The novel Crveni krovovi by author Neda Bjelanović, which explores the exodus of Sarajevo Serbs following the signing of the Dayton Agreement, was presented to a packed audience at the Andrić Institute in Andrićgrad, Višegrad.
The Crveni krovovi (“Red Roofs”) symbolize something that remains within our sight and memory—privileged spaces of childhood, yet spaces of a city abandoned, where the protagonist of this novel cannot return. They represent the idea of home and the place of growing up, it was noted during the presentation.
- “Crveni krovovi is a novel with autobiographical elements, though it is not an autobiographical work or a memoir in the true sense of the term. It speaks of one of the great tragedies of our people—the Sarajevo exodus, recognized in history as the largest peacetime exodus of a people ever,” said author Neda Bjelanović.
The novel captures the stories of characters who are collective beings, displaced persons whose identities were dramatically altered the moment they left their homes.
- “This is a novel written in an excellent style and language, addressing significant and profound themes. It raises important questions and confronts us with an experience of lived history that is not so distant,” stated the book’s publisher, Gojko Božović.
Sarajevo, Višegrad, and Belgrade are the three cities connected by an intriguing dynamic in Crveni krovovi. The narrative follows a girl, then a young woman, sharing a story she had long suppressed.
Source: RTRS
