and conformity to the norms of Albanian society. Gjorg must enact his part in a long standing chain of revenge between his family and the Kruyqeqe family. Meanwhile, city girl (?Name?) travels with her new husband/auth...more
"Broken April" is a haunting story with an out of time charm. There are not many novels around with such a simple and yet powerfully evocative style. More than the plot in itself what counts here is the atmosphere Kadare is able to recreate.
I actually perceived the mist and the cold as well as the brightless nights and the wind-swept landscapes where the novel takes place with an uncommon intensity.
As a reader who gets easily distracted, "Broken April" meant an unusual business to me: this book...more
I actually perceived the mist and the cold as well as the brightless nights and the wind-swept landscapes where the novel takes place with an uncommon intensity.
As a reader who gets easily distracted, "Broken April" meant an unusual business to me: this book...more
Broken April is about the Kanun, an ancient Albanian ritual of the blood feud which for centuries has claimed thousands of lives. It is about honour rather than vengeance. One murder must be avenged with another – and then that murder must to be avenged and this can go on until every man from that family is wiped out. After most killings, the murderer is granted a thirty day Bessa where they are able to walk freely without fear of being killed.
It is Gjorg’s time to finally fulfil his family’s ho...more
It is Gjorg’s time to finally fulfil his family’s ho...more
This is a haunting tale set against the blood feuds in the Albanian mountains between the First and Second World Wars. The Kanun (the code that governs the blood feuds) dictates that Gjorg must avenge his brothers death by killing a man from the family of the murderer. Once he has killed, he will be hunted down and killed in his turn. The novel is beautifully written, stark and terrifying like the mountains and the blood feuds that dominate the lives of the people who live there. There are valle...more
More impressions in my personal blog of reviews
The Suffocating Lack of Freedom
In 2001, was released the movie Behind the Sun, with Walter Salles' direction and Karim Ainouz's screenplay, the story, set in the rugged brazilian northeastern, had the protagonist Tonho (Santoro), which as involved in a land dispute between families, inserted into an absurd and bloody code of conduct witch is decimating both families over time.
Like many Brazilians, I was attracted to this novel starting from the movi...more
The Suffocating Lack of Freedom
In 2001, was released the movie Behind the Sun, with Walter Salles' direction and Karim Ainouz's screenplay, the story, set in the rugged brazilian northeastern, had the protagonist Tonho (Santoro), which as involved in a land dispute between families, inserted into an absurd and bloody code of conduct witch is decimating both families over time.
Like many Brazilians, I was attracted to this novel starting from the movi...more
The author spent too much time filling in, through the thoughts of the characters, the Albanian traditions that were the subject of the novel. It was not the way someone who grew up in it would think about it. It is as if I were to write a novel about you and your thoughts were something like, "Oh, I wish we didn't have to visit Aunt Joanne. She's the aunt who grew up poor and is now rich. Her husband made his money in car sales..." You'd more likely think "Oh, not Aunt Joanne. A day of listenin...more
Grim, but beautiful. Een grimmig, maar mooi boek. Over bloedwraak op de hoogvlaktes in Albanie. Volgens de regels heeft Gjorg de moordenaar van zijn broer gedood en wacht nu tot het moment dat hij vermoord wordt. Een net getrouwd stel uit Tirana gaat op huwelijksreis naar de hoogvlakte om het bergvolk van dichtbij te zien. Al reizend in hun koets komen ze Gjorg tegen. Hij is op de terugweg van het betalen van de bloedbelasting. Hun blikken kruizen elkaar en laten zowel bij Gjorg als bij de bruid...more
Dec 17, 2012
Tanya
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
reading-with-style-winter-12-13,
read-in-2012
I have wanted to read this since I first watched Behind the Sun, the movie that got its premise from the book. The story takes place in the mountain regions of Albania in the early 20th Century. This part of the country is ruled by a blood feud. The story focuses on Gjorg, a young man who has just had to kill to keep the honor in his family. When he travels to pay off his blood debt he encounters a young couple on their honeymoon. They are from the city area and travelling to see how the feud wo...more
Fascinating book about blood feuds in Northern Albania. The gripping story is told from different perspectives. It gives a clear picture of the issues surrounding this traditional use.
Unfortunately, Kadare fails to convince the reader (at least this one) when the story is told through the eyes of Mark Ukatjerra, a key figure of the important Orosh family and a supporter of the bloody tradition. No matter how hard I tried, it was impossible for me to empathize with this man. The whole tradition...more
Unfortunately, Kadare fails to convince the reader (at least this one) when the story is told through the eyes of Mark Ukatjerra, a key figure of the important Orosh family and a supporter of the bloody tradition. No matter how hard I tried, it was impossible for me to empathize with this man. The whole tradition...more
I considered giving this just three stars, because at times it read just a bit more like a history text book than a novel. But the good outweighed the bad, which weren't so terrible to begin with. I liked how the story moved forward with the inevitableness of a classic tragedy: as a reader, you know by the page ten that this can't and won't end well, but that doesn't make the book boring at all. I was horrified and fascinated throughout. There's something very powerful in knowing - more or less...more
THE BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ.......
