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luciawolfie's review against another edition
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: War and Xenophobia
latterman's review against another edition
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
karinlib's review against another edition
4.0
In June of 1389, the armies of the Serbians, Albanians, Bosnians, Hungarians and Croatians as allies, against the Turks on the other. Although both sides had heavy losses, the Turks prevailed over the Balkan armies. This battle became the seeds for hatred that continue even today.
Very good.
Very good.
runeclausen's review against another edition
3.0
TL;DR: Serbs and Albanians always were, and always will be, enemies.
copiousw's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
roseparis's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
emirhanaslan's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
anetq's review against another edition
4.0
Kadare retells the story of a battle on the plains of Kosovo in 1389, where the Balkan princes all unite to battle against the Ottoman invaders, but lose bitterly. And the story of the Balkan minstrels who are unable to sing anything but songs of war between the Serbs and Albanians, even when they fight on the same side. And the Turkish ruler who died in the battle, and still buried on the Plains of Blackbirds 600 years later (with Milosevic & co battling overhead) suspects that his blood is the curse that means there is never peace. The poison that keeps adding to poison.
It is of course a book about the 1990s war in the former yugoslav republics, and Kosovo in particular - and a sad commentary on how violence and hatred can survive through the generations. There are no easy solutions - the books only woman - the grande dame who refers to ancient greece and the birth of Europe commands the minstrels to sing about other things, but they cannot, and she dies. But I guess you cannot expect a happy ending to a self-proclaimed Elegy! Heres hoping for other songs and a peaceful future.
It is of course a book about the 1990s war in the former yugoslav republics, and Kosovo in particular - and a sad commentary on how violence and hatred can survive through the generations. There are no easy solutions - the books only woman - the grande dame who refers to ancient greece and the birth of Europe commands the minstrels to sing about other things, but they cannot, and she dies. But I guess you cannot expect a happy ending to a self-proclaimed Elegy! Heres hoping for other songs and a peaceful future.
msgtdameron's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
AN interesting read. It starts on the Plain of Crows and the battle by all the Balkan Princes against Sultan Murad. This is the beginning of the Serbian trauma. the work starts with the high hopes of all the Balkan Princes, Hungarian, Serb, Albaniain, Macedonian, Croat who fought on that day. It talks of lack of central control by the Christian forces and the Sultans firm control over all his forces. How the battle waxed and waned for hours, but eventually that firm control by the Ottomans leads to there victory. The work then shows the survivors and there trek across up the Balkans to Germanic territories and how the survivors suffer. It ends with Sultan Murad bemoaning that his blood has left the whole peninsula at war for the past thousand years and how the defeat of the Serbs on the Field of Crows has left the whole of the Balkans in a blood feud and hate for that same time.