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I hate my brother: The story about love & hate
This arresting drama draws back the curtain of war and focuses on the metamorphosis of men under the extreme stress of combat. Bojčić's emotional and gripping portrayal of war will stick with history enthusiasts long after the final sentence.
Fans of war, military, and historical fiction will be enthralled by Bojčić's heart-twisting depiction of the Bosnian War. - Publishers Weekly/ BookLife
This book maybe answers the question of whether we can become a monster, or the monster already lies deep within us, waiting for the opportunity to come to the surface.
The action of this novel takes place in the region of ex-Yugoslavia as well as in prison and the court of The Hague Tribunal for war crimes.
The main character is Gvozden Mishic. He is courageous, honest, hard-working, and above all, a highly honorable man.
What happens when such a man of incredible persistence and will-power has his heart broken and filled with hatred?
Genocide.
This book represents a transformation, or rather a deformation of an impressive and above all, unique personality with countless qualities, among which the greatest is - an immense love for his family.
This quality is precisely his greatest fault. Love that he felt for his wife and daughter becomes an inexhaustible source of hatred that makes him commit deeds that give a new dimension and severity to the term "war crime."
The severity that the readers will undoubtedly feel in their hearts while reading this book.
This book is nothing more than a profoundly emotional testimony of a tragedy of one people, carried on wings of hatred, hatred of those who once lived for LOVE, who once fought for LOVE.
Fans of war, military, and historical fiction will be enthralled by Bojčić's heart-twisting depiction of the Bosnian War. - Publishers Weekly/ BookLife
This book maybe answers the question of whether we can become a monster, or the monster already lies deep within us, waiting for the opportunity to come to the surface.
The action of this novel takes place in the region of ex-Yugoslavia as well as in prison and the court of The Hague Tribunal for war crimes.
The main character is Gvozden Mishic. He is courageous, honest, hard-working, and above all, a highly honorable man.
What happens when such a man of incredible persistence and will-power has his heart broken and filled with hatred?
Genocide.
This book represents a transformation, or rather a deformation of an impressive and above all, unique personality with countless qualities, among which the greatest is - an immense love for his family.
This quality is precisely his greatest fault. Love that he felt for his wife and daughter becomes an inexhaustible source of hatred that makes him commit deeds that give a new dimension and severity to the term "war crime."
The severity that the readers will undoubtedly feel in their hearts while reading this book.
This book is nothing more than a profoundly emotional testimony of a tragedy of one people, carried on wings of hatred, hatred of those who once lived for LOVE, who once fought for LOVE.
- GenresFiction
144 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 18, 2020
About the author
Branislav Bojcic
1 book73 followersBranislav Bojcic is a Yugoslavian author born in Belgrade. His first book, “I hate my brother,” was written in 2017. The book is based on the real events that took place during the civil war in Bosnia between 1992-1995. The book describes crimes committed by both sides, Serbians and Muslims in what is described to be one of the bloodiest wars in 20th century. The book had a huge success in former Yugoslavia due to author's unbiased style of writing. However his work was not unnoticed by the authorities who committed those same crimes, and in 2018 he was forced to leave the country. Currently, he is a political refugee living in the USA.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
August 18, 2020
This is a prime example of how hatred can poison even the best person. It can cloud their judgement and cause them to act out in ways they never imagined before. Hatred can also lead to regret. Before reading this book I was very unfamiliar with the Bosnian war, but Branislav holds no punches depicting wrongs on both sides, regardless if Serbian or Muslim. War not only changes a country, but it's people as well, the after effects are felt long after the war is over. The ending of Gvozden's tale is quite sobering, but should be shared so others can learn from the mistakes that led up to this war.
The majority of the complaints I am seeing about this book is "crude" or "brutal" sex scenes. If you have a weak stomach, you should not be reading a book about war, period. Branislav does not go into excessive detail. He simply writes what is happening as factually as possible, without any embellishments. I think it is wrong to hide a major tragedy of war - rape. How can you complain about the sex scenes, but be fine with the level of detail concerning other physical violence?
The majority of the complaints I am seeing about this book is "crude" or "brutal" sex scenes. If you have a weak stomach, you should not be reading a book about war, period. Branislav does not go into excessive detail. He simply writes what is happening as factually as possible, without any embellishments. I think it is wrong to hide a major tragedy of war - rape. How can you complain about the sex scenes, but be fine with the level of detail concerning other physical violence?
July 13, 2020
Wow. This is an amazingly insightful book based on how war can destroy humanity and divide families. Gvozden and Sened grow up as good friends and think of each other as brothers but the Bosnian war saw them on different sides. This book goes into great detail on how the lies and the horrors of this war totally destroyed these two men, their families and thousands of others. It’s well written and is a story that I think everyone should take the time to read.
July 7, 2020
A heartbreaking story that shows how hatred can change one’s personality and life itself. Written in a down to earth way so that I felt the rage and the sorrow. It was hard to read but I’m glad I did.
July 4, 2020
This is a story about the Bosnian war. It is a very emotional story and may have triggers for some. If you like war stories this is for you.I voluntarily reviewed this ARC.
