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Chronicle in Stone: A Novel by Ismail Kadare - 4* - My Review

“Everything in the city was old and made of stone, from the streets and fountains to the roofs of the sprawling age-old houses covered with grey slates like gigantic scales. It was hard to believe that, under this powerful carapace, the tender flesh of life survived and reproduced.”

Set in Gjirokastër, an ancient stone city in southern Albania near the border with Greece, this book describes life just before and during World War II from the perspective of a child. The unnamed young boy has a fascination with airplanes and the story of MacBeth. He is approaching adolescence but still sees events through the innocence of youth. The city is a mix of cultures and religions. He is often puzzled by the harsh social strictures of the different groups, particularly honor-related killings and punishments inflicted for even the slightest transgressions. This confusion is compounded during WWII, with external forces occupying the city (and changing hands multiple times) and the internal political situation which precipitated a civil war.

It is structured primarily as a coming-of-age story of the young boy, but also includes “chronicles” that provide supplemental information that would not have been available to a child. Through the boy’s interactions with his neighbors, extended family, townsfolk, and different political factions, the reader assembles the big picture, even though the child often remains in the dark. It juxtaposes the imaginative daydreams of a young boy with the horrific events of wartime violence. Even though many of the scenes are brutally violent, it is not entirely focused on bloodshed, often interspersing humor, scenes from daily life, and the wisdom of a grandparent.

It was first published in Albania in 1971. I found the structure quite effective. The writing is descriptive and insightful. This is obviously the work of an accomplished writer. I had not previously read anything by Ismail Kadare but will definitely be seeking out more of his catalogue.

PBT Steeplechase - Tagged "bildungsroman" x6:
https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...

BWF March Extra letter C - also tagged "coming of age" x8:
https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve...