A brilliant roadtrip novel exploring the complex themes of personhood, family and political contexts with such a light touch.

Catch the Rabbit is a powerful debut novel that tells the story about the friendship between two women in Bosnia.

This novel investigates identity, social divides, language and love packed into the narrative.

I really enjoyed this book and can say it is the first Bosnian translated book I’ve read!

Lana Bastašic beautifully captures the nuances of Sara and Lejla's complicated relationship, delving into the power dynamics, love, and unspoken resentments that have shaped their lives. As they journey through the landscapes of Bosnia, memories resurface, forcing Sara to reevaluate her understanding of their friendship, the experiences they shared, and the societal and religious divisions that once separated them.

One of the novel's strengths lies in Bastašic's ability to evoke a sense of place, vividly describing the Bosnian setting and its lingering scars from the Bosnian War. The echoes of war and its traumatic aftermath serve as a backdrop to the characters' emotional journeys, highlighting the impact of historical events on personal lives and collective memory.

Through Sara's introspection, the author explores the fragility of memory and how it shapes our identities. The narrative is a delicate balance of introspection and external exploration, as Sara grapples with her own misconceptions, confronts the limitations of her recollections, and learns to accept the complexities of her past.

Bastašic's prose is evocative and lyrical, capturing the emotional depth of the characters' experiences. The narrative seamlessly weaves together the present-day road trip and the characters' shared history, creating a compelling and immersive reading experience. The exploration of themes such as love, loss, and the enduring effects of war is handled with sensitivity and nuance, offering readers a profound reflection on the human experience.

Catch the Rabbit is a thought-provoking novel that delves into the complexities of personal and collective memory, the enduring bonds of friendship, and the power of self-discovery. Lana Bastašic's storytelling prowess shines through as she explores the emotional landscapes of her characters with empathy and grace.

In conclusion, Catch the Rabbit is a beautifully written and deeply affecting novel that will resonate with readers long after they have turned the final page. Lana Bastašic's exploration of loss, forgetting, and the enduring power of friendship is both heartfelt and poignant. This book is a testament to the author's skill in crafting a narrative that is both introspective and universal, making it a compelling read for fans of contemporary fiction.

I wasn’t a massive fan of this, it has an interesting concept but think the writing style and content wasn’t really for me. A lot of other people love it so it is definitely down to taste but not my cup of tea unfortunately

A deep dive into a friendship that has taken an unusual turn. It’s also got a strong element of coming of age novel as it explores the main character’s teenage years.

This one wasn't for me at all. The style was a bit too experimental for my liking - it might have just got lost in translation, literally, but I wasn't a fan.

A beautifully rendered story of friendship and generational trauma emanating from war. It's exciting to see new voices coming out of Bosnia to detail the lasting impressions that the war that broke up Yugoslavia has had on the generations that have followed. Lana Bastašic is a distinct and wonderful voice to add to the mix. Hihgly recommended.

I really couldn't connect with the characters in this book. I couldn't understand why Sara was so obsessed with Lejla. Lejla came across as self-obsessed, controlling and selfish, who made no effort to repair her bond with Sara.
This was a story that flit between the past and the present. The past was when Sara and Lejla were childhood friends, before the ethnic cleansing of Bosniaks took place. Fast forward to the future, where Lejla calls Sara after not being in contact for twelve years. Sara who is settled in Dublin, drops everything and both she and Lejla go on a road trip from Bosnia to Vienna as Lejla's brother Armin is apparently in Vienna.
The two friends now have nothing in common. There is no closure, nor there is healing in their already fractured relationship.

Sara has made a life for herself outside Bosnia, putting away memories of the war and her home. However when her childhood friend Lajla asks her to return to help her find her brother Armin, Sara drops everything. As the two travel though the former Yugoslavia, Sara is forced to reconsider a lot of her life.
I really enjoyed the start of this book but it rapidly started to drag. Part of the problem was that I didn't find Sara a particularly engaging character and Lejla even less so, therefore I was not invested in the protagonists to the extent that I wanted to complete the book.