July 18, 2020
The Ten Year Civil War💀🔪🔫💥
One Day, the War💀 Will Be Over...
This is a graphic account of the story of the tearing apart of Yugoslavia and the civil war torn area known as the Balkans, Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia in the 1990's. It's a true story with fictionalized characters during a terrible, destructive war between Muslims and Christians.
Horrible Atrocities are committed on both sides, mass executions, executions of children and women, rapes, torture, and other crimes against humanity.
It's a war that no one could be proud of. The war pitted former neighbors against neighbors. It was a modern civil war that forever changed this part of the world 🌎.
When Serbian Christian soldier Gvozden's wife and daughter are raped and murdered by soldiers from the other side, he becomes a monster overnight, questioning and then bloodily killing young men , even a child, in his crazed rage against his Muslim enemies.
Gvozden devotes his life to finding and killing Senad, the man he believes killed his beloved wife and daughter. He is given a troop of men to accomplish this! They take valuables from the houses they break into along the way to finance themselves.
Genocide on both sides was practiced. In the end, numerous men were charged with War crimes, rape, and crimes against humanity.
The book is quite graphic and personal in its violence, which is the way this war was. In my opinion it's a wonder both sides didn't wipe each other completely out! The author says casualties were from 100,000 to 300,000, with many buried secretly in mass graves.
I received a request to read and review this, compelling, mesmerizing, and well written book from the Author, Branislav Bojcic.
This is a sad and extremely emotional book, chronicling the story of one man's descent into the living hell that was the civil war in the former Yugoslavia. No one won this war, certainly not Gvozden. I cried at the end for all the lost souls this war caused.
I Highly recommend, even though the writing in the book is rough around the edges, it is too compelling to put down.....
One Day, the War💀 Will Be Over...
This is a graphic account of the story of the tearing apart of Yugoslavia and the civil war torn area known as the Balkans, Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia in the 1990's. It's a true story with fictionalized characters during a terrible, destructive war between Muslims and Christians.
Horrible Atrocities are committed on both sides, mass executions, executions of children and women, rapes, torture, and other crimes against humanity.
It's a war that no one could be proud of. The war pitted former neighbors against neighbors. It was a modern civil war that forever changed this part of the world 🌎.
When Serbian Christian soldier Gvozden's wife and daughter are raped and murdered by soldiers from the other side, he becomes a monster overnight, questioning and then bloodily killing young men , even a child, in his crazed rage against his Muslim enemies.
Gvozden devotes his life to finding and killing Senad, the man he believes killed his beloved wife and daughter. He is given a troop of men to accomplish this! They take valuables from the houses they break into along the way to finance themselves.
Genocide on both sides was practiced. In the end, numerous men were charged with War crimes, rape, and crimes against humanity.
The book is quite graphic and personal in its violence, which is the way this war was. In my opinion it's a wonder both sides didn't wipe each other completely out! The author says casualties were from 100,000 to 300,000, with many buried secretly in mass graves.
I received a request to read and review this, compelling, mesmerizing, and well written book from the Author, Branislav Bojcic.
This is a sad and extremely emotional book, chronicling the story of one man's descent into the living hell that was the civil war in the former Yugoslavia. No one won this war, certainly not Gvozden. I cried at the end for all the lost souls this war caused.
I Highly recommend, even though the writing in the book is rough around the edges, it is too compelling to put down.....
March 24, 2021
I'm finding it difficult to rate this one. I keep going back and forth between 2-4, so I think I'm going to settle with 3. I won this in a GR giveaway, Hvala Mr. Bojcic. Sto zelite popiti? It's rare I get to use that language ever, so that was fun for me. I don't know much of it.
This book has good bones. This was essentially a character study into how a person can turn from a moral, average person into a heartless, vicious, revenge-seeking monster. It takes place during the Bosnian conflict of the 90's, which is not something that I've come across very often in books. Be warned, this book is extremely graphic. Some of it is really hard to take. Based on some stories I've been told from friends who lived in the area at the time, many of the terrible things depicted in the book are likely things to have happened in reality. It's very interesting, but also terrible and heartbreaking.
Overall I found myself 'enjoying' the book, if that's the right word to use for such a dark subject matter. I do feel that the book could have been a little longer. It's a short read at less than 150 pages and could have benefited from a little bit more character development. Although, I do suspect that Gvozden was really the only one we as readers needed to understand for this book.
I think this must be a draft of the novel for the giveaway as it suffers from translation and format issues. The format for dialogue is a little difficult to read. It is done in italics in the middle of the page. Sometimes, these will include things like "so-and-so said" and sometimes not. It's not always clear who is speaking. 99% of the book is from Gvozden's perspective, except for one strange instance in the middle of a chapter where it switches to Rade, then back to Gvozden for the remainder of the book. It's a little jarring. I believe I saw somewhere that the author is aware that the translation has issues, so I'll just leave it at that. It reads very much like how someone from that area sounds when they're learning English. It's readable, it's understandable, but often uses the wrong tense or order of words. English is a strange language when compared to others. Lastly, there are a sprinkling of footnotes throughout the book, and I found them to be entirely unnecessary.
