Broken April (Albanian: Prilli i thyer) is a novel by Albanian author Ismail Kadare. Published in 1978, the book explores one of Kadare's recurring themes: how the past affects the present. The novel concerns the centuries-old tradition of hospitality, blood feuds, and revenge killing in the highlands of north Albania in the 1930s.
From the moment that Gjorg's brother is killed by a neighbour, his own life is forfeit: the code of Kanun that operates in the Albanian mountains requires Gjorg to kill the murderer, and then be hunted down in turn. After avenging his brother, young Gjorg is entitled to thirty days' grace not enough to see out the month of April.
Then a visiting honeymoon couple cross the path of the fugitive. The bride's heart goes out to Gjorg, and even these 'civilised' strangers from the city risk becoming embroiled in the fatal mechanism of vendetta.
Broken April (Albanian: Prilli i thyer) is a novel by Albanian author Ismail Kadare. Published in 1978, the book explores one of Kadare's recurring themes: how the past affects the present. The novel concerns the centuries-old tradition of hospitality, blood feuds, and revenge killing in the highlands of north Albania in the 1930s.
From the moment that Gjorg's brother is killed by a neighbour, his own life is forfeit: the code of Kanun that operates in the Albanian mountains requires Gjorg to kill the murderer, and then be hunted down in turn. After avenging his brother, young Gjorg is entitled to thirty days' grace not enough to see out the month of April.
Then a visiting honeymoon couple cross the path of the fugitive. The bride's heart goes out to Gjorg, and even these 'civilised' strangers from the city risk becoming embroiled in the fatal mechanism of vendetta.