Sara has left Bosnia and her life there before, but a phone call from an old friend after over a decade of silence is enough to send her running back again. They are on a mission to find lejla's brother who has gone missing during the Balkan war and has now been spotted for the first time in a decade. Sara and Lejla's adventures as adults involve a lot of deep-rooted heartfelt discussions and searches for shared truths and understanding.
Its not a book to rushed, it deserves time and consideration

What a road trip!

I'd not heard much about Catch the Rabbit prior to requesting it, but ever since studying the Bosnian War and visiting Bosnia few years ago I have always kept my eye out for Bosnian related fiction. Catch the Rabbit did not disappoint, it was really engaging and well written. I liked how Bastasic wrote about her characters I felt like I really knew them well. A great summer read.

A post-war novel exploring female friendship and the aftermath of the Bosnian War and ensuing conflicts. I wanted to like this, but the style was a bit too experimental.

This is very different and well written as it looks out how people who share the same experiences together, recall things different.

Sara who left Bosnia to live in Dublin trys to forget her childhood and denies (lying) when asked if she was around during the Bosnian war. But she gets taken down memory lane when a long lost friend she hasn't spoken or seen for a long time suddenly calls and asks to be picked up and driven.

During the journey they recall their past and what they had been through but challenge each other as they reminder the past different, you don't read much about the war, but you more get the feeling of what they experienced, why they blocked stuff, questioning if a memory is true or false and how they coped. The book looks more at psychological and memory of trauma and survival.

The book was well translated and flowed really well which sometimes isn't the cause for a book that has been translated into english.

(2.5)

This debut post-war novel, translated from the Bosnian by the author herself, attempts closure through a haunting tale of survivor’s guilt.

The start reminds me of Asylum Road by Olivia Sudjic, pointing out the eerie cloud the past casts on someone's life once they have gone through periods in history that remain unthinkable. The heavy atmosphere matches the unsettling feeling the protagonist seems to carry around. Although Sara clearly tries escaping the past by moving to Ireland, she can never seem to leave it behind.

The book’s main focus is the relationship between Sara and her estranged childhood friend Lejla. Sara gets a call from Lejla after 10 years of silence and accepts an odd request to drive to Vienna to allegedly meet Lejla's brother - Amin, who has been gone for years.

Sara struggles with her own sense of identity, which seems entirely based on ideas and opinions others have of the world, never allowing herself to exist independently. This explains her constant paradox of love and resentment towards Lejla, who seems to accept taking the lead on both their lives.

It is clear that the point here is going through this journey, rather than reaching the destination - isn't that how life works, anyways?

That said, I struggled to feel connected to these characters and to understand why they were even friends to begin with. Bastišić‘s ability to build up tension is commendable, although the tension never seems properly justified by any of the events. Surely a lot is left unsaid, but even silence demands substance.

There was a lack of nuance and dimension in Sara and Lejla‘s relationship and their dialogues were overly childish and petty, with no real depth in sight. It was hard to believe that adults would act this unripe, especially with the protagonist being a writer, who takes refuge in words.

The writing is strong and atmospheric, which is the book‘s main strength. Unfortunately that alone was not able to make up for its shortcomings.

Ultimately, the ending left me frustrated and struggling to find meaning to this journey - one I didn't really want to go on.

Read via Netgalley

Stylistically unique, multi-layered, beautifully executed. This was one of my most anticipated 2021 releases and it didn't disappoint one bit. I've been fangirling the author for a while, and was dying to read her novel in the original, but the pandemic happened and I didn't have the chance to visit my family in the Balkans. I'm partly glad I got to read it in an English translation, because the author translated it herself superbly. ⁠Perfect choice for Women In Translation Month.
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Catch the Rabbit is a powerful debut novel that tells the story about the friendship between two women in Bosnia; friendship that cracked and gets reexamined more than a decade later. ⁠
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Lejla and Sara have been best childhood friends all the way until college, but then stop speaking. Twelve years later, Sara is living in Dublin and gets an unexpected call from Lejla beckoning her back to Bosnia to drive her to Vienna in order to get reunited with her brother Armin lost since the Yugoslav wars in the 1990s, who everyone believed dead apart from them. ⁠
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As we witness the roadtrip (a rare occurrence in literature when it comes to women!), the story flips between past and present and we get a glimpse into key memories. Memories that seem distorted or false and misleading, when looked at closely. And so, the reader is never sure whether they're getting a realistic narrative of what actually happened, especially given it's told only from Sara's point of view. ⁠
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The two heroines are contrastingly different, with Lejla being the rebellious, wild and authentic soul that pulls people towards her, and Sara being the quiet, though stubborn kind, that admires Lejla, ready to follow her lead like a puppy. ⁠
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The novel also investigates identity, language, social divides (Lejla and Sara belong to different classes and religions), love and desire, all neatly and subtly packed within the narrative. Bosnia is represented as this darkness that lingers tangibly in the air and can be felt viscerally, and I really enjoyed the symbolics. ⁠

