The River Runs Salt, Runs Sweet: A Memoir of Visegrad, Bosnia

by Jasmina Dervisevic-Cesic, Bruce Holland Rogers

At 15, Jasmina Dervisevic had typical teenage problems. How could she talk to the boy she liked without making a fool of herself? Would she find the right shoes to wear to the high-school party? She had heard the old stories about World War II, when neighbor turned against neighbor, but she seldom gave them a second thought. That had all happened ages ago, and she was living in a modern Yugoslavian city where Serbs and Muslims were close friends. Then Yugoslavia began to break apart. The national army turned its guns against its own people, and Jasmina had to grow up fast.

Genres: Nonfiction

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Lejla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't even begin to review this book because there isn't anything appropriate enough I can say besides that it is absolutely amazing. The emotions that evoked in me, of sadness, anger,joy and it left me just a little wiser in the end. What a brave woman the author is! The entire time I kept waiting for things to just get better, but there was always a new tragedy she had to overcome. This book isn't a literary masterpiece by any means, and it's not supposed to be, but it's a real account of one courageous woman's struggles during war in Bosnia. It's real, it's difficult, it's emotional and inspirational.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I finished this book I couldn't stop talking about it. It is really impactful.