Broken April

Author: Kadare
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: After his brother was killed by his enemies, the life of Gjo left him forever. According to the Kanun, the code governing the northern highlands of Albania, if a person is killed, his family must avenge him. Gjo could not escape his fate, and on March 17th, he successfully shot the murderer. Before being hunted down by the family of the deceased, he was granted a thirty-day truce. Thus, his April was divided into two parts: before April 17th, it was "white," safe; after that, it was "black," a life on the run. Interwoven with Gjo's fate was a newly married couple from the city, who were deeply drawn to the highland culture. The bride, Diana, fell in love with Gjo at first sight, as he was threatened by death, while Gjo also wanted to encounter Diana again before his April turned black. When a person is born into this world, they are trapped in a fate of either being hunted or hunting, and life can only be as fleeting and chaotic as a broken April. Broken April tells the story of a month in the life of a person with concise, poetic prose, yet reflects the centuries-old struggles and tragedies of a nation.