In a way, Catch the Rabbit is also a mystery novel, with Lejla's brother Armin's absence being constantly referred to. The long years of waiting are supposed to end and the mystery to be resolved as Lejla and Sara reach their final destination at the end of the book. I'll keep it vague and spoiler-free! I'm dying to discuss the ending with someone, so if you end up reading this book, please let me know!

I wasn't surprised to read that the novel gets compared to Elena Ferrante's My Brilliant Friend, given how both dissect female friendship so minutely and beautifully. But more than that, Bastašić has created a unique signature style for herself and her distinctive talent shines through. Bastašić is definitely a writer to watch!

Thanks to the publisher and @netgalley for my digital readers copy.

This book is a story of friendship, growing up and the impact of the Balkan War in the 1990s on an entire generation. As young girls, they were inseparable, although they couldn't be more different: Lejla, the shameless, irrepressible. Sara, the calm daughter of the police chief.
It has been 12 years since Sara left Bosnia to start a new life in a better place away from the ghosts of her past. Twelve years after they last saw each other, Sara receives a call from Lejla, her old best friend. Sara has lived in Dublin for years, while Lejla has stayed in their native Bosnia. Lejla asks her to come to Mostar to search for Armin, Lejla's brother who went missing long ago during the bleak days of the war. Sara is not sure whether she should go, she's finally calling Dublin her home and she doesn't feel like returning to the country she fled because of the civil war.

I really enjoyed the discussion of the impact of war on generations to come in this book!

So this was quite the surprise. I went into this one not knowing anything, just that is was highly anticipated by some people I follow and trust. And they were right to anticipate this one.

This gripped me from the beginning. It's tense, you feel the dread through out the novel. Sara returns reluctantly to Bosnia when her childhood friend call her out of nowhere. Sara leaves Dublin behind to drive Lejla, because there is one thing that still connects them, Lejla brother who dissapeared during the war.

They have a unusual relationship. Their very different, even when they were children and both have some baggage. Strained family relationships and they both grew up during the Bosnian war.

This is very well written (and translated by the author). Vivid story telling, well paced, I wanted to keep reading. I also think the ending was really fitting.

Definitly will read more by this author.

Catch the Rabbit is an engaging roadtrip novel, featuring two childhood friends, Sara and Lejla who have an intense and difficult relationship. Sara flies back home to Bosnia from her new life in Dublin, dropping everything to drive Lejla to Vienna, even though they haven't spoken in twelve years.

The novel explores themes of childhood friendships, coming of age during the breakdown of the former Yugoslavia, what you owe to your past and how memories differ according to the beholder. An interesting and rewarding read.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

Catch the Rabbit is a dynamic and moving story of friendship, growing up and the impact of the Balkan War in the 1990s on an entire generation. As young girls, they were inseparable, although they couldn't be more different: Lejla, the shameless, irrepressible. Sara, the calm daughter of the police chief. An ambivalent closeness of alienation and attraction. An extraordinary friendship that suddenly fell apart like the country in which they grew up. It has been 12 years since Sara left Bosnia to start a new life in a better place away from the ghosts of her past. Twelve years after they last saw each other, Sara receives a call from Lejla, her old best friend. Sara has lived in Dublin for years, while Lejla has stayed in their native Bosnia. Lejla asks her to come to Mostar to search for Armin, Lejla's brother who went missing long ago during the bleak days of the war. Sara is not sure whether she should go, she's finally calling Dublin her home and she doesn't feel like returning to the country she fled because of the civil war. But deep down, she knows she will take that plane anyway, straight back to her past. The friends leave Mostar on a road trip to Vienna. Their journey beautifully and sometimes painfully exposes the differences between the young women who once had such a strong bond but whose identities have been shaped so differently by the war. Old memories come to life, adolescent loves and the ordeals of war emerge in a new light, and the journey to the Balkans becomes symbolic.