I realize that I should like this book - lots of people like this book. I read the ending twice and it just didn't happen. I didn't like the ending, although I can grasp the "poeticness" (yes, I just made up that word) of it. I struggled with the story, with a story line that was intriguing, but bloody. It was just a painful read all the way around and I pushed myself to get through this relatively short book. I wouldn't recommend it and maybe after we discuss it at book club I will appreciate i...more
I enjoyed reading this book more than I did reading The Palace of Dreams. The story deals with blood feuds that are carried out legally in strict accordance with the Kanun, an Albanian medieval book of law that is still followed by most rural Albanians at the time the story takes place.
The Kanun does actually still exist. I wasn't really moved by the fact that the law existed; the English had a similar "body for body" law governing the Anglo-Saxons/Medieval people & Russians had their duels...more
The Kanun does actually still exist. I wasn't really moved by the fact that the law existed; the English had a similar "body for body" law governing the Anglo-Saxons/Medieval people & Russians had their duels...more
What an eye-opener of a book. I never realized that something like the vendetta existed in such a serious and organized fashion. On the high plateaus of northern Albania, the north country rrafsh, the people live by the code, by the Kanun. This is a written set of codes that covers all aspects of living, and dying. The Gjakmarrja, blood feud, is the focus of this book.
When Gjorg's brother is killed by a neighbor, it becomes Gjorg's duty to avenge his death. This immediately marks the end of Gjor...more
When Gjorg's brother is killed by a neighbor, it becomes Gjorg's duty to avenge his death. This immediately marks the end of Gjor...more
The version I read was in English. It was a translation of the French translation of the original Albanian. I feel that the story has not suffered because of this double translation.
This haunting tale, which revolves around the Law of Lek, the codification of feuding in traditional Albania, is brief but brilliant. As in his other works, Ismail Kadare captures a great deal with a few words.
Read this and anything else by this author.
This haunting tale, which revolves around the Law of Lek, the codification of feuding in traditional Albania, is brief but brilliant. As in his other works, Ismail Kadare captures a great deal with a few words.
Read this and anything else by this author.
Ismail Kadare has slowly became one of my favorite authors of the last couple of years. He has never really struck me with a book that left me shaking, but as i read more and more of his books i find that they are all very different, all very well written, all have entertaining stories that make me
wander the streets musing to myself and so
he's became a dark horse favorite and i look forward to reading many many more
wander the streets musing to myself and so
he's became a dark horse favorite and i look forward to reading many many more
What I love about this book is the way he describes the laws of our kanun. Kanuni I Leke Dukagjinit. When first readin or maybe hearing about these laws you may think of them as something monstrous, but Kadarein this book shows another side of this wilderness, the love for family, patriotism. Besa, mikpritja very important things in our country. Basically our religion, our god. Beautiful!
It was a really good book, eye-opening in regard to brutal customs in the countrysides of Albania. Very interesting, but some parts got bogged down with repetitive explanations. I was also a little confused by the ending. Rather predictable, obviously, but I have no idea what purpose the husband and wife had in the story ??? Still a good novel though.
Jan 20, 2012
Swiftsea
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommended to Swiftsea by:
school
Shelves:
great-piece,
literature
I finished
Broken April by Ismail Kadare .
Haunting, Chilling and leaves a black standpost at the back of your mind that screams- never forget me and the blood our honorable people have shed. It introduces to the world the existence of the Kanun and the merciless acts of death, murder and violence instigated on generations at the Albanian alps for the redemption of honor.
It covers a lot of historical content solely on the basis of the Kanun.
You don't get very emotionally attached to any of the...more
Broken April by Ismail Kadare .
Haunting, Chilling and leaves a black standpost at the back of your mind that screams- never forget me and the blood our honorable people have shed. It introduces to the world the existence of the Kanun and the merciless acts of death, murder and violence instigated on generations at the Albanian alps for the redemption of honor.
It covers a lot of historical content solely on the basis of the Kanun.
You don't get very emotionally attached to any of the...more
This book took me deep into the Albanian mountains and into their centuries-old blood feuds. This is a topic that I knew little about before reading Kadare's book. The author challenged me to wonder why some cultures evolve and others are locked in tradition. Two stories are interwoven in this novel, giving it two separate vantage points. A fascinating read!
Jan 26, 2013
Eva
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
everyone
Recommended to Eva by:
I love Kadare
It is one of that book that change the way you think and the way you perceive things. I live in ALbania and know something about this phenomena but reading about it in the way that Ismail Kadare write is complete another thing. I get evolved completely and felt maybe the same thing as Gjorg.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Ismail Kadare was born in 1936 in Gjirokastër, in the south of Albania. His education included studies at the University of Tirana and then the Gorky Institute for World Literature in Moscow, a training school for writers and critics.
In 1960 Kadare returned to Albania after the country broke ties with the Soviet Union, and he became a journalist and published his first poems.
His first novel, The G...more
More about Ismail Kadaré...
In 1960 Kadare returned to Albania after the country broke ties with the Soviet Union, and he became a journalist and published his first poems.
His first novel, The G...more
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“It was only a phrase that went from mouth to mouth and was never quite swallowed.”
—
28 people liked it
“And everything would be different, different.”
—
23 people liked it
More quotes…
