What do you think?
Rate this book
ერთი დიდი ტყის მახლობლა�
ლე� ვარდიაშვილ� ქართულ� წარმოშობის ინგლისურენოვან� ავტორი�. ის 90-ია� წლებში გადავიდა ლონდონში საცხოვრებლად, მაში� ლე� 12 წლის იყ�.
„ერთ� დიდი ტყის მახლობლად� ლე� ვარდიაშვილის სადებიუტ� რომანი�. მა� მნიშვნელოვან� წარმატებ� ხვდა წილა� ევროპელი და ამერიკელ� მკითხველისაგან. პირველსავე წელს ითარგმნა და გამოიც� მსოფლიოს ოცამდე ქვეყანაშ�.
„ერთ� დიდი ტყის მახლობლად� ნაწილობრივ ავტობიოგრაფიულ� რომანი�. გმირ� ბრუნდება სამშობლოში და იწყებს დაკარგულ� მამი� ძიებას. ერთი შეხედვით მარტივ და მძაფრსიუჟეტიან ტექსტს, რომელშიც მთავარ� გმირ� თითქოს კომპიუტერული თამაში� სხვადასხვა, უფრო და უფრო რთულ დონეზე გადადი�, სინამდვილეში საკმაო� ღრმა სიმბოლურ-ალუზიური დატვირთვ� აქვს. ტაქსისტი ნოდარი, მიუხედავად მისი გამოხატულა� ქართულ� ხასიათის�, „ღვთაებრივ� კომედიის� ვერგილიუსივი� მიუძღვებ� მთავარ გმირ� და ეს გზ�, ეს ძიებ�, როგორც ზღაპრისა თუ ტყის მითოსს შეჰფერის, ნე�-ნელა მძაფრდებ� და მიჰყავ� მკითხველ� შთამბეჭდავ ფინალამდ�, რომელი� საქართველო� უახლეს� ისტორიის� თუ მომავლის საინტერესო ინტერპრეტაციის საშუალებას იძლევა.
„ერთ� დიდი ტყის მახლობლად� ლე� ვარდიაშვილის სადებიუტ� რომანი�. მა� მნიშვნელოვან� წარმატებ� ხვდა წილა� ევროპელი და ამერიკელ� მკითხველისაგან. პირველსავე წელს ითარგმნა და გამოიც� მსოფლიოს ოცამდე ქვეყანაშ�.
„ერთ� დიდი ტყის მახლობლად� ნაწილობრივ ავტობიოგრაფიულ� რომანი�. გმირ� ბრუნდება სამშობლოში და იწყებს დაკარგულ� მამი� ძიებას. ერთი შეხედვით მარტივ და მძაფრსიუჟეტიან ტექსტს, რომელშიც მთავარ� გმირ� თითქოს კომპიუტერული თამაში� სხვადასხვა, უფრო და უფრო რთულ დონეზე გადადი�, სინამდვილეში საკმაო� ღრმა სიმბოლურ-ალუზიური დატვირთვ� აქვს. ტაქსისტი ნოდარი, მიუხედავად მისი გამოხატულა� ქართულ� ხასიათის�, „ღვთაებრივ� კომედიის� ვერგილიუსივი� მიუძღვებ� მთავარ გმირ� და ეს გზ�, ეს ძიებ�, როგორც ზღაპრისა თუ ტყის მითოსს შეჰფერის, ნე�-ნელა მძაფრდებ� და მიჰყავ� მკითხველ� შთამბეჭდავ ფინალამდ�, რომელი� საქართველო� უახლეს� ისტორიის� თუ მომავლის საინტერესო ინტერპრეტაციის საშუალებას იძლევა.
412 pages, Paperback
First published January 30, 2024
517 people are currently reading
19.5k people want to read
About the author
Leo Vardiashvili
1book191followersAspiring novelist and the author of HARD BY A GREAT FOREST - out in the US and UK in 30 January 2024.
Represented by Sara O'Keeffe at Aevitas Creative Management UK.
Represented by Sara O'Keeffe at Aevitas Creative Management UK.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 825 reviews
January 30, 2024
Until a few weeks ago, I didn’t know this book. But when I saw the title, I got intrigued. Then I read the blurb and found out this debut has already been sold to many countries. Suddenly, this novel, full of references to Western books like Brother Grimm fairy tales, and Shakespeare, became one of my most anticipated 2024 reads.
Hard by a Great Forest is about Saba, who fled Georgia as a kid with his dad and brother while his mother stayed behind. Almost twenty years later, living in the UK, first his dad and then his brother Sandro disappeared after visiting their former home country. When Saba starts searching for his missing family members, he faces resistance.
The title of this book is a reference to Hansel & Gretel, and the story is inspired by this fairy tale, too. The breadcrumbs, the angry witch, getting lost. During Saba’s search, Tbilisi feels like a great, dark forest; there has been flooding, wild animals from the zoo have escaped, and people are telling Saba to go back to the UK. Meanwhile, he finds a trail of mysterious snippets from his brother. At first, the story felt more like a mystery to me than a story about returning to your roots, but while reading, I recognized more and more layers Leo Vardiashvili built into Saba’s story. The voices in the back of his head of long-lost family members and friends. The numerous flashbacks with the tenderness of reading Brother Grimm's stories and the harshness of gunfires killing kids. His uncle who cured Saba’s fear of swimming by taking him fishing, but also the guilt Saba carried with him. His family home always pulling at him without realizing it.
I find it hard to rate Hard by a Great Forest. Sometimes I loved this sad, tender, and almost comical novel, and I felt knots forming in my stomach or goosebumps spring on my skin. But at other times, I felt kind of lost? I think it didn’t wholly consume me. Intellectually, I understood its meaning, but somehow, I wanted to feel more, and it took me a long time to get through the first chapters. But after finishing it, the story is still tugging at me, and it’s a book I’ll never forget.
I received an ARC from Bloomsbury Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Follow me on
Hard by a Great Forest is about Saba, who fled Georgia as a kid with his dad and brother while his mother stayed behind. Almost twenty years later, living in the UK, first his dad and then his brother Sandro disappeared after visiting their former home country. When Saba starts searching for his missing family members, he faces resistance.
The title of this book is a reference to Hansel & Gretel, and the story is inspired by this fairy tale, too. The breadcrumbs, the angry witch, getting lost. During Saba’s search, Tbilisi feels like a great, dark forest; there has been flooding, wild animals from the zoo have escaped, and people are telling Saba to go back to the UK. Meanwhile, he finds a trail of mysterious snippets from his brother. At first, the story felt more like a mystery to me than a story about returning to your roots, but while reading, I recognized more and more layers Leo Vardiashvili built into Saba’s story. The voices in the back of his head of long-lost family members and friends. The numerous flashbacks with the tenderness of reading Brother Grimm's stories and the harshness of gunfires killing kids. His uncle who cured Saba’s fear of swimming by taking him fishing, but also the guilt Saba carried with him. His family home always pulling at him without realizing it.
I find it hard to rate Hard by a Great Forest. Sometimes I loved this sad, tender, and almost comical novel, and I felt knots forming in my stomach or goosebumps spring on my skin. But at other times, I felt kind of lost? I think it didn’t wholly consume me. Intellectually, I understood its meaning, but somehow, I wanted to feel more, and it took me a long time to get through the first chapters. But after finishing it, the story is still tugging at me, and it’s a book I’ll never forget.
I received an ARC from Bloomsbury Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Follow me on
November 28, 2023
I'd like to write something more profound than Khaled Hosseini's review of this book but I'll never be that eloquent. All I can say is that it hit me the exact same way. It is funny, it is horrific, it takes your breath away, it leaves you gasping, fighting back tears.
The story follows Saba as he returns from an 18 year absence to his home country of Georgia (a place I knew nothing about before this book). Saba is following his brother, Sandro who, in turn, has gone to find their father Irakli. Saba's mother, Eka, was left behind when the family fled post-Soviet, mid civil war Georgia. Irakli's grief and guilt has taken him back to find out what happened but he has since gone missing. First one then the other son need to find him.
There's so much I'd like to say in praise of this book but I fear if I started I'd not stop and you'd get bored. Far easier for me to say this is a book that you should read. It is a book about loss, fear, war, injustice, greed, family, survivor guilt but, most of all, love. We meet some pure characters along the way - Nodar and his wife, Ketino, who lost their daughter during the bombing in Ossetia. Surik, who also loved Eka, even the ghosts in Saba's mind are fully formed.
This is an excellent novel that will make you laugh and cry in equal measure. I honestly can't praise it enough. After this debut novel I expect further great things from Leo Vardiashvili. Very highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for the advance review copy (due out 18.1.24). Most appreciated.
The story follows Saba as he returns from an 18 year absence to his home country of Georgia (a place I knew nothing about before this book). Saba is following his brother, Sandro who, in turn, has gone to find their father Irakli. Saba's mother, Eka, was left behind when the family fled post-Soviet, mid civil war Georgia. Irakli's grief and guilt has taken him back to find out what happened but he has since gone missing. First one then the other son need to find him.
There's so much I'd like to say in praise of this book but I fear if I started I'd not stop and you'd get bored. Far easier for me to say this is a book that you should read. It is a book about loss, fear, war, injustice, greed, family, survivor guilt but, most of all, love. We meet some pure characters along the way - Nodar and his wife, Ketino, who lost their daughter during the bombing in Ossetia. Surik, who also loved Eka, even the ghosts in Saba's mind are fully formed.
This is an excellent novel that will make you laugh and cry in equal measure. I honestly can't praise it enough. After this debut novel I expect further great things from Leo Vardiashvili. Very highly recommended.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury for the advance review copy (due out 18.1.24). Most appreciated.
April 3, 2025
Shortlisted for the Author’s Club Best First Novel Award
Longlisted for the 2025 RSL Ondaatje Prize, for a distinguished work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry, evoking the spirit of a place
Irakli wrote Kaleidoskupi in the monastery where he took himself after he and Eka divorced. He even brought the dog‑eared handwritten manuscript with him to London. Kept it hidden away in a box, like it was cursed.
“I’ll go back there, to all those places I didn’t say goodbye to,� he’d tell us, before each abortive attempt to fly to Tbilisi. “I’ll leave the pages, here and there, like breadcrumbs. Right pages for the right place. My farewell. When I’m done, the breadcrumbs will bring me back here. Back to you.�
(image generated by Microsoft Creator)
Hard by a great forest dwelt a poor wood-cutter with his wife and his two children. The boy was called Hansel and the girl Grethel. He had little to bite and to break, and once when great dearth fell on the land, he could no longer procure even daily bread.
from Hansel and Gretel, translated by Margaret Hunt, from Hänsel und Gretel by die Brüder Grimm
The first-person narrator, Saba Sulidze-Donauri, of Hard by a Great Forest is in his late 20s. His father Irakli fled Georgia in 1992 during the early part of the Georgian Civil War, taking Saba and his older brother Sandro with him and ending up in England, but being forced to leave the boy's mother, Eka behind. Saba has made a reluctant career as a non terribly convinced or convincing (you're going to die so buy a pension??) peddler of financial services snake-oil and fairy tales:
My job was to travel the country and give people bad news. In corporate, air‑conditioned meeting rooms, I told my audiences that some� day they would die. Yes, you in the back—you too. A Doomsday Peddler, according to Sandro. Like a good snake‑oil man, though, I had miracle cures to sell. I offered pensions and life insurance, investments and savings accounts. Useless acronyms, yield rates and percentages, sold to profit my em‑ployer. But also sold to stop these people from really absorbing my message and walking out of their jobs.