The winner of the European Union Prize for Literature 2020, in her hit debut, Catch the Rabbit, Bastašic plunges deep into the muddy waters of friendship and growing up, and the emotionally and narrative-rich dissection of a complicated friendship between two women, separated by life and then brought back together, is set in the novel’s well-known road trip format along Yugoslav roads. Uncompromisingly, the author tackles topics that particularly occupy the younger, millennial generation. The story approaches the theme of identity in an original way, and it can be said that this dark but realistic tale will find its way to new readers in other countries and that it can help illuminate the dark legacy of the wars following the dissolution of Yugoslavia. Here is a literary road trip, a brilliant and devastating novel that, with a subtle and authentic language, portrays the complicated relationship between two unforgettable characters. At the same time, it shows us, without fear of taboos, how the traumas of a serious conflict continue to resonate over the years. It is told ruthlessly and uncompromisingly, through two narrative streams, precisely and clearly and in a thoroughly absorbing manner. It is a shocking novel in which Lana Bastašić sovereignly rules the form she has imposed on herself. With captivating language between rebellious defiance and biting comedy, Bosnia's exciting literary shooting star tells of an extraordinary friendship in the turmoil of Yugoslav history. Highly recommended.

Sara left Bosnia years ago, finally settling in Dublin, and has succeeded in leaving her country thoroughly behind, cancelling all traces of it from herself and her life. Until she receives an unexpected phone call that undoes all her efforts. It's Lejla, Sara' best friend from childhood, whom she hasn't spoken to in twenty years. At Lejla's request, Sara drops everything and hurries back to Bosnia, embarking on a road trip across Europe to find Lejla's brother, Armin, who disappeared during the war and everyone else presumed dead.

During the journey, Sara is forced to confront her origins, her relationships (especially that with Lejla) and the past she so desperately tried to forget. The book is narrated by Sara herself, as if speaking with Lejla, and alternates an account of their road trip with past episodes, slowly leading up to the events that led their friendship to fall apart. As a result, everything is filtered by Sara's perception, feelings, and faltering memory. Memories are notoriously unreliable, and Sara's is no exception. It becomes clear quite early on that she and Lejla have very different recollections of the same events, begging the question: where does the truth lie?

I was very much reminded of Elena Ferrante's books when reading Catch the Rabbit, both in the relationship between the two main characters (which strongly resembles that between Lenu and Lila) and the narration style, a game of mirrors where the truth is always hiding and individual desires shape the perception of reality. While I didn't particularly like Sara and Lejla as individuals, I did love them as characters. Both are deeply complex and masterfully drawn by the author, showing how the past influences present lives, expectations pollute relationships, and loss and trauma leave deep, often unhealing, wounds.

The writing is exceptional and the author did a wonderful job of translating her work into English. It's clear that every word has been pondered, every sentence expertly crafted, and nothing is left to chance. The circular structure of the book is highly original and clever indeed. It did leave me perplexed for a while when I reached the ending but, once I understood it, I definitely appreciated it. One negative aspect for me was that I struggled with certain passages throughout, and sometimes had to re-read them to ensure I had understood correctly, which slowed the pace for me and took me out of the story. The ending left me with just as many questions as I had at the beginning, and brought me to think about this book long after the final page had been turned.

Catch the Rabbit is a beautiful homage to Alice in Wonderland, where most things and words have multiple meanings, and truth and reality are as elusive as a white rabbit. Steeped in Balkan history and culture, this is a multilayered read touching on several themes, such as friendship, family, identity, diversity, loss, the effects of war and so many more besides - and I'm sure more still would emerge on a re-read. Well-suited to lovers of My Brilliant Friend and Balkan history and those who enjoy deep, complex and problematic characters.