As I said, this book has some really good bones. The author is definitely on to something here, and if anything else, it's an interesting glimpse into a conflict that I didn't know as much about. Most of the time it's WWII, but this was a nice change of pace from that. I do think the book needs a little work, but I also think it could be something amazing.
Volim knjigas!
This book has good bones. This was essentially a character study into how a person can turn from a moral, average person into a heartless, vicious, revenge-seeking monster. It takes place during the Bosnian conflict of the 90's, which is not something that I've come across very often in books. Be warned, this book is extremely graphic. Some of it is really hard to take. Based on some stories I've been told from friends who lived in the area at the time, many of the terrible things depicted in the book are likely things to have happened in reality. It's very interesting, but also terrible and heartbreaking.
Overall I found myself 'enjoying' the book, if that's the right word to use for such a dark subject matter. I do feel that the book could have been a little longer. It's a short read at less than 150 pages and could have benefited from a little bit more character development. Although, I do suspect that Gvozden was really the only one we as readers needed to understand for this book.
I think this must be a draft of the novel for the giveaway as it suffers from translation and format issues. The format for dialogue is a little difficult to read. It is done in italics in the middle of the page. Sometimes, these will include things like "so-and-so said" and sometimes not. It's not always clear who is speaking. 99% of the book is from Gvozden's perspective, except for one strange instance in the middle of a chapter where it switches to Rade, then back to Gvozden for the remainder of the book. It's a little jarring. I believe I saw somewhere that the author is aware that the translation has issues, so I'll just leave it at that. It reads very much like how someone from that area sounds when they're learning English. It's readable, it's understandable, but often uses the wrong tense or order of words. English is a strange language when compared to others. Lastly, there are a sprinkling of footnotes throughout the book, and I found them to be entirely unnecessary.
As I said, this book has some really good bones. The author is definitely on to something here, and if anything else, it's an interesting glimpse into a conflict that I didn't know as much about. Most of the time it's WWII, but this was a nice change of pace from that. I do think the book needs a little work, but I also think it could be something amazing.
Volim knjigas!
June 17, 2021
This book . . . oh boy this book is . . . Where do I even begin . . .
This is the story of the horrors of a war fought in one's own country and the horrors of men at war in general. A beautiful book that reminds me of the classics (Hemingway, Fitzgerald, exc . . .) but whose heavy subject matter is NOT for everyone. It contains depictions of rape, murder, and torture, but the scenes are not there to tantalize or for cheap thrills. It's an important story. It's the story of a man becoming a monster and we come to understand, if not how someone could do such terrible things, at least why. The tittle really does say it all. When war changes men into monsters, even those who were once as brothers do not recognize each other.
The only negatives that I have for this story are that the formatting is a little awkward but this is a translation and I believe that has something to do with it. Honestly by the end of the first chapter or so I was no longer noticing the odd formatting because I had become invested enough in the story not to notice anymore.
This is the story of the horrors of a war fought in one's own country and the horrors of men at war in general. A beautiful book that reminds me of the classics (Hemingway, Fitzgerald, exc . . .) but whose heavy subject matter is NOT for everyone. It contains depictions of rape, murder, and torture, but the scenes are not there to tantalize or for cheap thrills. It's an important story. It's the story of a man becoming a monster and we come to understand, if not how someone could do such terrible things, at least why. The tittle really does say it all. When war changes men into monsters, even those who were once as brothers do not recognize each other.
The only negatives that I have for this story are that the formatting is a little awkward but this is a translation and I believe that has something to do with it. Honestly by the end of the first chapter or so I was no longer noticing the odd formatting because I had become invested enough in the story not to notice anymore.
July 5, 2020
ONE HEARTBREAKING JOURNEY!!!
Unbelievable! Brainslav dropped the bomb with such indescribable insight into so much horror, death and pain, that bled through in a war torn country where carnage took a front row seat, families broken and lost, launching this chilling spin to life flawlessly. Shattering the lines and crushing boundaries, limitations are amplified and exploited, riding the current and breaking waves, kicking this gem into overdrive, slamming it into a frenzy with far-reaching impacts. Carrying the load and bearing the burden, delivering one action packed, nail-biting, nerve racking, spine tingling, pulse racing, heart pounding, adrenaline pumping, page flipping bombshell, wrapping this jewel up sleek, shiny and tight. Shenanigans, escapades and havoc rule supreme, broadcasting the drama, loss, intrigue, turmoil, betrayal, animosity, violence, danger, mounting suspense and intense situations along with a boatload of hatred while dodging destruction, you have one inescapable heartbreaking experience. The characters are complex and genuine with traits and qualities that add depth and diversity, with enough flaws to relate, transforming into 100% on point realistic personalities. The scenes are strikingly sharp with abundant details and depictions creating an elaborate backdrop that's so vividly descriptive it's like your transported to ground zero with them. Incredible job Branislav, thanks for sharing this little guy with us.