Saba has now returned to the country in 2010, or so he tells us, is search of Sandro, who disappered after he in turn went in search of Irakli, who in turn disappeared after he had returned to the country to seek closure, after Eka's death. Although the Tbilisi he arrives to seems like a Life of Pi come to life, with dangerous zoo animals roaming the street, which places us in June 2015 and the aftermath of the flood.
With no real plans on arrival, Saba finds his Sancho Panza in a taxi driver, Nodar, and the two travel around the city, and then the wider country in search of the trail of breadcrumbs left behind by Sandro and Irakli. The two are pursued by a policeman who is seeking Irakli for attempted murder and Sandro for adding and abetting his escape. And Saba is guided not only by the treasure-hunt clues left by Sandro, but also by voices in his head of those he has lost or left behind (the 'would have said' construction here soon replaced in Saba's mind with 'said').
In those early days, before we got shunted into a Tottenham school that spoke a language we didn’t, Sandro and I entertained ourselves by building elaborate scavenger hunts in our little council flat. Small scrolls of paper hidden in unlikely places, messages and clues written in our own secret language. Sandro’s hunts were always more intricate than mine. They baffled me so often. But Sandro’s no cheat. His game was always fair. He knew I’d solve the riddles eventually because we shared a vocabulary. Just think, he’d say and grin. Think. But I rarely finished Sandro’s games before Irakli came home, an exhausted interloper in our world. So, this is the beginning of a Sandro scavenger hunt. The signal to tell me the game has started. This one’s going to be hard. But you can do it, Saba, he would have said.
The somewhat fantastical set-up, with its link to Hansel and Gretel, reminded me of Helen Oyeyemi's Gingerbread. But that novel, for all its wonderful creativity, suffered because its lack of internal logic rather removed any narrative tension or interest in the characters.
But Hard by a Great Forest is very different. Of course one key lesson of Hansel and Gretel is that it is impossible to follow a trail of breadcrumbs and actually the pages of Irakli's play Kaleidoskupi and the clues from Sandro are, in practice, Macguffins. The real story is Saba travelling around his former hometown, visiting places, and where still alive, people that were meaningful to him, but also discovering the ongoing effects of the conflicts in the country, in South Ossetia in particular.
And although Saba narrates the novel, the author does this in a way that enables the reader to see his flaws - how the voices he hears are largely wish-fulfillment and his lack of empathy with others he sees as having betrayed him (the policeman searching for his father, and Surik his mother's neighbour and the one survivor from those he remembers).
Perhaps the highest praise I could give this is that I hope the author's agent has commissioned a Korean translation and sent the script to producers there, as this would make a fabulous K-drama, a genre which as Oyeyemi has observed shares many characteristics with the tales of the Brothers Grimm:
Thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for the ARC.
Longlisted for the 2025 RSL Ondaatje Prize, for a distinguished work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry, evoking the spirit of a place
Irakli wrote Kaleidoskupi in the monastery where he took himself after he and Eka divorced. He even brought the dog‑eared handwritten manuscript with him to London. Kept it hidden away in a box, like it was cursed.
“I’ll go back there, to all those places I didn’t say goodbye to,� he’d tell us, before each abortive attempt to fly to Tbilisi. “I’ll leave the pages, here and there, like breadcrumbs. Right pages for the right place. My farewell. When I’m done, the breadcrumbs will bring me back here. Back to you.�
(image generated by Microsoft Creator)
Hard by a great forest dwelt a poor wood-cutter with his wife and his two children. The boy was called Hansel and the girl Grethel. He had little to bite and to break, and once when great dearth fell on the land, he could no longer procure even daily bread.
from Hansel and Gretel, translated by Margaret Hunt, from Hänsel und Gretel by die Brüder Grimm
The first-person narrator, Saba Sulidze-Donauri, of Hard by a Great Forest is in his late 20s. His father Irakli fled Georgia in 1992 during the early part of the Georgian Civil War, taking Saba and his older brother Sandro with him and ending up in England, but being forced to leave the boy's mother, Eka behind. Saba has made a reluctant career as a non terribly convinced or convincing (you're going to die so buy a pension??) peddler of financial services snake-oil and fairy tales:
My job was to travel the country and give people bad news. In corporate, air‑conditioned meeting rooms, I told my audiences that some� day they would die. Yes, you in the back—you too. A Doomsday Peddler, according to Sandro. Like a good snake‑oil man, though, I had miracle cures to sell. I offered pensions and life insurance, investments and savings accounts. Useless acronyms, yield rates and percentages, sold to profit my em‑ployer. But also sold to stop these people from really absorbing my message and walking out of their jobs.
Saba has now returned to the country in 2010, or so he tells us, is search of Sandro, who disappered after he in turn went in search of Irakli, who in turn disappeared after he had returned to the country to seek closure, after Eka's death. Although the Tbilisi he arrives to seems like a Life of Pi come to life, with dangerous zoo animals roaming the street, which places us in June 2015 and the aftermath of the flood.
With no real plans on arrival, Saba finds his Sancho Panza in a taxi driver, Nodar, and the two travel around the city, and then the wider country in search of the trail of breadcrumbs left behind by Sandro and Irakli. The two are pursued by a policeman who is seeking Irakli for attempted murder and Sandro for adding and abetting his escape. And Saba is guided not only by the treasure-hunt clues left by Sandro, but also by voices in his head of those he has lost or left behind (the 'would have said' construction here soon replaced in Saba's mind with 'said').
In those early days, before we got shunted into a Tottenham school that spoke a language we didn’t, Sandro and I entertained ourselves by building elaborate scavenger hunts in our little council flat. Small scrolls of paper hidden in unlikely places, messages and clues written in our own secret language. Sandro’s hunts were always more intricate than mine. They baffled me so often. But Sandro’s no cheat. His game was always fair. He knew I’d solve the riddles eventually because we shared a vocabulary. Just think, he’d say and grin. Think. But I rarely finished Sandro’s games before Irakli came home, an exhausted interloper in our world. So, this is the beginning of a Sandro scavenger hunt. The signal to tell me the game has started. This one’s going to be hard. But you can do it, Saba, he would have said.
The somewhat fantastical set-up, with its link to Hansel and Gretel, reminded me of Helen Oyeyemi's Gingerbread. But that novel, for all its wonderful creativity, suffered because its lack of internal logic rather removed any narrative tension or interest in the characters.
But Hard by a Great Forest is very different. Of course one key lesson of Hansel and Gretel is that it is impossible to follow a trail of breadcrumbs and actually the pages of Irakli's play Kaleidoskupi and the clues from Sandro are, in practice, Macguffins. The real story is Saba travelling around his former hometown, visiting places, and where still alive, people that were meaningful to him, but also discovering the ongoing effects of the conflicts in the country, in South Ossetia in particular.
And although Saba narrates the novel, the author does this in a way that enables the reader to see his flaws - how the voices he hears are largely wish-fulfillment and his lack of empathy with others he sees as having betrayed him (the policeman searching for his father, and Surik his mother's neighbour and the one survivor from those he remembers).
Perhaps the highest praise I could give this is that I hope the author's agent has commissioned a Korean translation and sent the script to producers there, as this would make a fabulous K-drama, a genre which as Oyeyemi has observed shares many characteristics with the tales of the Brothers Grimm:
I think those, fairytales and K-Drama have something in common. They’re stories that don’t really need you to believe them, they’re just saying. But the things that they’re just saying are resonant on all kinds of levels, like, you laugh, and you sort of wince, and you cry, you just have these responses to what seems like an elaborate, or a vocabulary of, it almost seems like psychology archetypes that they’ve arranged for you and circulated so that you see them in a completely new way.
Thanks to the publisher via Netgalley for the ARC.
February 26, 2024
3.5
Saba was eight yrs old in the 1990’s when he, his brother and his father Irakli, fled Georgia (Soviet Republic) to go to London to escape the civil war� their mother was left behind
Around 12 yrs later.. Irakli goes back to Tbilisi to reconcile his past and goes missing.
“I left a trail I can’t erase,� reads Irakli’s final message to his sons. “Do not follow it.�
Saba leaves his life in London to find his father, guided by the voices of loved ones from his past, who are no longer living.
For the first half of the book, I wasn’t really interested in continuing to pick up the book.. then Saba meets a driver named Nodar� Saba stays at Nodar’s house and the man is his guide through all the territory they must go through in their search for Irakli.
Nodar was the highlight of the book and kept me reading.
Saba was eight yrs old in the 1990’s when he, his brother and his father Irakli, fled Georgia (Soviet Republic) to go to London to escape the civil war� their mother was left behind
Around 12 yrs later.. Irakli goes back to Tbilisi to reconcile his past and goes missing.
“I left a trail I can’t erase,� reads Irakli’s final message to his sons. “Do not follow it.�
Saba leaves his life in London to find his father, guided by the voices of loved ones from his past, who are no longer living.
For the first half of the book, I wasn’t really interested in continuing to pick up the book.. then Saba meets a driver named Nodar� Saba stays at Nodar’s house and the man is his guide through all the territory they must go through in their search for Irakli.
Nodar was the highlight of the book and kept me reading.
April 1, 2025
Behind closed borders, hard by a great forest.......................
Being refugees, leaving family behind, trying to continue to live, creating a new life, thinking of the family behind, of the disaster left behind, of the loss, of the separation, dealing with the guilt, going back ....... Harsh realities that are not easy to cope with. Vardiashvili uses the dark forest as a reality but also as a metaphor. It's a dark and murky place, which offers sustenance, reprieve, shelter, escape, freedom, and also houses the dark, betrayal, violence, blood, separation, and death. What can you do? You continue, step after step, you walk around, you see what you can do, and you do it.
Supported by the likes of Hansel and Gretel, Mowgli, Baba Yaga and Macbeth and a fine sense of the absurd, Vardiashvili leads us on the bread crumb trail walked by the children, the ones set aside, forgotten when the ones that fight set out with their wishes, their weapons and their battles. We see them set aside, separated from their families, sacrificed, and then we see them grown up with the terrible burden of repeating or breaking the cycle.
I read this in the sun filled peaceful afternoons of a Maltese spring, which is a far cry from the setting of the book or the harsh themes handled. Although I know of Georgia and Ossetia, it was only a superficial kind of knowledge. Vardiashvili made me see the blood that runs beneath the skin and also made me look up much, much more.
I can only urge and ask Leo Varidashvili to write more, "your voice and the voice of 'your' ghosts should be part of our story."
An ARC kindly provided by author/publisher via Netgalley.
Being refugees, leaving family behind, trying to continue to live, creating a new life, thinking of the family behind, of the disaster left behind, of the loss, of the separation, dealing with the guilt, going back ....... Harsh realities that are not easy to cope with. Vardiashvili uses the dark forest as a reality but also as a metaphor. It's a dark and murky place, which offers sustenance, reprieve, shelter, escape, freedom, and also houses the dark, betrayal, violence, blood, separation, and death. What can you do? You continue, step after step, you walk around, you see what you can do, and you do it.
