The novel “Across the Road-The Truth” is an autobiographical novel, written in confessional prose. The author, who is the main character as well, tries in many ways to leave Serbia for the EU, looking for a better life at the time when that was unimaginable for most people because of the political situation in the country, and a complicated procedure for getting a visa. The story begins in a truck in which the author sets out on his journey toward the Slovenian border which he has to cross illegally, because he has a passport with no required visa.
While he is trying to grab the opportunity of a lifetime, on the truck driver`s insistence, he starts his life story in eight unbelievable episodes, charged with emotions and full of experience and unusual human destinies. The stories are told in a way that reminds us of sensational motion pictures, but the novel neither loses its literary meaning nor its philosophical worldview.
His narration becomes a motivational generator for the reader and reflects in unambiguous messages. He chooses the stories which are at the edge of being shocking, but they are pleasing and emotional so they don’t leave the reader indifferent, not even for a single moment.He sets that line with an objective attitude toward the events he describes, and with strong emotions which he not only doesn’t hide but rather highlights them as well, paying attention to the finest details about people, places, experiences and revelations which are mentioned. He encroaches into the past very clearly and from a great time distance he looks deeply, most deeply into himself.
In the first story entitled„The Journey“, he describes his making the decision to cross the border illegally, the meeting with a truck driver and almost epic parting with his girlfriend. The author uses an exceptional descriptive style hinting an exciting continuation of his journey, and prefiguring at the same time that the reader is going to travel with him through his exciting life. Also, with constant digressions which are sometimes intertwined with humor and very specific metaphors he keeps the story linear and doesn’t allow the reader to put the book down to be read some other time.
In the second story – “The Bombing”, the main character describes Serbia, his native town of Užice, his parents, neighbours and friends, in a difficult and emergency situation, assessing their actions and decisions, testing himself, his moral and human potential while he is looking death in the eyes.
In the story „Sweet problems“, the author describes his high school days in detail, his puberty, but also key moments in which he describes his departure from his native town for studies, and all what was happening after that in Belgrade in 1999seen through the eyes of a freshman from a province.
In the story „The Performance“, the reader is presented with an unusual episode from the life of Serbian reckless high school students. Facing them with fear, face to face, on an improvised stage the main character of the story becomes able to distinguish brave people among his friends and acquaintances, but also cowards who have been castup in the first plane by an enforced situation. The author paraphrases life placing it on the twentysquare-meter improvised stage, in front of car lights, where masked children actors frighten their friends.
4) The story “The Gray Angel“describes the author`s limitless love for a girl who has been a heroin addict. Stripping away the purest emotion, the main hero is ready to stand up against the greatest human vice and start the battle to save her life and his love.
In the stories “The Fall“ and „Holland“ the author points out that life is full of turnovers and how the intricacy of seemingly accidental circumstances, has led him astray to a place where you can lose your head. These stories talk about drugs and dark streets of Belgrade and Holland. The author puts them across and hides nothing. He proves that he bravely brings up topics which have been rarely brought up before.
The novel closes with a story “Freedom” in which the author tells the truck driver an action movie story about job of his fellow-countrymen who live abroad. That is a famous story, which most modern American movies are based on, about young guys from the Balkans who break jewelry shops using their cars, all in a quest for a better life.
The truck driver, impressed by all of the stories, and the main hero arrive at theiraimed destination, the Slovenian border. The novel which has been written in a heartfelt narrative tone, like an omnibus, at the end becomes a whole, depicting the main hero, in his fullness, succeeding in his intention. He crosses the border, stops for a moment and sends a motivational message to the reader.
The novel “Across the Road-The Truth” is an autobiographical novel, written in confessional prose. The author, who is the main character as well, tries in many ways to leave Serbia for the EU, looking for a better life at the time when that was unimaginable for most people because of the political situation in the country, and a complicated procedure for getting a visa. The story begins in a truck in which the author sets out on his journey toward the Slovenian border which he has to cross illegally, because he has a passport with no required visa.
While he is trying to grab the opportunity of a lifetime, on the truck driver`s insistence, he starts his life story in eight unbelievable episodes, charged with emotions and full of experience and unusual human destinies. The stories are told in a way that reminds us of sensational motion pictures, but the novel neither loses its literary meaning nor its philosophical worldview.
His narration becomes a motivational generator for the reader and reflects in unambiguous messages. He chooses the stories which are at the edge of being shocking, but they are pleasing and emotional so they don’t leave the reader indifferent, not even for a single moment.He sets that line with an objective attitude toward the events he describes, and with strong emotions which he not only doesn’t hide but rather highlights them as well, paying attention to the finest details about people, places, experiences and revelations which are mentioned. He encroaches into the past very clearly and from a great time distance he looks deeply, most deeply into himself.
In the first story entitled„The Journey“, he describes his making the decision to cross the border illegally, the meeting with a truck driver and almost epic parting with his girlfriend. The author uses an exceptional descriptive style hinting an exciting continuation of his journey, and prefiguring at the same time that the reader is going to travel with him through his exciting life. Also, with constant digressions which are sometimes intertwined with humor and very specific metaphors he keeps the story linear and doesn’t allow the reader to put the book down to be read some other time.
In the second story – “The Bombing”, the main character describes Serbia, his native town of Užice, his parents, neighbours and friends, in a difficult and emergency situation, assessing their actions and decisions, testing himself, his moral and human potential while he is looking death in the eyes.
In the story „Sweet problems“, the author describes his high school days in detail, his puberty, but also key moments in which he describes his departure from his native town for studies, and all what was happening after that in Belgrade in 1999seen through the eyes of a freshman from a province.
In the story „The Performance“, the reader is presented with an unusual episode from the life of Serbian reckless high school students. Facing them with fear, face to face, on an improvised stage the main character of the story becomes able to distinguish brave people among his friends and acquaintances, but also cowards who have been castup in the first plane by an enforced situation. The author paraphrases life placing it on the twentysquare-meter improvised stage, in front of car lights, where masked children actors frighten their friends.
4) The story “The Gray Angel“describes the author`s limitless love for a girl who has been a heroin addict. Stripping away the purest emotion, the main hero is ready to stand up against the greatest human vice and start the battle to save her life and his love.
In the stories “The Fall“ and „Holland“ the author points out that life is full of turnovers and how the intricacy of seemingly accidental circumstances, has led him astray to a place where you can lose your head. These stories talk about drugs and dark streets of Belgrade and Holland. The author puts them across and hides nothing. He proves that he bravely brings up topics which have been rarely brought up before.
The novel closes with a story “Freedom” in which the author tells the truck driver an action movie story about job of his fellow-countrymen who live abroad. That is a famous story, which most modern American movies are based on, about young guys from the Balkans who break jewelry shops using their cars, all in a quest for a better life.
The truck driver, impressed by all of the stories, and the main hero arrive at theiraimed destination, the Slovenian border. The novel which has been written in a heartfelt narrative tone, like an omnibus, at the end becomes a whole, depicting the main hero, in his fullness, succeeding in his intention. He crosses the border, stops for a moment and sends a motivational message to the reader.
