Black Butterflies

By: Priscilla Morris

Narrated by: Rachel Atkins

LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2023

‘A moving, compelling, deeply human novel about love, hope and resilience in a city under siege. Everyone should read it’ Emma Stonex, bestselling author of The Lamplighters

Sarajevo, spring 1992. Each night, nationalist gangs erect barricades, splitting the diverse city into ethnic enclaves; each morning, the residents – whether Muslim, Croat or Serb – push the makeshift barriers aside.

When violence finally spills over, Zora, an artist and teacher, sends her husband and elderly mother to safety with her daughter in England. Reluctant to believe that hostilities will last more than a handful of weeks, she stays behind while the city falls under siege. As the assault deepens and everything they love is laid to waste, black ashes floating over the rooftops, Zora and her friends are forced to rebuild themselves, over and over. Theirs is a breathtaking story of disintegration, resilience and hope.©2023 Priscilla Morris (P)2023 W.F.Howes Ltd

Thin and too British

There was something compelling about this story. Just enough to get me to the end inspite of the very British narrator's accent, which I felt really spoiled the authenticity. Even if none of the characters are narrated with Slav accents at the very least the names couldn't have been pronounced correctly. The emphasis in Serbo Croat is on the first syllable. DUbravka, not duBRAVka. This is such a simple thing to get right with a bit of research and unfortunately the British accent and manner of speaking was so strong I forgot I was in Sarajevo.

The story was a very intimate insider account that was spoiled by the over dramatic British style performance. I have nothing accent a good British accent but in this case I sometimes felt like I was experiencing war in London not Sarajevo.