Supported by the likes of Hansel and Gretel, Mowgli, Baba Yaga and Macbeth and a fine sense of the absurd, Vardiashvili leads us on the bread crumb trail walked by the children, the ones set aside, forgotten when the ones that fight set out with their wishes, their weapons and their battles. We see them set aside, separated from their families, sacrificed, and then we see them grown up with the terrible burden of repeating or breaking the cycle.
I read this in the sun filled peaceful afternoons of a Maltese spring, which is a far cry from the setting of the book or the harsh themes handled. Although I know of Georgia and Ossetia, it was only a superficial kind of knowledge. Vardiashvili made me see the blood that runs beneath the skin and also made me look up much, much more.
I can only urge and ask Leo Varidashvili to write more, "your voice and the voice of 'your' ghosts should be part of our story."
An ARC kindly provided by author/publisher via Netgalley.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
February 9, 2024This started off so promisingly, with a suspenseful plot and language that brought the book to life in my mind. But now, I haven't felt compelled to pick the book up in days. I think the stakes kind of... did an Irish exit somewhere a quarter of the way through? Things are still happening in the novel, but at the present moment, they're not enough to stay under my "currently reading", which I need to KonMari for the sake of sanity.
Thus, Hard By A Great Forest is getting a soft switch to the DNF shelf. Not the easiest DNF I've ever done, but sometimes we get overwhelmed and need to do something about it.
Would like to finish at a later date.
Thus, Hard By A Great Forest is getting a soft switch to the DNF shelf. Not the easiest DNF I've ever done, but sometimes we get overwhelmed and need to do something about it.
Would like to finish at a later date.
February 9, 2024
I went back & forth between really enjoying this book & being bored by it. Some of it felt very disjointed - going between Irakli's play, voices of Saba's family, & other unknown voices. The zoo animals was an interesting addition & I really enjoyed Nodar. Overall, I feel it's me, not the book, that's missing something. That being said - it was just ok. It kind of felt like a fever dream.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
February 17, 2024
Set in post-Soviet Georgia, this book tells a tale of a family separated by war, and a search to reunite. It is a fast- paced story that provides insight into this part of the world, and particularly the ongoing hostilities between Georgia and Ossetia. Embedded within the storyline are references to various fairy tales, and the title is a line from Hansl and Gretl.
Protagonist Saba follows a figurative bread crumb trail left for him by his brother in order to find their father. This present-day storyline is set up by the family’s history, including the 1991 flight of three of the four family members (brothers Saba and Sandro, and their father Irakli) to England, while their mother remained behind in Georgia. Irakli’s plans to rescue his wife are derailed by an “honest� man who did not follow through on his promise. Years later, Irakli goes back to Georgia to locate her, and the two sons end up separately following in his footsteps.
The writing provides a compelling story while also vividly portraying life in Georgia after independence. The narrative includes references to ghosts, though they can also be interpreted as representations of Sabo’s inner voices, with the ultimate explanation left up to the reader. It includes many colorful characters and a bit of much-needed humor that helps offset some of the grim subject matter. I particularly enjoyed references to the escape of animals from the Tbilisi zoo.
It is tense in some places, and tragic in others. I found it easy to root for Saba to succeed, while recognizing that it might be a stretch to expect much in the way of a positive ending. (Remember all those childhood fairy tales? Many of them do not end well.) The setting in Georgia is not one I have seen often, so it provides a nice change of pace. This is an auspicious debut novel and I look forward to reading more from this author.
Protagonist Saba follows a figurative bread crumb trail left for him by his brother in order to find their father. This present-day storyline is set up by the family’s history, including the 1991 flight of three of the four family members (brothers Saba and Sandro, and their father Irakli) to England, while their mother remained behind in Georgia. Irakli’s plans to rescue his wife are derailed by an “honest� man who did not follow through on his promise. Years later, Irakli goes back to Georgia to locate her, and the two sons end up separately following in his footsteps.
The writing provides a compelling story while also vividly portraying life in Georgia after independence. The narrative includes references to ghosts, though they can also be interpreted as representations of Sabo’s inner voices, with the ultimate explanation left up to the reader. It includes many colorful characters and a bit of much-needed humor that helps offset some of the grim subject matter. I particularly enjoyed references to the escape of animals from the Tbilisi zoo.
It is tense in some places, and tragic in others. I found it easy to root for Saba to succeed, while recognizing that it might be a stretch to expect much in the way of a positive ending. (Remember all those childhood fairy tales? Many of them do not end well.) The setting in Georgia is not one I have seen often, so it provides a nice change of pace. This is an auspicious debut novel and I look forward to reading more from this author.
February 20, 2024
3.5 rounded up to 4 stars. I loved the uniqueness of this story about a Londoner’s journey home to Georgia to search for his missing father and brother. This debut novel was inspired by Hansel and Gretel and we follow Saba on a “breadcrumb trail� where clues come in the form of graffiti referencing fairy tales and a play written by his father.
I loved learning more about Tbilisi's history, but the real magic in this book is the love and longing you can feel in the author's exquisite descriptions of the author's birthplace and its people. Nodar, Saba's hard-drinking, rough-around-the-edges taxi driver is one of the best side-kicks I've "read" in a while. His laugh out loud one-liners and his genuine humanity reminded me of Prabakar in Shantaram.
I highly recommend this interesting book - at times melancholy, but also filled with off-beat humour and moments of magical realism, this will be unlike anything else you've read recently.
The Story: It’s been two decades since Irakli fled his war-torn homeland with two young sons, now grown men. Two decades since he saw their mother, who stayed so they could escape. At long last, Tbilisi has lured him home. But when Irakli’s phone calls stop, a mystery begins...
I loved learning more about Tbilisi's history, but the real magic in this book is the love and longing you can feel in the author's exquisite descriptions of the author's birthplace and its people. Nodar, Saba's hard-drinking, rough-around-the-edges taxi driver is one of the best side-kicks I've "read" in a while. His laugh out loud one-liners and his genuine humanity reminded me of Prabakar in Shantaram.
I highly recommend this interesting book - at times melancholy, but also filled with off-beat humour and moments of magical realism, this will be unlike anything else you've read recently.
The Story: It’s been two decades since Irakli fled his war-torn homeland with two young sons, now grown men. Two decades since he saw their mother, who stayed so they could escape. At long last, Tbilisi has lured him home. But when Irakli’s phone calls stop, a mystery begins...
January 12, 2024
The unusual title of this debut novel, Hard by a Great Forest, piqued my interest and the advance praise it received prompted me to request it from Netgalley, and I'm so glad I did. It's my first five star read of the year.
"Hard by a Great Forest dwelt a poor woodcutter with his wife and two children" - the opening line of Hansel and Gretel and the fable which inspires this magnificent novel, which is many things all at once - an adventure story, a thriller, a tragi-comedy and a powerful missive on the individual and collective trauma of war.
Set in Georgia, the mountainous former Soviet republic and a country repeatedly invaded and plundered for centuries, the book tells the story of Saba, who fled Georgia as a young boy, finding refuge in London with his father Irakli and brother Sandro. His mother Eka was forced to stay behind and all three have been forever haunted by the loss of her. When Irakli returns to Georgia to expel old ghosts, Saba and his brother return too, hoping to find him and bring him back to London. When Saba arrives and chaos ensues, he ends up following a trail of breadcrumbs left behind by Sandro and Irakli as he tries to track his father down.
Saba is ably assisted by taxi driver Nodar who steals the novel with his brilliant one-liners, swearing ("your mother's crotch yoghurt" was my personal favourite) and touching humanity. As the men set off on a journey out of Tbilisi across Georgia, the story gathers pace and I could not put it down. Beautifully written and a novel for our time: the mindless destruction and inhumanity that comes with war, and the mark it leaves on children in particular (we only have to look to Gaza to see this play out in real time) is so real - and for what? For what? The ending broke me apart.
A story full of love, loss, longing and letting go - this novel will stay with me for a long time to come. Hopefully it will win the awards it deserves. 5/5 stars
*Sincere thanks to @bloomsburypublishing for the advance copy via @netgalley. Hard by a Great Forest will be published next Thursday, 18 January 2024. It's published by @riverheadbooks in the US I believe. As always, this is an honest review.
"Hard by a Great Forest dwelt a poor woodcutter with his wife and two children" - the opening line of Hansel and Gretel and the fable which inspires this magnificent novel, which is many things all at once - an adventure story, a thriller, a tragi-comedy and a powerful missive on the individual and collective trauma of war.
Set in Georgia, the mountainous former Soviet republic and a country repeatedly invaded and plundered for centuries, the book tells the story of Saba, who fled Georgia as a young boy, finding refuge in London with his father Irakli and brother Sandro. His mother Eka was forced to stay behind and all three have been forever haunted by the loss of her. When Irakli returns to Georgia to expel old ghosts, Saba and his brother return too, hoping to find him and bring him back to London. When Saba arrives and chaos ensues, he ends up following a trail of breadcrumbs left behind by Sandro and Irakli as he tries to track his father down.
Saba is ably assisted by taxi driver Nodar who steals the novel with his brilliant one-liners, swearing ("your mother's crotch yoghurt" was my personal favourite) and touching humanity. As the men set off on a journey out of Tbilisi across Georgia, the story gathers pace and I could not put it down. Beautifully written and a novel for our time: the mindless destruction and inhumanity that comes with war, and the mark it leaves on children in particular (we only have to look to Gaza to see this play out in real time) is so real - and for what? For what? The ending broke me apart.
A story full of love, loss, longing and letting go - this novel will stay with me for a long time to come. Hopefully it will win the awards it deserves. 5/5 stars
*Sincere thanks to @bloomsburypublishing for the advance copy via @netgalley. Hard by a Great Forest will be published next Thursday, 18 January 2024. It's published by @riverheadbooks in the US I believe. As always, this is an honest review.
February 7, 2024
This novel, set in post-Soviet Georgia, was so many things: a wonderful portrayal of a country and time that don’t get much space in modern writing; a story of a family and its separation and search; a special connection and language between brothers; a unique thread of fairy tales, very creatively woven through the novel; a fast paced entertaining story (I don’t generally read “thrillers�, but I think there is a little thriller in there, too.); and excellent writing and humor. The main character, Sabo, and his brother and father flee Georgia for England, leaving behind their much-missed mother. Years later their father goes back for her and disappears - - and his sons then go to Georgia to search for him. Throughout the novel, the reader vividly experiences all aspect of life in Georgia post-Soviet times. In addition, Sabo winds up on the border of Georgia with Ossetia, and the reader is brought face to face with the brutality of the war and continuing hostilities between those two countries. Intertwined throughout the novel are the clues left for Sabo as he tries to find his father. These clues come in the form of fairy tales, literary references and a play written by his father. I was absolutely intrigued and impressed. Several missing family members and friends speak to Sabo as he is on his search, which either adds to the spirit of the novel or reflects Sabo’s state of mind (I think that is left to the reader). The wonderful humorous phrases and thoughts throughout the novel balanced the tension and tragedy. I gobbled this debut novel up, and I look forward to the author’s next work.