Unbelievable! Brainslav dropped the bomb with such indescribable insight into so much horror, death and pain, that bled through in a war torn country where carnage took a front row seat, families broken and lost, launching this chilling spin to life flawlessly. Shattering the lines and crushing boundaries, limitations are amplified and exploited, riding the current and breaking waves, kicking this gem into overdrive, slamming it into a frenzy with far-reaching impacts. Carrying the load and bearing the burden, delivering one action packed, nail-biting, nerve racking, spine tingling, pulse racing, heart pounding, adrenaline pumping, page flipping bombshell, wrapping this jewel up sleek, shiny and tight. Shenanigans, escapades and havoc rule supreme, broadcasting the drama, loss, intrigue, turmoil, betrayal, animosity, violence, danger, mounting suspense and intense situations along with a boatload of hatred while dodging destruction, you have one inescapable heartbreaking experience. The characters are complex and genuine with traits and qualities that add depth and diversity, with enough flaws to relate, transforming into 100% on point realistic personalities. The scenes are strikingly sharp with abundant details and depictions creating an elaborate backdrop that's so vividly descriptive it's like your transported to ground zero with them. Incredible job Branislav, thanks for sharing this little guy with us.
January 19, 2021
Many thanks to the author for sending me a copy of this important and interesting book I won on goodreads
This is not the type of book I would normally read, but I must say from the first page it had my interest. ...I found this book to be quite disturbing but war is disturbing and I knew this going into in to read this...so if your interest is in historical books or if you are a war buff you will, I believe, really appreciate this book and story.
I thought it was very well written and i gained a deeper understanding of this disturbing and dark time in history
This is not the type of book I would normally read, but I must say from the first page it had my interest. ...I found this book to be quite disturbing but war is disturbing and I knew this going into in to read this...so if your interest is in historical books or if you are a war buff you will, I believe, really appreciate this book and story.
I thought it was very well written and i gained a deeper understanding of this disturbing and dark time in history
September 20, 2020
It was a very intensive book. It talks about the war in the region of ex-Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Gvozden and his family live in a small village. He treats people fairly, judging them by their merits and not by religion or political beliefs. When Yugoslavia is on a verge of a civil war, he is called to become part of the military. Reluctantly he obeys, leaving his wife and daughter behind. When Gvozden is away he finds out that his village has been raided by Muslims and his wife and daughter had been brutally killed. This traumatic experience triggers Gvozden and turns him into a monster.
The book was interesting and intense. I am not really familiar with the history of the region of ex-Yugoslavia but in the prologue the author explain the topic. At the beginning I was a bit lost in understanding why and who fights who, but then it became clear.
The book show how a war can change a regular person, how people who grew up together and are almost considered family members can easily hate each other. It was a very eye opening and insightful book showing how war can destroy lives, friendships, families, humanity in general.
Some parts of the book were too graphic for my taste. The atrocities of the war, even though they weren’t described in details, were too much for me. But over all the book is thought provoking and the ending is absolutely heartbreaking.
The book was interesting and intense. I am not really familiar with the history of the region of ex-Yugoslavia but in the prologue the author explain the topic. At the beginning I was a bit lost in understanding why and who fights who, but then it became clear.
The book show how a war can change a regular person, how people who grew up together and are almost considered family members can easily hate each other. It was a very eye opening and insightful book showing how war can destroy lives, friendships, families, humanity in general.
Some parts of the book were too graphic for my taste. The atrocities of the war, even though they weren’t described in details, were too much for me. But over all the book is thought provoking and the ending is absolutely heartbreaking.
April 27, 2018
Solidna knjiga sa odličnim krajem koji ima sasvim jasnu poruku.
Link za moju punu recenziju: https://hvatacsnova.blogspot.rs/2018/...
Link za moju punu recenziju: https://hvatacsnova.blogspot.rs/2018/...
September 9, 2020
An Interesting but Ultimately Frustrating Read (3/5)
I'm always up for learning something new in history, especially about underserved conflicts in history. However, I walked away from this book a bit underwhelmed by what I assumed would be a bit of a deeper dive into the horrors of war.
What Worked for Me: I think there are some okay pieces in how the story progresses. While the translation is rough at best, the author gives a good attempt at painting the archetypes of people in war. These include the fallen honorable man given into his more basal urges, the opportunists in both the army and citizenry reveling in the chaos, and the stoic Seargent struggling to carry the weight of others' actions. These are all pretty well done. However, that's about where my praise stops.
What Didn't Work For Me: The male lead's characterization is hard to describe as anything but "self-deprecative self-insert power fantasy." The character continually describes themselves as smarter, faster, stronger, more willful, and the like. And the story plays out as if those things are always accurate. The same thing for the way the side characters view them. For the main character, Gvozden, he's pretty much good at everything except being quick to anger. Except even that is a superpower that allows him to "out-will" his superior officers and even intelligence agents. Note, some of this plays into the "opportunists" line above, but a lot of it is very cringy. There's also a point where he realizes what he's trying to save is lost. In one of the quickest 180s of a character I've read, he decides to take everything he bases himself upon and throw it out the window to become a "thousand-page long indictment" criminal: raping, pillaging, and killing with a colonel's unofficial sanction. People can snap, sure. But the building up of this character's anger issues and otherwise familial / personal perfections isn't what I would consider foreshadowing (it was to me because it was the only obvious way a story like this could go). In the end, what could have been a more in-depth exploration of falling into these depraved actions, starting to stand on cultural or political lines, etcetera is lost. Instead, the character stands alone as a monstrous paragon against the divisors (religious fanatics, politicians, nationalists, etcetera). It's a wasted opportunity.
