Sex, money and trouble (Review)
Not my plan for the weekend, but a book by Jana Slaninova, a dreamer and fantasy writer. I've already read it once as an e-book and now that it's out in physical form, I ordered it for myself to take home right away.
The story follows young, misfit Valeria, who wants to become a singer. Besides having this dream at a time when democracy was just beginning to be talked about in our country, she has several other obstacles ahead of her, including her unusual skin color.
It's a relaxing read, but one that appealed to me because of the way Jana is able to vividly describe the time in which the story takes place. Against the backdrop of the escapades that Valerie experiences, we get a colorful picture of society at the time.
We follow her journey from her childhood in a small village, through her great efforts to break through in the clubs, her first job, to those troubles that lead her into an unenviable situation.
The fact that we also learn casually from her point of view what life was like for an ordinary citizen under socialism, how one could and could not make a living to the insights of the revolution, were what I liked most about the book.
At first glance, Valérie doesn't seem like a heroine who is supposed to save the world or rub it in everyone's faces, but in her own way, she shows us how not to give up. When things look really bad sometimes, there is still a path that leads on.