February 22, 2024
I started off thinking this would be a solid 5* read. So inventive and emotional, I was all for it. Then I kept reading and it just went off the rails in a ridiculous way. I can’t tell you how many times I had to take a WTF break. I almost want to rate it even lower but I guess I’ll give props for uniqueness - holy crap though, what a mess.
We follow a guy from London who goes back to his home country after first his father and then his brother disappear in Tbilisi. The three fled during the post Soviet Union civil war when main character Saba was still a child, leaving their mother behind because they didn’t have enough money for the smugglers. The money struggles continue and their mother dies before they manage to bring her to the UK; none of them goes back to Georgia for almost 20 years.
With this setup, all the confusion about his vanished family, and Saba hearing voices of friends and family members left behind who (at least that’s the impression I got) all died mysteriously, I was expecting some real high stakes drama. What happened during the civil war, did they back the wrong side and that’s why they’re all in so much trouble when returning? Did them fleeing cause their mother to get killed? Are they mixed up with Russia and the invasion of Ossetia somehow? What’s behind this “curse� Saba seems to think his family is under, what caused their deaths?
The answers to all that is nothing. There’s nothing behind it. I don’t even think it’s a spoiler considering the author didn’t think it necessary to give us more plot, but just in case.
Just to get it out of the way as well, the hearing voices thing - in the beginning I thought, wow what a clever narrative device, especially when I still thought the people whose voices he hears died in mysterious ways. Now that I’ve finished reading, I’m basically convinced it’s just off the walls untreated schizophrenia, especially considering his father and brother also seem severely mentally ill. So it went from a clever narrative device to, “well this is cringe to read about�. It didn’t help that I became completely exasperated by how useless and just plain stupid Saba is, literally acting more like a child than an adult. His side kick Nodar was the way better character.
I can’t even articulate why, but I just feel like this was a massive waste of my time. It’s almost like this entire story would’ve hit harder if the current day situation in Georgia was different (ie worse) or if the family had originally been from Ossetia to begin with or, let’s say, this took place in a country like Belarus where the whole “they’re after me� plot would’ve made way more sense and where you could legitimately say the current situation is worse than when you’d fled in the 90s. Which - Georgians, correct me if wrong - just isn’t the case in Georgia?
I can totally see why other people love or at least appreciate this one - there’s definitely parts I also loved and I still think it had the constructs of an amazing plot. It just ended up not working for me whatsoever. Well written but ridiculous.
We follow a guy from London who goes back to his home country after first his father and then his brother disappear in Tbilisi. The three fled during the post Soviet Union civil war when main character Saba was still a child, leaving their mother behind because they didn’t have enough money for the smugglers. The money struggles continue and their mother dies before they manage to bring her to the UK; none of them goes back to Georgia for almost 20 years.
With this setup, all the confusion about his vanished family, and Saba hearing voices of friends and family members left behind who (at least that’s the impression I got) all died mysteriously, I was expecting some real high stakes drama. What happened during the civil war, did they back the wrong side and that’s why they’re all in so much trouble when returning? Did them fleeing cause their mother to get killed? Are they mixed up with Russia and the invasion of Ossetia somehow? What’s behind this “curse� Saba seems to think his family is under, what caused their deaths?
The answers to all that is nothing. There’s nothing behind it. I don’t even think it’s a spoiler considering the author didn’t think it necessary to give us more plot, but just in case.
Just to get it out of the way as well, the hearing voices thing - in the beginning I thought, wow what a clever narrative device, especially when I still thought the people whose voices he hears died in mysterious ways. Now that I’ve finished reading, I’m basically convinced it’s just off the walls untreated schizophrenia, especially considering his father and brother also seem severely mentally ill. So it went from a clever narrative device to, “well this is cringe to read about�. It didn’t help that I became completely exasperated by how useless and just plain stupid Saba is, literally acting more like a child than an adult. His side kick Nodar was the way better character.
I can’t even articulate why, but I just feel like this was a massive waste of my time. It’s almost like this entire story would’ve hit harder if the current day situation in Georgia was different (ie worse) or if the family had originally been from Ossetia to begin with or, let’s say, this took place in a country like Belarus where the whole “they’re after me� plot would’ve made way more sense and where you could legitimately say the current situation is worse than when you’d fled in the 90s. Which - Georgians, correct me if wrong - just isn’t the case in Georgia?
I can totally see why other people love or at least appreciate this one - there’s definitely parts I also loved and I still think it had the constructs of an amazing plot. It just ended up not working for me whatsoever. Well written but ridiculous.
December 18, 2023
Saba is sent away from war torn Georgia with his brother and father as a small boy. Given refuge in the UK, his father works hard to care for the boys and earn enough money to pay for his wife to follow them. Years of hardwork are all for naught after the family is ripped off by an unscrupulous middle man and Eka dies before they can save her. Years later, their father returns to Georgia to try and track down the truth of what happened. Sandro, the older brother follows to find his father and now Saba returns to find them both. He comes back to a land that is both his own and alien, full of memories good and bad, and steeped in stories. Picking his way through the rubble of the life he left behind, Saba must follow the clues his brother left and piece together the real story.
A darkly clever, touching fairytale in the truest sense of the story. Fairy tales are ways of expressing some of the hardest truths and in Georgia, they have a way of coming to life in ways that are beautiful, unexpected and often violently sad. This is a strange and wonderful book.
A darkly clever, touching fairytale in the truest sense of the story. Fairy tales are ways of expressing some of the hardest truths and in Georgia, they have a way of coming to life in ways that are beautiful, unexpected and often violently sad. This is a strange and wonderful book.
January 8, 2024
I actually finished this book earlier but had to wait to digest everything that happened and stop crying before I could write my review. This book was everything I hoped it would be and more. It is the book I've been waiting for. First 5 star of 2024 and I can’t think of a more meaningful start to the year. It comes out end of this month so get your preorders in now! (I've got a finished copy pre-ordered too)
Now just be forewarned that this review is going to be a long one because I have a lot to say (which you can tell by my amount of tabs).
The writing is beautiful and there are these short, magic phrases throughout that are so evocative. I think it comes down to smart word choice that caused these little phrases to pack such a punch. I had to actually stop annotating every those tidbits very early on because they were just too frequent.
What's crazy to me is that the emotionally, it is both incredibly melancholic and also genuinely very funny. Grief (in many different forms) is such a big focus of the novel, probably even more so than the mystery aspect. And yet, I found myself laughing throughout all the shit that happened, sometimes with still wet eyes. It is such a good depiction of using humor (often dark/ gallows humor) as a way to deal with tragedy, which is not only a way to keep the spirit alive but is also so quintessentially Georgian.
Speaking of Georgian, love of Georgia really shines through, without being fake or overly positive. This book does a good job at showing the beautiful side of Georgian culture (like giving your guest food while you are struggling and hungry yourself) while not shying away from the corruption or ugly parts that still exist. Not only is Georgian culture seeped through every page but it takes the time to explain and teach some of the most important parts of Georgian history so that anyone who reads this book comes out with some knowledge about Georgia. Even the Tbilisi zoo flood and exotic animals escaping into the city is something that actually happened.
I will say it has kind of a slow start, especially because I was expecting more of a thriller based on the synopsis. There's definitely a mystery and clues to unravel and plenty of heart-pounding moments, but it is literary fiction. And although this book had a slow start, I felt like I was being gut punched non stop by the end. I actually wrote in my notes app, "I'm going to fucking end up with abs by the way my stomach is tensed for hits" lol. I would recommend it for fans of (although this book is adult) and .
Some other negatives I wanted to mention is that there were some sentences I found redundant. They really only stood out because they would come right after a really powerful line, a line that would make me feel something, and then the next line would be saying the same thing in a slightly weaker way and it didn't hit as hard the second time around. (That being said, I read an advanced copy of this book so it's very possible these parts were edited out). I don’t think I would’ve noticed it as much if the writing weren’t so poignant. Some of the phrases just scratch my brain in the perfect spot to make me feel, so any clunkier bits stick out. I also don't think I loved the bits in the beginning where Saba speaks directly to the reader. It feels like a friend telling you a story, whereas I prefer being put in their shoes so I can get lost in the story (which I did later on).
Otherwise, the dialogue was realistic, the characters and relationships complex, the plot/ mystery element interesting, and it made me sob and laugh out loud, which is not an easy combination to achieve. It doesn’t revel in gore, but doesn’t hide the brutality either. The characters are layered and sometimes they do things that are fucked up. But in your heart, because of the way the story is written, you can understand *why*, even if you know what they’re doing/ did is wrong.
Spoiler-y thoughts: (second spoiler warning, seriously don't open/ read this part if you haven't read the book)
If you made it this far in the review, you are an absolute trooper, thanks for listening to my ramblings. Final thoughts: this book comes out soon so you can get your hands on this beaut ASAP. Honestly winter is a really good time to read it. Not that it’s particularly seasonal, but finishing reading and going for a drive, feeling the cold bite my fingers and wind sting my face was a 4d experience after reading the mountain scenes. Also I hope one day we get a special edition of this book. Goldsboro would absolutely knock this out of the park or maybe even Fairyloot because they did do a stunning edition of As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow.
*I was very kindly gifted an advance copy of this book by the author, but it by no means impacts my rating and review.* All the above thoughts are my own and true to my feelings. Thank you Leo for the arc (signed and personalized too!- I screamed when I noticed) I'm really going to treasure it
---------------------------------------------
My original (pre-reading) review:
As the american child of georgian immigrant parents who had to flee Georgia for safety, you have no *idea* how excited I am to read to this story. I saw the authors last name in the Penguin upcoming releases and audibly shreaked. The only struggle is waiting to get a hard copy so I can annotate the shit out of it lol but trust and believe a long review will be coming when I get my hands on it!
Now just be forewarned that this review is going to be a long one because I have a lot to say (which you can tell by my amount of tabs).
The writing is beautiful and there are these short, magic phrases throughout that are so evocative. I think it comes down to smart word choice that caused these little phrases to pack such a punch. I had to actually stop annotating every those tidbits very early on because they were just too frequent.
What's crazy to me is that the emotionally, it is both incredibly melancholic and also genuinely very funny. Grief (in many different forms) is such a big focus of the novel, probably even more so than the mystery aspect. And yet, I found myself laughing throughout all the shit that happened, sometimes with still wet eyes. It is such a good depiction of using humor (often dark/ gallows humor) as a way to deal with tragedy, which is not only a way to keep the spirit alive but is also so quintessentially Georgian.
Speaking of Georgian, love of Georgia really shines through, without being fake or overly positive. This book does a good job at showing the beautiful side of Georgian culture (like giving your guest food while you are struggling and hungry yourself) while not shying away from the corruption or ugly parts that still exist. Not only is Georgian culture seeped through every page but it takes the time to explain and teach some of the most important parts of Georgian history so that anyone who reads this book comes out with some knowledge about Georgia. Even the Tbilisi zoo flood and exotic animals escaping into the city is something that actually happened.
I will say it has kind of a slow start, especially because I was expecting more of a thriller based on the synopsis. There's definitely a mystery and clues to unravel and plenty of heart-pounding moments, but it is literary fiction. And although this book had a slow start, I felt like I was being gut punched non stop by the end. I actually wrote in my notes app, "I'm going to fucking end up with abs by the way my stomach is tensed for hits" lol. I would recommend it for fans of (although this book is adult) and .