The Gist of It: "I Hate My Brother" is a frustrating read which starts with a reasonably great premise. It's a short book, so overall still worth reading as a quick junk food snack. However, the characterization, lack of depth, and strange turns of the plot make this something hard for me to recommend beyond that. In the end, I'm left with the same feelings I got looking at Game of Thrones, Season 8, Episode 5 (the part where everyone stops fighting, then started turning rapey / kill-happy at the drop of a hat). The story's potential lied in exploring where those old cultural divides existed, delving into how a simple man that believed in unity gave into those selfsame divisions. Alas, it was not to be.
I'm always up for learning something new in history, especially about underserved conflicts in history. However, I walked away from this book a bit underwhelmed by what I assumed would be a bit of a deeper dive into the horrors of war.
What Worked for Me: I think there are some okay pieces in how the story progresses. While the translation is rough at best, the author gives a good attempt at painting the archetypes of people in war. These include the fallen honorable man given into his more basal urges, the opportunists in both the army and citizenry reveling in the chaos, and the stoic Seargent struggling to carry the weight of others' actions. These are all pretty well done. However, that's about where my praise stops.
What Didn't Work For Me: The male lead's characterization is hard to describe as anything but "self-deprecative self-insert power fantasy." The character continually describes themselves as smarter, faster, stronger, more willful, and the like. And the story plays out as if those things are always accurate. The same thing for the way the side characters view them. For the main character, Gvozden, he's pretty much good at everything except being quick to anger. Except even that is a superpower that allows him to "out-will" his superior officers and even intelligence agents. Note, some of this plays into the "opportunists" line above, but a lot of it is very cringy. There's also a point where he realizes what he's trying to save is lost. In one of the quickest 180s of a character I've read, he decides to take everything he bases himself upon and throw it out the window to become a "thousand-page long indictment" criminal: raping, pillaging, and killing with a colonel's unofficial sanction. People can snap, sure. But the building up of this character's anger issues and otherwise familial / personal perfections isn't what I would consider foreshadowing (it was to me because it was the only obvious way a story like this could go). In the end, what could have been a more in-depth exploration of falling into these depraved actions, starting to stand on cultural or political lines, etcetera is lost. Instead, the character stands alone as a monstrous paragon against the divisors (religious fanatics, politicians, nationalists, etcetera). It's a wasted opportunity.
The Gist of It: "I Hate My Brother" is a frustrating read which starts with a reasonably great premise. It's a short book, so overall still worth reading as a quick junk food snack. However, the characterization, lack of depth, and strange turns of the plot make this something hard for me to recommend beyond that. In the end, I'm left with the same feelings I got looking at Game of Thrones, Season 8, Episode 5 (the part where everyone stops fighting, then started turning rapey / kill-happy at the drop of a hat). The story's potential lied in exploring where those old cultural divides existed, delving into how a simple man that believed in unity gave into those selfsame divisions. Alas, it was not to be.
October 23, 2020
I often step away from the popular books & authors in search of hidden gems. Those authors who have something important to say, or add in a significant way to the collective culture.
This is such a book.
You can easily find scholarly articles on the former Yugoslavia & the resulting conflicts/wars that have hit the nation-states that resulted. Sterile, pedantic reads targeting a limited audience. It is harder to find foreign authors translated for a larger audience. When an author takes that extra step; I pay attention. It means, they have something important to say.
Despite the 2020 election; Americans still find it much harder to understand the animosity & hatred that can erupt when governmental powers shift. When languages, cultural identity, religion & loyalties devolve into conflict. Pick up this book. Start here. While the translation isn't perfect, it is sufficiently good to read with few stumbling blocks. As a matter of fact, because of the translation, the author's Voice comes out lending a credibility to the story.
It brings to life a region where historical conflict goes back Millennia not Decades or Centuries. Attempts by others to impose artificial boundaries have repeatedly failed and left to their own devices; each group has struggled to carve out a safe place, an Identity, a Home.
This is not a clean read. It is about the ugliness and pain of war, conflict, rape, murder, sometimes in graphic detail; but, as "I hate my brother" shows, it's also about personal relationships. How brother comes to fight brother.
The initial start of the book is largely background & sets up village/community life after the death of Tito & the fall of the USSR circa 1991-92. If you do not have a basic understanding of the history of the region, it might not make as much sense, but you will definitely come away with an greater understanding of who the actors are & the dynamics of the regional conflict.
The ending alone was worth the read. I could not have seen that coming and it has stayed with me now for several days. This was definitely a great find for me & I hope Bojcic continues to write & translate his stories.
This is such a book.
You can easily find scholarly articles on the former Yugoslavia & the resulting conflicts/wars that have hit the nation-states that resulted. Sterile, pedantic reads targeting a limited audience. It is harder to find foreign authors translated for a larger audience. When an author takes that extra step; I pay attention. It means, they have something important to say.
