‘Korijeni’ – a novel about hidden Croatian history released

by Milena Marijan Peranić

9 March 2019 – Beautiful Croatia, as a small country has a very rich, but turbulent history. Losing its state independence a millennium ago, it went on to be a part of many different kingdoms, empires, states and regimes. 

Croatians have invested lot of effort to preserve their national identity, with cultural and religious visibility on the global map. An especially challenging period of its history was the last century under Yugoslavia. 

Many tragical destinies, loss of lives, homes and suffering were hidden and not publicised. Even today, almost a quarter of a century after Croatian independence was proclaimed, there is still a lack of such information and obvious resistance to uncover these past stories.

A new book just published titled “Korijeni” (Roots), written by Miki Bratanić, represents an attempt to open such a secret chest and dive into the hidden stories to uncover and meet the truth.

“This is high quality book with an interesting and insufficient topic in Croatian literature. A book with brave target.” 

“This is a brilliant book with a bravely selected topic, which was for a long time under silence. Sooner or later this book must find a way to the top of our national literature.”

These are just a few fragments from some of the good reviews written by the president of the Croatian Writer’s Association Đuro Vidmarović, and journalist Tihomir Dujmović, who presented this new book, along with Bratinić, recently in Zagreb.

“This is my personal effort to help the nation in understanding our complex recent history, to help face the historical facts and build our future based on such a cleared and true past. The book focuses on modern story of a young newly married couple who discover inside their own family some old hidden stories which harmed them a lot. They found a way how to manage this truth and these facts, they accepted the disclosures, and preserve their marriage continuing to build a better future. So this is a positive message story.” said the novel’s author Miki Bratanić, who is also a member of the Croatian Writer’s Association and has investigated the problematics of modern Croatian history, and armed with such knowledge, decided to make his own positive footprint in his own way. 

This tense and thrilling story is an ideal scenario base for a movie, especially as there is a lack of films around this topic, not only in literature, but also in the Croatian movie industry.

According to it’s message and through the life experiences decanted in the pages, this novel is a universal and an all-time literary work, and can be written and understood in the same way no matter the ideologies, political views or place and time of release.

After initial promotions in Zagreb, “Korijeni” will be presented in Rijeka, Split, and other places of interest.

More about author Miki Bratanić and how to order the novel “Korijeni” can be found here: http://www.mikibratanic.com/knjige/korijeni/