Friday, June 9, 2023

Short Stories Book Review: Sweetlust by Asja Bakić, translated by Jennifer Zoble

 


Sweetlust, the latest collection of short stories by Croatia-based bosnian writer and translator Asja Bakić, translated by Jennifer Zoble, forces the limits of imagination. Oniric-like feminist stories, mostly set in dystopian contexts, ex- Yugoslavia-inspired, the stories are breaking codes and reimagining classical stories - mythological or just belonging to the universal literary heritage, like The Sorrows of Young Werther - in a completely new, erotic re-writing. 

Elements of old Balkan fairy tales meet AI and coding, a reminder that the author has the full freedom to imagine and re-imagine whatever is considered fictional enough to be transformed into a story. It is not the audience, it is not the canon, it is not the literary expectations. Pure joy of writing what serves your inspiration. An infinite bookish lust.

Rating: 4 stars

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