Despite the 2020 election; Americans still find it much harder to understand the animosity & hatred that can erupt when governmental powers shift. When languages, cultural identity, religion & loyalties devolve into conflict. Pick up this book. Start here. While the translation isn't perfect, it is sufficiently good to read with few stumbling blocks. As a matter of fact, because of the translation, the author's Voice comes out lending a credibility to the story.
It brings to life a region where historical conflict goes back Millennia not Decades or Centuries. Attempts by others to impose artificial boundaries have repeatedly failed and left to their own devices; each group has struggled to carve out a safe place, an Identity, a Home.
This is not a clean read. It is about the ugliness and pain of war, conflict, rape, murder, sometimes in graphic detail; but, as "I hate my brother" shows, it's also about personal relationships. How brother comes to fight brother.
The initial start of the book is largely background & sets up village/community life after the death of Tito & the fall of the USSR circa 1991-92. If you do not have a basic understanding of the history of the region, it might not make as much sense, but you will definitely come away with an greater understanding of who the actors are & the dynamics of the regional conflict.
The ending alone was worth the read. I could not have seen that coming and it has stayed with me now for several days. This was definitely a great find for me & I hope Bojcic continues to write & translate his stories.
August 28, 2020
A tragic story too often repeated in history
This story should have shocked me. As disturbing as it was to read, however, it illustrated a common reality of war. In fact, it reminded me of other extremes of hatred demonstrated in the second Sino-Japanese war, the sectarian violence in the Middle East, and certainly Nazi Germany toward Jews. Only a hatred as strong as that felt by Gvozden in this story could cause such brutal and unjustified atrocities. What do they have in common? Conflict (often from a misunderstanding/inaccurate information), high emotion, alcohol, greed, and male hormones. When will it stop? I guess when the ingredients can no longer mix. Until then, history repeats.
In this story the author presents resulting extremes on two sides of the Yugoslav conflict through two men: Gvozden and Senad. At first they are neighbors like loving brothers, but racially-driven war puts them on opposite sides. Both experience extreme loss. The story gives their responses. I'm not sure I believe either (especially Senad). Only when viewed as an allegory to the break-up of Yugoslavia with the resulting independent states striving for peace, does the story become believable. As individual men, it would seem that only Satan could become so cruel or Christ so forgiving.
As for the book, it is understandable that a translation would have some language errors. However, this book could be much improved in that regard and in its formatting. I also think the language could have been less explicit/graphic and still maintain its poignancy. Warning: Highly explicit sexual content.
This story should have shocked me. As disturbing as it was to read, however, it illustrated a common reality of war. In fact, it reminded me of other extremes of hatred demonstrated in the second Sino-Japanese war, the sectarian violence in the Middle East, and certainly Nazi Germany toward Jews. Only a hatred as strong as that felt by Gvozden in this story could cause such brutal and unjustified atrocities. What do they have in common? Conflict (often from a misunderstanding/inaccurate information), high emotion, alcohol, greed, and male hormones. When will it stop? I guess when the ingredients can no longer mix. Until then, history repeats.
In this story the author presents resulting extremes on two sides of the Yugoslav conflict through two men: Gvozden and Senad. At first they are neighbors like loving brothers, but racially-driven war puts them on opposite sides. Both experience extreme loss. The story gives their responses. I'm not sure I believe either (especially Senad). Only when viewed as an allegory to the break-up of Yugoslavia with the resulting independent states striving for peace, does the story become believable. As individual men, it would seem that only Satan could become so cruel or Christ so forgiving.
As for the book, it is understandable that a translation would have some language errors. However, this book could be much improved in that regard and in its formatting. I also think the language could have been less explicit/graphic and still maintain its poignancy. Warning: Highly explicit sexual content.
September 10, 2020
I am very thankful to the author for sending me a copy of this book to review after I expressed interest here on Goodreads. This is an incredibly difficult story, and one that I think is very important to hear. While I was familiar with the general events of the war, I had never had this kind of context or encountered a story like this one. I think it illuminates several incredibly relevant themes through its actions: we see come to life how hatred brews, how war changes cultural/national identity - and how hard people can somehow work to "other" those around them in order to justify those actions. We see how the monsters within are born, and how the atrocities of war become personal.
There's a scene in particular that has stuck with me for some time now, when the main character Gvozden wants to warn his neighbors that conflict is upon them, but he's told they're now the enemy. This quite literally spells out the point: that there are good people once considered dear neighbors that can be suddenly lumped into a group of enemies. It's a thoughtful look at how this can happen: when you strip people of their individualities and forget about the memories and the observable facts you have witnessed about them, you can see them as less than you or in opposition to you in a way they never had been before.
I am very much looking forward to where this book takes off, especially with the English translation. I hope that more people will have access to this work, as it's both an important historical theme and also relevant in our present and future.
There's a scene in particular that has stuck with me for some time now, when the main character Gvozden wants to warn his neighbors that conflict is upon them, but he's told they're now the enemy. This quite literally spells out the point: that there are good people once considered dear neighbors that can be suddenly lumped into a group of enemies. It's a thoughtful look at how this can happen: when you strip people of their individualities and forget about the memories and the observable facts you have witnessed about them, you can see them as less than you or in opposition to you in a way they never had been before.