Some other negatives I wanted to mention is that there were some sentences I found redundant. They really only stood out because they would come right after a really powerful line, a line that would make me feel something, and then the next line would be saying the same thing in a slightly weaker way and it didn't hit as hard the second time around. (That being said, I read an advanced copy of this book so it's very possible these parts were edited out). I don’t think I would’ve noticed it as much if the writing weren’t so poignant. Some of the phrases just scratch my brain in the perfect spot to make me feel, so any clunkier bits stick out. I also don't think I loved the bits in the beginning where Saba speaks directly to the reader. It feels like a friend telling you a story, whereas I prefer being put in their shoes so I can get lost in the story (which I did later on).
Otherwise, the dialogue was realistic, the characters and relationships complex, the plot/ mystery element interesting, and it made me sob and laugh out loud, which is not an easy combination to achieve. It doesn’t revel in gore, but doesn’t hide the brutality either. The characters are layered and sometimes they do things that are fucked up. But in your heart, because of the way the story is written, you can understand *why*, even if you know what they’re doing/ did is wrong.
Spoiler-y thoughts: (second spoiler warning, seriously don't open/ read this part if you haven't read the book)
If you made it this far in the review, you are an absolute trooper, thanks for listening to my ramblings. Final thoughts: this book comes out soon so you can get your hands on this beaut ASAP. Honestly winter is a really good time to read it. Not that it’s particularly seasonal, but finishing reading and going for a drive, feeling the cold bite my fingers and wind sting my face was a 4d experience after reading the mountain scenes. Also I hope one day we get a special edition of this book. Goldsboro would absolutely knock this out of the park or maybe even Fairyloot because they did do a stunning edition of As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow.
*I was very kindly gifted an advance copy of this book by the author, but it by no means impacts my rating and review.* All the above thoughts are my own and true to my feelings. Thank you Leo for the arc (signed and personalized too!- I screamed when I noticed) I'm really going to treasure it
---------------------------------------------
My original (pre-reading) review:
As the american child of georgian immigrant parents who had to flee Georgia for safety, you have no *idea* how excited I am to read to this story. I saw the authors last name in the Penguin upcoming releases and audibly shreaked. The only struggle is waiting to get a hard copy so I can annotate the shit out of it lol but trust and believe a long review will be coming when I get my hands on it!
January 15, 2024
This is a heart-rending story of loss and survival both from personal and national perspectives. This is really well-written immersing the reader completely in the lives of the people of Georgia, displaying their stoicism and bravery incredibly movingly. This story takes so many twists and turns, from humour with strands of craziness to grief which can't fail to move readers. Never predictable the adventure of Saba is astonishing, but it is this journey that releases Saba from survivor guilt to release into reconciliation with his identity and truth. This is a reading experience that will remain with me for a long time.
This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.
This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.
June 3, 2024
3.5 stars
What a fascinating setting.
I have never read a book set in Georgia that outlines their fractured and bloody history and how life are for locals in the present.
I also loved how the author inserted dark gallows humor into the story � something that reminds me of my own country’s sense of humor.
The character of Nodar was by far my favourite. Larger than life, utterly flawed but with a heart of gold, he was Saba’s guide when he arrived, desperate to find his missing father and brother.
Then why only 3.5 stars? Well, it felt like the story got a bit lost along the way. There were parts that dragged on and on and the resolution took so long that I ended up not caring what happens to Irakli.
What a fascinating setting.
I have never read a book set in Georgia that outlines their fractured and bloody history and how life are for locals in the present.
I also loved how the author inserted dark gallows humor into the story � something that reminds me of my own country’s sense of humor.
The character of Nodar was by far my favourite. Larger than life, utterly flawed but with a heart of gold, he was Saba’s guide when he arrived, desperate to find his missing father and brother.
Then why only 3.5 stars? Well, it felt like the story got a bit lost along the way. There were parts that dragged on and on and the resolution took so long that I ended up not caring what happens to Irakli.
December 27, 2023
A brutal and emotional scavenger hunt through Georgia's turbulent political landscape. The novel follows Saba as he searches for his lost father and brother. Following two sets of breadcrumbs laid by both, Saba's journey takes him to places he'd rather forget and uncovers memories best left undisturbed. I couldn't tear my eyes from the page, Vardiashvili's writing is gripping and fast paced, tearing through the streets of Tblisi to the backdrop of a city (and country) in brutal turmoil, facing off corrupt detectives, escaped tigers and secrets that tore Saba's family apart.
May 7, 2024
Saba hat Georgien vor vielen Jahren zusammen mit seinem Vater Irakli und seinem Bruder Sandro verlassen. Sie flohen während des Bürgerkriegs. Die Mutter Eka blieb im Land, das Geld reichte nicht für ihre Flucht, auch die folgenden Jahre nicht. Nun ist sie tot und Irakli kehrt auf ihren Spuren nach Georgien zurück. Als er verschwindet folgt im Sandro, der ebenfalls untertaucht. Also begibt sich Saba zurück in seine alte Heimat, um die beiden zu finden und seine Vergangenheit aufzuarbeiten.
Die Geschichte spielt im Jahr 2015. Der Tiblissi wurde gerade von einer großen Flutwelle getroffen; besonders den Zoo erwischte es schlimm, viele Tiere starben oder befinden sich auf der Flucht. Saba findet also eine Stadt im Chaos vor.
Nach dem ersten, sehr langen Kapitel war ich mir etwas unsicher, wohin dies führen würde; es wirkte alles ein wenig überfrachtet. Dies wurde danach besser, die Schnitzeljagd fand ich spannend und unterhaltsam. Durch den Einbau der Märchen (der Titel des Buches ist der Beginn von Hänsel und Gretel) ebenso wie der Geister aus der Vergangenheit, die mit Saba sprechen, erhält das Buch etwas magisches. Ich finde dieses Mittel gut gewählt, da es einen Ausweg aus vielen Schrecken darstellt, obwohl auch Märchen oft genug bedrohliche Elemente haben.
Ich fand auch das Ende des Buches sehr gelungen, auch wenn ich teilweise das Gefühl hatte, dass der Autor hier nun unbedingt auch noch den Ossetienkonflikt unterbringen möchte. (Achtung, kleiner Spoiler!) Denn Irakli hat eigentlich keinen Bezug dorthin, das Ziel seiner Flucht wirkt daher etwas absurd und scheint nur dazu zu dienen, um die Geschichte des Taxifahrers Nodar, der Saba begleitet, fortzuführen.
Ich habe Vor einem großen Walde insgesamt sehr gerne gelesen, fühlte mich gut unterhalten. Das Buch wollte vielleicht an der ein oder anderen Stelle etwas zu viel, wird aber gleichzeitig auch nicht unnötig in die Länge gezogen. Ich weiß definitiv mehr über Georgien als vorher.
Die Geschichte spielt im Jahr 2015. Der Tiblissi wurde gerade von einer großen Flutwelle getroffen; besonders den Zoo erwischte es schlimm, viele Tiere starben oder befinden sich auf der Flucht. Saba findet also eine Stadt im Chaos vor.
Nach dem ersten, sehr langen Kapitel war ich mir etwas unsicher, wohin dies führen würde; es wirkte alles ein wenig überfrachtet. Dies wurde danach besser, die Schnitzeljagd fand ich spannend und unterhaltsam. Durch den Einbau der Märchen (der Titel des Buches ist der Beginn von Hänsel und Gretel) ebenso wie der Geister aus der Vergangenheit, die mit Saba sprechen, erhält das Buch etwas magisches. Ich finde dieses Mittel gut gewählt, da es einen Ausweg aus vielen Schrecken darstellt, obwohl auch Märchen oft genug bedrohliche Elemente haben.
Ich fand auch das Ende des Buches sehr gelungen, auch wenn ich teilweise das Gefühl hatte, dass der Autor hier nun unbedingt auch noch den Ossetienkonflikt unterbringen möchte. (Achtung, kleiner Spoiler!) Denn Irakli hat eigentlich keinen Bezug dorthin, das Ziel seiner Flucht wirkt daher etwas absurd und scheint nur dazu zu dienen, um die Geschichte des Taxifahrers Nodar, der Saba begleitet, fortzuführen.
Ich habe Vor einem großen Walde insgesamt sehr gerne gelesen, fühlte mich gut unterhalten. Das Buch wollte vielleicht an der ein oder anderen Stelle etwas zu viel, wird aber gleichzeitig auch nicht unnötig in die Länge gezogen. Ich weiß definitiv mehr über Georgien als vorher.
May 16, 2024
‘A guest is a gift from God� - and I was an honoured visitor reading this, it was an exquisite experience; funny, bleak, horrifying, breathtaking.
Saba’s father goes missing and then his brother so he follows them to Georgia to unravel the mystery, with the help of his dead relatives whose voices he imagines.
I didn’t know much about Georgia before I read this and I’ve definitely just had an education 🇬🇪
Saba’s father goes missing and then his brother so he follows them to Georgia to unravel the mystery, with the help of his dead relatives whose voices he imagines.
I didn’t know much about Georgia before I read this and I’ve definitely just had an education 🇬🇪
June 8, 2024
სუნამოების გასინჯვი� დროს ყავი� ეფექტი� მომხდენი კატეგორიის წიგნია.
ავტობიოგრაფიულ�, მოგონებები� შეკრულ� პაზლ/დეტექტიური რომანი�, რომლის მთავარ სიუჟეტურ ხაზებსაც საქართველო� უახლოესი ისტორიის 3 მოვლენ� განსაზღვრავს: აფხაზეთი� ომ�(პროტაგონის� საბა� ბავშვობა), აგვისტოს ომ�(მეორ� პროტაგონისტი� - ნოდარი� წარსულ�) და 13 ივნისი� წყალდიდობა (აწყმ�).
ორ� რა� არ მომეწონა: ერთი ის,რო� 2015 წლისთვის წიგნში გამოთქმული ჟარგონებ� ცოტა მოძველებულია და მეორ� ის, რო� სანდრო� ძებნისას, საავადმყოფოს ეპიზოდში, რეგისტრატორი� ფული� მოქრთამვ�, ესეც ამოვარდნილია მა� პერიოდთა� მიმართებაშ�. ავტორი� ეს პატარა ცდომილებებ�, ალბა� იმის გამო�, რო� ბავშვობი� შემდეგ ინგლისში ცხოვრობს და ნაკლებ� კავშირ� აქვს ყოვედღიუ� თბილისთა�.
მთლიანობაშ�, სასიამოვნო� წასაკითხ�, საკაიფ� page turner-ია.
ავტობიოგრაფიულ�, მოგონებები� შეკრულ� პაზლ/დეტექტიური რომანი�, რომლის მთავარ სიუჟეტურ ხაზებსაც საქართველო� უახლოესი ისტორიის 3 მოვლენ� განსაზღვრავს: აფხაზეთი� ომ�(პროტაგონის� საბა� ბავშვობა), აგვისტოს ომ�(მეორ� პროტაგონისტი� - ნოდარი� წარსულ�) და 13 ივნისი� წყალდიდობა (აწყმ�).
