The House with the Stained-Glass Window
A family's journey through love, loss, and resilience
Zanna Sloniowska author Antonia Lloyd-Jones translator
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Quercus Publishing
Published:24th Jan '19
Should be back in stock very soon
Exploring the lives of four generations of women, The House with the Stained-Glass Window reveals the intertwining of personal struggles and historical upheaval in Lviv.
In The House with the Stained-Glass Window, readers are introduced to the lives of four generations of women from a single family, all navigating the complexities of life in 20th century Lviv. Each character embodies the struggles and resilience of their time, with Great-Granma at the helm, a formidable figure shaped by her experiences of exile and love lost. Her attempts to maintain control over her family create a tense yet rich atmosphere, revealing the intricacies of familial bonds amidst historical turmoil.
Aba, the second generation, is depicted as a devoted yet oppressed daughter, battling her own aspirations and the suffocating weight of her mother’s expectations. Her dreams of becoming a painter are thwarted, highlighting the theme of unfulfilled potential that resonates throughout the narrative. The story takes a poignant turn with the arrival of Marianna, the opera star, whose passionate advocacy for Ukrainian independence leads to tragic consequences, shaping the legacy she leaves for her daughter.
The true essence of The House with the Stained-Glass Window lies not only in the lives of these women but also in the vibrant backdrop of Lviv itself. This city, with its rich history and cultural intersections, serves as a character in its own right, illustrating the intersection of personal and historical narratives. Translated from Polish by Antonia Lloyd-Jones, this novel is a powerful exploration of identity, survival, and the enduring impact of place on personal history.
The House with the Stained-Glass Window is remarkable, a gripping, Lvivian evocation of a city and a family across a long and painful century, at once personal and political, a novel of life and survival across the ages * Philippe Sands *
Zanna Sloniowska writes beautifully; with empathy, sensitivity, and with real political impact. As a Ukrainian from the multicultural city of Lviv, she provides an important new voice in Polish literature. -- Olga Tokarczuk
Few novels will engage the heart and mind as cohesively as this emphatic performance that triumphs through its depiction of the human stories overshadowed by history. * Financial Times. *
Sloniowska writes subtly and beautifully - every phrase conjures up images, casting colourful lights just like the stained-glass window of the title.
This story could only have happened in Ukraine. And then again it could have happened anywhere, because the blood on the blue-and-yellow flag is just the beginning of an intimate tale about four generations of women. * Zwierciadlo. *
Sloniowska is a fascinating story-teller who also gives insight into the reality of life in Ukraine. This is an astonishing literary discovery. * Polityka. *
A city of women's mysteries, and History, which the author constantly re-interprets. Zanna Sloniowska surprises and seduces. * Krytycznym Okiem. *
This novel was written as a challenge to crushing, cruel history; it arose from a desire to give a voice to the individual experiences of women. But at a certain point it turns in a direction contrary to its original ambitions, and the counter-history disappears in the fog of exploding smoke grenades. * Gazeta Wyborcza. *
A moving, incisive saga about women entangled by historical events. * Newsweek Polska. *
ISBN: 9780857057143
Dimensions: 196mm x 128mm x 15mm
Weight: 170g
240 pages