I am very much looking forward to where this book takes off, especially with the English translation. I hope that more people will have access to this work, as it's both an important historical theme and also relevant in our present and future.
September 8, 2020
Hmmmmm...
This book has horrible formatting. The book is dark and the main character is relatable. The part about death and the gun and what if the child finds the gun was something I thought about a lot.
I really like the main character. Gvozden is such a powerful character created.
When he washed the dead bodies all I could think was how strong minded this man is.
Dialogue is amazing
The pace was too fast and there was more telling vs showing
It has an amazing plot though and so I really enjoyed that. The cover wasn't appealing however I understand the concept because the book is so dark. The plot was so unpredictable. That ending felt reassuring of his "new life" but also sad because of how it ended. Weirdly I believe some of this is a true story . I don't know why, but some details seemed personal and I like the realistic elements because of it
This book has horrible formatting. The book is dark and the main character is relatable. The part about death and the gun and what if the child finds the gun was something I thought about a lot.
I really like the main character. Gvozden is such a powerful character created.
When he washed the dead bodies all I could think was how strong minded this man is.
Dialogue is amazing
The pace was too fast and there was more telling vs showing
It has an amazing plot though and so I really enjoyed that. The cover wasn't appealing however I understand the concept because the book is so dark. The plot was so unpredictable. That ending felt reassuring of his "new life" but also sad because of how it ended. Weirdly I believe some of this is a true story . I don't know why, but some details seemed personal and I like the realistic elements because of it
November 22, 2020
This is one of those powerful books that leaves the reader thinking about the story long after the story is read. The author Branislav Bojcic, brings the reader into war’s violence, and heartbreaking consequences of that violence. It’s a story told about two men, a Serbian and a Muslim who thought of each other as brothers. It’s a story of hate and how that hate can destroy us and who we are. I appreciated the Preface Bojcic wrote to help the reader understand the history of ex-Yugoslavia. There are some very disturbing brutal violent scenes that were difficult to read. Could the author have achieved the same result without such detail? I don’t know. I would not think one is supposed to be comfortable reading about such war crimes no matter how they are described. Thank you to Bojcic for the ARC.
August 8, 2020
3.5 Stars
I found this to be an interesting read. While I ultimately enjoyed this book, there were some issues with the book. I think some things may have been lost in translation which caused for some broken sentences. While I did not know about a lot of the information that was provided in this book, it did make me curious enough to do my own research on what occurred. There were times that this book was a little dry and I had to force myself to continue reading. I will say that I do not believe that there is ever a way to justify or make such horrendous behavior acceptable or understandable. I believe that a person's core values would not allow them to be twisted in such a way.
I received a copy of this book from the author and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
I found this to be an interesting read. While I ultimately enjoyed this book, there were some issues with the book. I think some things may have been lost in translation which caused for some broken sentences. While I did not know about a lot of the information that was provided in this book, it did make me curious enough to do my own research on what occurred. There were times that this book was a little dry and I had to force myself to continue reading. I will say that I do not believe that there is ever a way to justify or make such horrendous behavior acceptable or understandable. I believe that a person's core values would not allow them to be twisted in such a way.
I received a copy of this book from the author and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.
August 18, 2020
A dark, brutal cautionary tale
This story of the war that broke up Yugoslavia is harsh, disturbing and riveting. Not for children or those with delicate sensibilities, it’s about the transformative power of hatred and what happens when we give in to our inner darkness.
This version of I Hate My Brother is translated into English and the translation is sometimes a little awkward and the formatting a bit non standard. While that might bother some readers (which is why I mention it here), it actually added to the sense of authenticity and contributed to the disillusioned feel of the novel for me.
I wouldn’t recommend this for everyone, but I thought it was a tight, fast, horrifying read.
This story of the war that broke up Yugoslavia is harsh, disturbing and riveting. Not for children or those with delicate sensibilities, it’s about the transformative power of hatred and what happens when we give in to our inner darkness.
This version of I Hate My Brother is translated into English and the translation is sometimes a little awkward and the formatting a bit non standard. While that might bother some readers (which is why I mention it here), it actually added to the sense of authenticity and contributed to the disillusioned feel of the novel for me.
I wouldn’t recommend this for everyone, but I thought it was a tight, fast, horrifying read.
September 10, 2020
Oh, my God! This is the most devastating book I have read since The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. It rips your heart out, and then it tears at your guts. But that is what a book like this should do. It is a book about the horrors and inhumanity of war. The dramatic irony of the book feels like a stake through the heart at the end. This author has told a most powerful story that makes you question everything in life.
It is true that the book has some parts that are difficult to read because of the translation to English, and the formatting is a little off, but none of that takes away any of the sledgehammer force this story hits you with. I am stunned. I would recommend you read it, but be sure your heart is in the right place before you try.
It is true that the book has some parts that are difficult to read because of the translation to English, and the formatting is a little off, but none of that takes away any of the sledgehammer force this story hits you with. I am stunned. I would recommend you read it, but be sure your heart is in the right place before you try.