ორ� რა� არ მომეწონა: ერთი ის,რო� 2015 წლისთვის წიგნში გამოთქმული ჟარგონებ� ცოტა მოძველებულია და მეორ� ის, რო� სანდრო� ძებნისას, საავადმყოფოს ეპიზოდში, რეგისტრატორი� ფული� მოქრთამვ�, ესეც ამოვარდნილია მა� პერიოდთა� მიმართებაშ�. ავტორი� ეს პატარა ცდომილებებ�, ალბა� იმის გამო�, რო� ბავშვობი� შემდეგ ინგლისში ცხოვრობს და ნაკლებ� კავშირ� აქვს ყოვედღიუ� თბილისთა�.
მთლიანობაშ�, სასიამოვნო� წასაკითხ�, საკაიფ� page turner-ია.
February 20, 2025
"La marginea unui codru nesfârșit", de Leo Vardiashvili, este un roman care nu doar spune o poveste, ci te trage în vâltoarea ei, făcându-te să trăiești fiecare pierdere, fiecare căutare și fiecare dor sfâșietor de acel loc pe care îl numim și îl simțim "acasă". Un roman despre exil, familie și moștenirea pe care o purtăm cu noi și în noi, indiferent cât de departe ajungem și unde ne poartă viața.
Povestea îl urmărește pe Saba Sulidze-Donauri, un bărbat plecat din Georgia de când era copil, împreună cu tatăl și fratele său, lăsându-și mama în urmă, în anii tulburi de după prăbușirea Uniunii Sovietice. Ani mai târziu, când tatăl său dispare fără urmă, iar fratele său pleacă în căutarea lui, Saba este nevoit să revină pe meleagurile natale. Dar întoarcerea nu este niciodată simplă, mai ales când trecutul se încăpățânează să rămână o enigmă de nerezolvat.
Ceea ce mi-a plăcut cel mai mult la roman este felul în care Vardiashvili combină istoria personală a personajelor cu istoria unei întregi țări. Georgia post-sovietică devine mai mult decât un decor unde se desfășoară acțiunea, ci este un personaj în sine, plin de frumusețe, dar și de traume. Străzile Tbilisiului, cu parfumul lor de trecut și prezent suprapus, sunt descrise cu o melancolie care îți intră în suflet.
Deși romanul alternează între trecut și prezent, între Londra și Tbilisi, între amintiri și realitate, stilul lui Vardiashvili rămâne unul fluid și captivant. Există momente în care narațiunea pare să se lase purtată de emoție, dar asta nu face decât să aprofundeze impactul poveștii. Ce am apreciat în mod deosebit este modul subtil în care autorul folosește realismul magic. Unele scene par să aibă un aer de legendă sau de basm, dar nu sunt niciodată deconectate de realitatea crudă.
"La marginea unui codru nesfârșit" nu este doar o poveste despre un om care își caută familia pierdută, ci și despre toți cei care au fost nevoiți să lase ceva în urmă. Este despre exil nu doar ca plecare fizică, ci și ca stare de spirit. Recomand această carte oricui iubește poveștile despre identitate, despre ce înseamnă să fii "acasă" și despre cum trecutul nu ne părăsește niciodată cu adevărat.
Povestea îl urmărește pe Saba Sulidze-Donauri, un bărbat plecat din Georgia de când era copil, împreună cu tatăl și fratele său, lăsându-și mama în urmă, în anii tulburi de după prăbușirea Uniunii Sovietice. Ani mai târziu, când tatăl său dispare fără urmă, iar fratele său pleacă în căutarea lui, Saba este nevoit să revină pe meleagurile natale. Dar întoarcerea nu este niciodată simplă, mai ales când trecutul se încăpățânează să rămână o enigmă de nerezolvat.
Ceea ce mi-a plăcut cel mai mult la roman este felul în care Vardiashvili combină istoria personală a personajelor cu istoria unei întregi țări. Georgia post-sovietică devine mai mult decât un decor unde se desfășoară acțiunea, ci este un personaj în sine, plin de frumusețe, dar și de traume. Străzile Tbilisiului, cu parfumul lor de trecut și prezent suprapus, sunt descrise cu o melancolie care îți intră în suflet.
Deși romanul alternează între trecut și prezent, între Londra și Tbilisi, între amintiri și realitate, stilul lui Vardiashvili rămâne unul fluid și captivant. Există momente în care narațiunea pare să se lase purtată de emoție, dar asta nu face decât să aprofundeze impactul poveștii. Ce am apreciat în mod deosebit este modul subtil în care autorul folosește realismul magic. Unele scene par să aibă un aer de legendă sau de basm, dar nu sunt niciodată deconectate de realitatea crudă.
"La marginea unui codru nesfârșit" nu este doar o poveste despre un om care își caută familia pierdută, ci și despre toți cei care au fost nevoiți să lase ceva în urmă. Este despre exil nu doar ca plecare fizică, ci și ca stare de spirit. Recomand această carte oricui iubește poveștile despre identitate, despre ce înseamnă să fii "acasă" și despre cum trecutul nu ne părăsește niciodată cu adevărat.
January 28, 2025
Mein erstes richtiges Highlight des Jahres. Vardiashvili schreibt eine im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes fantastische Geschichte, die Genres und die Wirklichkeit übergreift und mir wieder einen neuen Aspekt der Leben und Schicksale zeigt, die Georgien in seiner bewegten Geschichte hervor gebracht hat.
Es ist buchstäblich ein modernes Märchen, voller liebenswerter und rätselhafter Figuren, Humor, Gefahren und einer Mission, in der es um Leben und Tod geht.
Ich hoffe so sehr, dass Leo Vardiashvili nach diesem Debüt seinen Job als Steuerberater an den Nagel hängt und weiter schreibt.
Es ist buchstäblich ein modernes Märchen, voller liebenswerter und rätselhafter Figuren, Humor, Gefahren und einer Mission, in der es um Leben und Tod geht.
Ich hoffe so sehr, dass Leo Vardiashvili nach diesem Debüt seinen Job als Steuerberater an den Nagel hängt und weiter schreibt.
January 29, 2024
gifted by the publisher
"They say you can never go home again. But what if you can? What if you should? What if no matter what you do with your life, you'll somehow always end up in that place you didn't want to leave?"
After fleeing the conflict in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia, Saba Sulidze-Donauri and his family struggle to reconcile the fact that they left their mom behind, unable to get her out. Decades pass, and the death of their mom prompts Saba's dad, Irakli, to return to Georgia—only to go missing, followed by his older brother's mysterious disappearance. Now, it's Saba's turn to search for his fractured family and piece together their cryptic messages.
GREAT FOREST is inspired by Hansel and Gretel and perfectly captures the eerie atmosphere of lost children in a dangerous foreign land. On top of that, there's also an arc of escaped zoo animals due to a flood—inspired by true events—police pursuing the Sulidze-Donauri family, Saba's dreams/hallucinations from relatives' ghosts who perished in war-torn Georgia, and a play.
Encapsulated in all the chaotic goose chases and wild adventures across Georgia is the theme of returning home. The juxtaposition of Irakli's and Saba's homecoming is one of the most fascinating explorations of how war trauma and grief affect one's relationship with their homeland. For some, it's a wish to be buried in the land where your ancestors are, and for others, it's the desire to search for hope after mass destruction.
I especially loved the friendship between Saba and his taxi driver, Nodar, who almost stole the show and reminded me of Samwise Gamgee 🥹 The brotherhood aspect is another topic I sincerely enjoyed and is reminiscent of FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST (Hiromu Arakawa).
With wry and humorous writing, Vardiashvili paints a sobering picture of the cruelty of war and its aftermath in Georgia—for those who escaped but never fully let go of their guilt, who survived but couldn't hold onto their loved ones, and many more who perished among senseless violence.
The first 30 pages took me a bit to get into but became unputdownable afterward. The last 25% is incredibly intense, with so much action; I loved how the story ends, as much as it also pains me 😭 GREAT FOREST is a memorable debut that blends lit fic and mystery perfectly with tender & melancholic moments infused with humor & wit. I can't wait to read what Vardiashvili writes next 💝
"They say you can never go home again. But what if you can? What if you should? What if no matter what you do with your life, you'll somehow always end up in that place you didn't want to leave?"
After fleeing the conflict in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia, Saba Sulidze-Donauri and his family struggle to reconcile the fact that they left their mom behind, unable to get her out. Decades pass, and the death of their mom prompts Saba's dad, Irakli, to return to Georgia—only to go missing, followed by his older brother's mysterious disappearance. Now, it's Saba's turn to search for his fractured family and piece together their cryptic messages.
GREAT FOREST is inspired by Hansel and Gretel and perfectly captures the eerie atmosphere of lost children in a dangerous foreign land. On top of that, there's also an arc of escaped zoo animals due to a flood—inspired by true events—police pursuing the Sulidze-Donauri family, Saba's dreams/hallucinations from relatives' ghosts who perished in war-torn Georgia, and a play.
Encapsulated in all the chaotic goose chases and wild adventures across Georgia is the theme of returning home. The juxtaposition of Irakli's and Saba's homecoming is one of the most fascinating explorations of how war trauma and grief affect one's relationship with their homeland. For some, it's a wish to be buried in the land where your ancestors are, and for others, it's the desire to search for hope after mass destruction.
I especially loved the friendship between Saba and his taxi driver, Nodar, who almost stole the show and reminded me of Samwise Gamgee 🥹 The brotherhood aspect is another topic I sincerely enjoyed and is reminiscent of FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST (Hiromu Arakawa).
With wry and humorous writing, Vardiashvili paints a sobering picture of the cruelty of war and its aftermath in Georgia—for those who escaped but never fully let go of their guilt, who survived but couldn't hold onto their loved ones, and many more who perished among senseless violence.
The first 30 pages took me a bit to get into but became unputdownable afterward. The last 25% is incredibly intense, with so much action; I loved how the story ends, as much as it also pains me 😭 GREAT FOREST is a memorable debut that blends lit fic and mystery perfectly with tender & melancholic moments infused with humor & wit. I can't wait to read what Vardiashvili writes next 💝
February 24, 2024
The potential for a great book was huge here. A family forced apart through war and atrocities, fleeing from Georgia to London after the split from The Soviet Union. Years later the father returns to face his past and in doing so disappears. His first son and then his second follow to find him.
I will begin with what I enjoyed in this story as there wasn’t much! The narrative, when it focussed on historical events was interesting, the ending was poignant, even the characters were ok, so why did I dislike the book?
Far too much conversation, over use of the ‘f� word and other bodily functions to make descriptions. This author has a degree in English literature from St Mary’s university London, what on earth made him think this was eloquent writing. If it was for realism it did not work.
The voices from the past in his head took up far too many words. The script from the play, again overused, calling everyone ‘brother, (irritating), escaped zoo animals causing havoc, ( ridiculous) , I could go on�.. A good plot spoiled, a period of history not fully revealed, a book that was definitely not for me!
I will begin with what I enjoyed in this story as there wasn’t much! The narrative, when it focussed on historical events was interesting, the ending was poignant, even the characters were ok, so why did I dislike the book?
Far too much conversation, over use of the ‘f� word and other bodily functions to make descriptions. This author has a degree in English literature from St Mary’s university London, what on earth made him think this was eloquent writing. If it was for realism it did not work.
The voices from the past in his head took up far too many words. The script from the play, again overused, calling everyone ‘brother, (irritating), escaped zoo animals causing havoc, ( ridiculous) , I could go on�.. A good plot spoiled, a period of history not fully revealed, a book that was definitely not for me!
February 6, 2024
5.0
Wow. An incredible book. Beautiful and haunting, a punch to the heart. A seriously impressive debut. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.
The audiobook narrator was fantastic.
Wow. An incredible book. Beautiful and haunting, a punch to the heart. A seriously impressive debut. I will be thinking about this book for a long time.
The audiobook narrator was fantastic.
Read
January 10, 2025რაღა� გრძელი რევი� გამოვიდა 😕✍️
ქართულად წავიკითხ�. ჯე�.
ერ� უღრა� ტყეშ�,
ჰენზელ� და გრეტელ� 👫 პური� ნამცეცებით იკვალავე� გზას და ბებერი ალქაჯი� კლანჭებშ� კი მოხვდებიან
ჩვენ� სანდრო� და საბა� პური� ნამცეცებივით მიყვებია� მინიშნებებ� (სანდრო-მამი�, საბა-სანდროსი) უღრანი ტყესავით უცნო� და საში� საქართველოში, სადა� ყველაფერ� ბნელია, ყველაფერ� ინგრევ�, ყველაფერ� მიშვებულია, ზოოპარკიდა� გაქცეუ� ცხოველებ� რუსული სახელები აქვთ და ქალაქშ� თავისუფლად დასეირნობე�, ადგილები, რა� ამ ადამიანებისთვი� ძვირფასი იყ�, დაკარგულია, ხალხ� - გაუბედურებულ�, გზებ� - არეული, მომავალი - ბუნდოვან�.
სანდრო და საბა იმ კლასტერიდა� არია�, მშობლები და ბავშვები რო� შორდებია� ერთმანეთ� ერ�-ერთი მხარის უცხოეთში წასვლი� გამო უკეთეს� მომავლის მიზნით. ამჯერა� სანდრო და საბა წავიდნენ ინგლისში მამასთან ერთა�, დედა დარჩ�. თითქოს აეწყ� ცხოვრება და გამოჩნდა უკეთეს� მომავალი - სწავლა, მუშაობ�, ბინა ლონდონში, მაგრამ იყ� კი ეს უკეთეს� ამ დანგრეულ� ოჯახისთვის? რომელიმე მათგან� მოუტან� რამე შვებ� და ბედნიერება იქ გადასახლებამ? დღეს რამდენ� ას� დაშორებული დედა-შვილ� და მამა-შვილია უკეთეს� მომავლის სახელი�...
აქ სხვა კლასტერებიცა�. დევნილების კლასტერი - სამაჩაბლოდან, აფხაზეთიდა�; ერ� მომენტში მანქანაშ� სამი დევნილ� ზი� - ნოდარი სამაჩაბლოდან, დიმიტრ� აფხაზეთიდა� (და სამაჩაბლოდან), საბა საქართველოდა�...
მშობლებდაკარგულები� კლასტერი - ნათი�, საბა, სანდრო, დიმიტრ�... ზოგი პოულობ�, ზოგი ვერა
მოღალატე საიმედ� ადამიანები� კლასტერი სურიკა� და ვიღა� ბატონი დავითი� მონაწილეობით
ნოდარი თავისი კლასტერი�
.....
რამდენ� შრეა და მე� რამდენ� ვწერ 🤦♀�
და რამდენ� ომია ამ წიგნში.
"როგო� შევეყრებ� მე ჩემს ქვეყანას და როგო� შემეყრებ� იგ� მე". ფაქტია, სულიძე-დონაურებ� სამშობლო მტრულა� შეხვდა. ძებნით, დევნით, გახსნილი საიდუმლოებებით, ამოყრილი ქაქები�, ღალატი�, იმედგაცრუები�, გაყიდული და დანგრეულ� სახლით, დამწვარი წერილები�. გაქცევებით და დადევნებებით, ვი�-ვი�, სუ� რო� იცვლებ� დატრიალებული კალეიდოსკოპივი�. ასეთ� დახვდა� სამშობლო- სიზმარში ნაფერები და ცხადში ნანატრ�.
მთავარ� გმირ� საბა ერთი მორიდებული ბიჭი�, სხვები� ჩრდილშ� მდგარი, მუდმივ� დანაშაულის განცდი�, ბავშვობი� დაღდასმული, სხვისი მითითებები� მოძრავ�. იმდენა�, რო� თავი� აზრებსაც და გადაწყვეტილებებსაც ტვინში ჩაბუდებუ� აჩრდილებ� მიაწერ�, თითქოს ისინ� კარნახობდნენ და უთითებდნენ. საბა, რომელმაც საქართველოში ჩამოსვლიდა� მოკლ� დროშ� გაიარა ის გზ�, რასა� ინგლისში წლობით ცხოვრებისა� ვე� გადიოდ� და გამოდევნ� გონებიდა� წარსულის მოჩვენებებ� და ბორკილებ�. თავისიანების და თავისი თავი� ძებნის გზ�. გაიარა დამოუკიდებლა�, მტკივნეულა�, დაცემები� და ადგომები�, დანაკარგებით და შენაძენები�, ცრემლები�, ხელისცეცებით, მაგრამ მივიდა ბოლომდ�, და მა� მოახერხა ეს და არ� მისმ� მამა� და ძმამ, რადგან საბა ამ ძნელ გზაზ� მარტ� არ იყ�, და ამ წიგნის მთვავრ� ხაზი� ალბა� ესაა- ადამიანური ურთიერთობა, ერთმანეთის ნდობ�, ერთმანეთის თანადგომ�, ერთგულებ� და სიყვარულ�. ყველაფ��ის მიუხედავად. თუ სწორად მგონია.
თვითონ ნაწერი ძალიან მარტივია. თითქოს მეტი მინდოდ� - ფიქრ�, აღწერები, რეფლექსიებ�... მაგრამ ასეა. ბევრ� დიალოგ�, სწრაფი მოყოლა -უცებ წასაკითხ� წიგნია, ჩაუღრმავებლა�. რაღა� ამბები არაა თანხვედრაშ�. არ� ადგილები, არ� ფაქტებ� წყალდიდობასთან დაკავშირებით, ყველაფერ� უფრო მუქი�, უფრო მიშვებულ�, უფრო ბნელ�. ბნელ� ქუჩები, ბნელ� ბოტანიკური, უღრანი სასაფლ��ოები, დანგრეულ� ძველ� სახლებ�, გაპარტახებულია თბილის�, არად� წყალდიდობი� დროს ასეთ� აღარ იყ�. საავადმყოფოს ამბავი� უფრო 90 - იანი წლებიდან თუ იქნება, ვიდრ� ორიათასიანებიდან. ხარატიშვილსა� უყვარს ყველაფრი� ჩაბნელებ� და გამძაფრება. აქაც ასეა. რაღაცები თითქოს აკლი� ირაკლისთან, რაღაცები ეკასთა�... ან� მეტს წავიკითხავდი სიამოვნები�.
და პოლიცი� აქაც რო ცუდი�.
ქართულად წავიკითხ�. ჯე�.
ერ� უღრა� ტყეშ�,
ჰენზელ� და გრეტელ� 👫 პური� ნამცეცებით იკვალავე� გზას და ბებერი ალქაჯი� კლანჭებშ� კი მოხვდებიან
ჩვენ� სანდრო� და საბა� პური� ნამცეცებივით მიყვებია� მინიშნებებ� (სანდრო-მამი�, საბა-სანდროსი) უღრანი ტყესავით უცნო� და საში� საქართველოში, სადა� ყველაფერ� ბნელია, ყველაფერ� ინგრევ�, ყველაფერ� მიშვებულია, ზოოპარკიდა� გაქცეუ� ცხოველებ� რუსული სახელები აქვთ და ქალაქშ� თავისუფლად დასეირნობე�, ადგილები, რა� ამ ადამიანებისთვი� ძვირფასი იყ�, დაკარგულია, ხალხ� - გაუბედურებულ�, გზებ� - არეული, მომავალი - ბუნდოვან�.
სანდრო და საბა იმ კლასტერიდა� არია�, მშობლები და ბავშვები რო� შორდებია� ერთმანეთ� ერ�-ერთი მხარის უცხოეთში წასვლი� გამო უკეთეს� მომავლის მიზნით. ამჯერა� სანდრო და საბა წავიდნენ ინგლისში მამასთან ერთა�, დედა დარჩ�. თითქოს აეწყ� ცხოვრება და გამოჩნდა უკეთეს� მომავალი - სწავლა, მუშაობ�, ბინა ლონდონში, მაგრამ იყ� კი ეს უკეთეს� ამ დანგრეულ� ოჯახისთვის? რომელიმე მათგან� მოუტან� რამე შვებ� და ბედნიერება იქ გადასახლებამ? დღეს რამდენ� ას� დაშორებული დედა-შვილ� და მამა-შვილია უკეთეს� მომავლის სახელი�...
აქ სხვა კლასტერებიცა�. დევნილების კლასტერი - სამაჩაბლოდან, აფხაზეთიდა�; ერ� მომენტში მანქანაშ� სამი დევნილ� ზი� - ნოდარი სამაჩაბლოდან, დიმიტრ� აფხაზეთიდა� (და სამაჩაბლოდან), საბა საქართველოდა�...
მშობლებდაკარგულები� კლასტერი - ნათი�, საბა, სანდრო, დიმიტრ�... ზოგი პოულობ�, ზოგი ვერა
მოღალატე საიმედ� ადამიანები� კლასტერი სურიკა� და ვიღა� ბატონი დავითი� მონაწილეობით
ნოდარი თავისი კლასტერი�
.....
რამდენ� შრეა და მე� რამდენ� ვწერ 🤦♀�
და რამდენ� ომია ამ წიგნში.
"როგო� შევეყრებ� მე ჩემს ქვეყანას და როგო� შემეყრებ� იგ� მე". ფაქტია, სულიძე-დონაურებ� სამშობლო მტრულა� შეხვდა. ძებნით, დევნით, გახსნილი საიდუმლოებებით, ამოყრილი ქაქები�, ღალატი�, იმედგაცრუები�, გაყიდული და დანგრეულ� სახლით, დამწვარი წერილები�. გაქცევებით და დადევნებებით, ვი�-ვი�, სუ� რო� იცვლებ� დატრიალებული კალეიდოსკოპივი�. ასეთ� დახვდა� სამშობლო- სიზმარში ნაფერები და ცხადში ნანატრ�.