September 20, 2020
This is vaguely reminiscent of Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds in terms of the general plot, but wrapped in a tale of revenge with some not-so-subtle messaging about war. Every aspect of this story is brutal and tragic. I looked more into the Bosnian War after I finished reading, just to see how accurate the story is in terms of corruption and crimes against humanity. Turns out the looting, profiteering, rape, and torture were all common and systemized. While most characters are a little one-note and some of the writing is clearly lost in the English translation, this story does capture the horrors of the war through a protagonist losing his humanity and becoming the embodiment of the fallen country around him. It's shocking, visceral, and frank in its honesty.
September 2, 2020
This was a Goodreads giveaway. It is not an easy read. I remember some of the stories that came out about this conflict when it was happening, but nothing as brutal as is recounted here. The horrors of war times ten. I read it in one sitting and couldn’t put it down. Did I love it? No. But I certainly won’t forget it.
One criticism, and I really think this took away from some of the power of the story - the translation is not good. Meaning is lost. Even so, I understand how such an unflinching portrayal which places blame on all sides got the author kicked out of his home country. Not for the faint of heart.
One criticism, and I really think this took away from some of the power of the story - the translation is not good. Meaning is lost. Even so, I understand how such an unflinching portrayal which places blame on all sides got the author kicked out of his home country. Not for the faint of heart.
January 9, 2021
I won this book as part of the Goodreads Giveaway program and I'm glad I did. This book takes a reader through the pains of the ethnic cleansing that happened in Yugoslavia. Though this book is quite graphic with a lot of violence and rape, it does tell a very emotional story of what war does to people. The story follows Gvozden who seems normal but war brings out quite a violent story. This war time fiction novel keeps you captivated and left me unable to put it down. Though the book was a quick read, the translation wasn't always the best and had me re-reading parts a lot to understand the sentence.
October 23, 2020
Powerful
This is a powerful story with an unexpected moral lesson. It honestly exposed greed and corruption, as well as all the casualties of war. Brother against brother driven by other people’s hate & bigotry. The ending moved me.
The author had to flee his country for writing this. This story was worth it. If you’ve ever been disgusted by hate and racism you must read this.
This is a powerful story with an unexpected moral lesson. It honestly exposed greed and corruption, as well as all the casualties of war. Brother against brother driven by other people’s hate & bigotry. The ending moved me.
The author had to flee his country for writing this. This story was worth it. If you’ve ever been disgusted by hate and racism you must read this.
December 2, 2020
Not an easy read, but well worth the effort.
I began reading this book curious to know more about the old Yugoslavia, a country I had visited back in 1966. At first I was happy to learn more about the country’s history, but then it became a dark, horrendous journey, through a very troubled time.
The book is so well written that it felt as if I was almost there, a silent witness to all the unspeakable tragedy.
This is a powerful, sad book, highlighting the brutal, harsh face of war.
“I wanted everybody to know what war is and what it does to people.”
A book that proved very hard to put down.
I began reading this book curious to know more about the old Yugoslavia, a country I had visited back in 1966. At first I was happy to learn more about the country’s history, but then it became a dark, horrendous journey, through a very troubled time.
The book is so well written that it felt as if I was almost there, a silent witness to all the unspeakable tragedy.
This is a powerful, sad book, highlighting the brutal, harsh face of war.
“I wanted everybody to know what war is and what it does to people.”
A book that proved very hard to put down.
January 6, 2021
I really enjoyed this book! Branislav Bojcic sets this story to the background of the Bosnian War and I found that very interesting since I knew very little about it. I fell in love the main character because of his caring nature and love for others. Honestly I think Bojcic has written one of my new favorite books because he showed how someone who is so caring and kind can be affected by war and how war brings out the hatred and anger of human kind.
September 2, 2020
A horrific story about a horrific war...
Bojcic's novel closely describes the effects war has on people and entire societies. Armed only with incomplete and bad information, normally decent people turn into vengeful monsters. The entire book is in desperate need of a professional editor, but I think a lot of that is because it was translated into English.
Bojcic's novel closely describes the effects war has on people and entire societies. Armed only with incomplete and bad information, normally decent people turn into vengeful monsters. The entire book is in desperate need of a professional editor, but I think a lot of that is because it was translated into English.
September 14, 2020
A haunting, must-read story
I would say that I loved this book, but "love" is not the correct word. It pulls you in from the very beginning. The inhumanity of war and drive of revenge - regardless of its truth, comes through so powerfully. This is not a book that you read and then easily forget.
I would say that I loved this book, but "love" is not the correct word. It pulls you in from the very beginning. The inhumanity of war and drive of revenge - regardless of its truth, comes through so powerfully. This is not a book that you read and then easily forget.
July 20, 2020
I Hate My Brother is essentially a horror story, about war and the darkness of men's hearts, and how the death of innocence is the birth of evil. I'd give it a five if it had been better written and edited, but even as it stands, it has the impact of a catapulted boulder. It might make a good movie, perhaps, although not for the squeamish.
December 10, 2020
Despite giving this 5 stars, I would not recommend this book to my peers. It was really hard to read and gave me a lot of anxiety. It truly shows the ugly side of war and how men can go from protecting to destroying very quickly. The rape scenes were graphic and disturbing.
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