მთავარ� გმირ� საბა ერთი მორიდებული ბიჭი�, სხვები� ჩრდილშ� მდგარი, მუდმივ� დანაშაულის განცდი�, ბავშვობი� დაღდასმული, სხვისი მითითებები� მოძრავ�. იმდენა�, რო� თავი� აზრებსაც და გადაწყვეტილებებსაც ტვინში ჩაბუდებუ� აჩრდილებ� მიაწერ�, თითქოს ისინ� კარნახობდნენ და უთითებდნენ. საბა, რომელმაც საქართველოში ჩამოსვლიდა� მოკლ� დროშ� გაიარა ის გზ�, რასა� ინგლისში წლობით ცხოვრებისა� ვე� გადიოდ� და გამოდევნ� გონებიდა� წარსულის მოჩვენებებ� და ბორკილებ�. თავისიანების და თავისი თავი� ძებნის გზ�. გაიარა დამოუკიდებლა�, მტკივნეულა�, დაცემები� და ადგომები�, დანაკარგებით და შენაძენები�, ცრემლები�, ხელისცეცებით, მაგრამ მივიდა ბოლომდ�, და მა� მოახერხა ეს და არ� მისმ� მამა� და ძმამ, რადგან საბა ამ ძნელ გზაზ� მარტ� არ იყ�, და ამ წიგნის მთვავრ� ხაზი� ალბა� ესაა- ადამიანური ურთიერთობა, ერთმანეთის ნდობ�, ერთმანეთის თანადგომ�, ერთგულებ� და სიყვარულ�. ყველაფ��ის მიუხედავად. თუ სწორად მგონია.
თვითონ ნაწერი ძალიან მარტივია. თითქოს მეტი მინდოდ� - ფიქრ�, აღწერები, რეფლექსიებ�... მაგრამ ასეა. ბევრ� დიალოგ�, სწრაფი მოყოლა -უცებ წასაკითხ� წიგნია, ჩაუღრმავებლა�. რაღა� ამბები არაა თანხვედრაშ�. არ� ადგილები, არ� ფაქტებ� წყალდიდობასთან დაკავშირებით, ყველაფერ� უფრო მუქი�, უფრო მიშვებულ�, უფრო ბნელ�. ბნელ� ქუჩები, ბნელ� ბოტანიკური, უღრანი სასაფლ��ოები, დანგრეულ� ძველ� სახლებ�, გაპარტახებულია თბილის�, არად� წყალდიდობი� დროს ასეთ� აღარ იყ�. საავადმყოფოს ამბავი� უფრო 90 - იანი წლებიდან თუ იქნება, ვიდრ� ორიათასიანებიდან. ხარატიშვილსა� უყვარს ყველაფრი� ჩაბნელებ� და გამძაფრება. აქაც ასეა. რაღაცები თითქოს აკლი� ირაკლისთან, რაღაცები ეკასთა�... ან� მეტს წავიკითხავდი სიამოვნები�.
და პოლიცი� აქაც რო ცუდი�.
February 7, 2024
Thank you Bloomsbury Publishing for gifting me a physical copy in exchange for an honest review!
Insightful, emotional and thought-provoking.
A debut about hope, heartbreak, death, grief, love, and having trust in yourself.
We follow the story of Saba Sullidze-Donauri - a boy who escaped Georgia with his dad and brother when he was young. A man now, he doesn’t want anything to do with his homeland but has no choice when his dad goes missing and his brother goes looking for him. Saba is happy to let Sandro - his brother - search for their dad, but when Sandro goes missing, he must investigate the disappearance of his last living family members.
Saba flies to Georgia and is overcome with memories of his past; everywhere he turns, a new memory opens up, and he is left overwhelmed by the ghosts of his past. Saba meets Nodar, who makes it his mission to help Saba find his brother, and together, they set out on a long journey of decoding hidden messages Sandro has left for him to find.
Saba’s homeland is similar to what he remembers but also starkly different; the gardens where he once went with friends are overrun with weeds and ruin, and his family home is no longer a warm and welcoming place. He not only has to come to terms with his past and returning to a place he thought he’d never see again, but he also has to keep an eye out for a detective who seems very interested in Saba’s family.
While I typically wouldn’t read a novel like Hard by a Great Forest, it shed important light on what it is to live through war and remember those who didn’t. It was heartfelt, emotional, enlightening and bittersweet. There were a few moments where some of Saba’s memories ofTbilisiwere quite confronting. However, it added to the heartbreaking truth of Saba’s story. Saba had to climb many physical and emotional mountains, and I could appreciate his determination to finish the journey he set out on.
It was a fairly slow-paced book that only increased in pace in the final quarter, and I found myself as desperate as Saba was to discover how his journey with finding his father would end. I found it a little tricky to follow along at times, as Saba had conversations in his head with the dead, while simultaneously remembering his past and having flashbacks.
I also found that points of the story simply dragged along, and I had to put the book down quite a few times because I didn’t have the energy to keep going. In saying this, it was an interesting story, and reminds us that when we think we have nothing, we still have hope for what the future will bring.
Insightful, emotional and thought-provoking.
A debut about hope, heartbreak, death, grief, love, and having trust in yourself.
We follow the story of Saba Sullidze-Donauri - a boy who escaped Georgia with his dad and brother when he was young. A man now, he doesn’t want anything to do with his homeland but has no choice when his dad goes missing and his brother goes looking for him. Saba is happy to let Sandro - his brother - search for their dad, but when Sandro goes missing, he must investigate the disappearance of his last living family members.
Saba flies to Georgia and is overcome with memories of his past; everywhere he turns, a new memory opens up, and he is left overwhelmed by the ghosts of his past. Saba meets Nodar, who makes it his mission to help Saba find his brother, and together, they set out on a long journey of decoding hidden messages Sandro has left for him to find.
Saba’s homeland is similar to what he remembers but also starkly different; the gardens where he once went with friends are overrun with weeds and ruin, and his family home is no longer a warm and welcoming place. He not only has to come to terms with his past and returning to a place he thought he’d never see again, but he also has to keep an eye out for a detective who seems very interested in Saba’s family.
While I typically wouldn’t read a novel like Hard by a Great Forest, it shed important light on what it is to live through war and remember those who didn’t. It was heartfelt, emotional, enlightening and bittersweet. There were a few moments where some of Saba’s memories ofTbilisiwere quite confronting. However, it added to the heartbreaking truth of Saba’s story. Saba had to climb many physical and emotional mountains, and I could appreciate his determination to finish the journey he set out on.
It was a fairly slow-paced book that only increased in pace in the final quarter, and I found myself as desperate as Saba was to discover how his journey with finding his father would end. I found it a little tricky to follow along at times, as Saba had conversations in his head with the dead, while simultaneously remembering his past and having flashbacks.
I also found that points of the story simply dragged along, and I had to put the book down quite a few times because I didn’t have the energy to keep going. In saying this, it was an interesting story, and reminds us that when we think we have nothing, we still have hope for what the future will bring.
February 22, 2024
Why is this book not more popular already?
"Hard by a Great Forest" is my first 5-star read of 2024 and I don't give 5-star ratings too often.
What I loved most about the book was the exquisitely beautiful prose. I loved the numerous references to fairy-tales, folklore, and classic literature.
The storyline is both compelling, exploring themes of home, family, war, and loss permeating through an atmosphere of magical realism. But what truly sets this book apart is its exploration of the human psyche through the lens of its protagonist, Saba. The voices of the various dead characters speaking to him, each representing different facets of his own personality, or different elements needed for human guidance, is both brilliant and deeply insightful. Love, protection, care, and darkness all intertwine in these voices, guiding and misguiding Saba in equal measure.
The novel's atmosphere is dark and foreboding but the humor interlaced through the text is equally amazing. The book made me laugh, cry, think. There's a dreamlike quality to the narrative. Even the characters themselves, with the exception of a few like Saba and Nodar, seem to exist in a state of flux, simultaneously present and yet somehow distant, as if existing in another dimension altogether, even when they are present in flesh and blood, like Saba's brother and father.
In short, "Hard by a Great Forest" is a breathtaking work of fiction that captivates from beginning to end. It's been a long time since I've enjoyed a book as much as enjoyed this one, and I can't recommend it highly enough. Truly a five-star read in every sense of the word.
"Hard by a Great Forest" is my first 5-star read of 2024 and I don't give 5-star ratings too often.
What I loved most about the book was the exquisitely beautiful prose. I loved the numerous references to fairy-tales, folklore, and classic literature.
The storyline is both compelling, exploring themes of home, family, war, and loss permeating through an atmosphere of magical realism. But what truly sets this book apart is its exploration of the human psyche through the lens of its protagonist, Saba. The voices of the various dead characters speaking to him, each representing different facets of his own personality, or different elements needed for human guidance, is both brilliant and deeply insightful. Love, protection, care, and darkness all intertwine in these voices, guiding and misguiding Saba in equal measure.
The novel's atmosphere is dark and foreboding but the humor interlaced through the text is equally amazing. The book made me laugh, cry, think. There's a dreamlike quality to the narrative. Even the characters themselves, with the exception of a few like Saba and Nodar, seem to exist in a state of flux, simultaneously present and yet somehow distant, as if existing in another dimension altogether, even when they are present in flesh and blood, like Saba's brother and father.
In short, "Hard by a Great Forest" is a breathtaking work of fiction that captivates from beginning to end. It's been a long time since I've enjoyed a book as much as enjoyed this one, and I can't recommend it highly enough. Truly a five-star read in every sense of the word.
February 10, 2024
This book kicked me in the stomach, demolished me and left me curled up by the side of the road. Easily one of the top 10 I've ever read. Very difficult, upsetting and graphically violent in places, hard to read. Still, I literally couldn't put it down. Stayed up much to late to read the last several chapters because I couldn't go to sleep until I knew if Saba, his brother, father, and his newly adopted family would be ok.
There were entire chapters I held my breath through. And I may never completely get over some of the twists at the end.
I knew nothing about the history of Georgia. And now I need to know more and go visit.
I may have been so deeply effected by this novel because I'm living through a war right now, and I had almost forgotten that other regions of the world go through difficult times as well.
Sometimes life just sucks but you can't run away from your destiny.
The NYT reviewer was a bit critical of the language in the novel, calling it purple prose and implying it was a bit over the top. But I loved the descriptiveness and flowery language. I thought it was beautiful.
One of those very rare books that I wish I could forget so I could have the pleasure of rediscovering for the first time.
There were entire chapters I held my breath through. And I may never completely get over some of the twists at the end.
I knew nothing about the history of Georgia. And now I need to know more and go visit.
I may have been so deeply effected by this novel because I'm living through a war right now, and I had almost forgotten that other regions of the world go through difficult times as well.
Sometimes life just sucks but you can't run away from your destiny.
The NYT reviewer was a bit critical of the language in the novel, calling it purple prose and implying it was a bit over the top. But I loved the descriptiveness and flowery language. I thought it was beautiful.
One of those very rare books that I wish I could forget so I could have the pleasure of rediscovering for the first time.
June 26, 2024
I REALLY wanted to like this, but I just couldn't get into it. I felt that the plot dragged and dragged. That's aside from the fact that I know Georgia well (first visited in 2010, lived there for more than a decade), and the vibe, people and culture never felt right. I'm usually OK with suspension of disbelief and literary license, but something rubbed me the wrong way. It felt like the author, who immigrated away as a child, felt like he was too good for Georgia and leaned into the misery porn aspect. (and I'm not against books that portray negative parts of Georgian history or show the country in a negative light. Both "The Pear Field" and "The Eighth Life" are pretty dark, but I thought they were excellent reads)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 825 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.