My book Where the Soil Remembers has just started reaching their first readers but there are a few who have read it already. Here is what the first reviews say about it:
Books and Publishing, Australia’s primary trade publication for the domestic book industry, and their reviewer Tara Lee say:
‘Where the Soil Remembers is a thoughtful exploration of survival, displacement and building a new life without severing yourself from the old.’
Tea Obreht, winner of the Orange Prize and author of The Tiger's Wife and Sunrise, has endorsed the book with the following:
‘Tackling one of the darkest chapters of human history with a keen eye and sharp prose, Vahida Berberovic has given us a poignant, unforgettable meditation on grief, selfhood, and the indomitability of the human spirit.’
Edita Mujkic, the award-winning author of the memoir Between Before and After and National Ambassador for the Refugee Council of Australia, says:
‘A deeply moving and powerful story about the profound impact of trauma, grief, and survivor guilt, adn the struggle to make peace with the devastating events of one's past.’
Edwina Shaw, author of Dear Madman and Thrillseekers, as well as editor and mentor, says:
‘A brave and compelling story of war and motherhood.
… One woman’s struggle to face the past she’d buried so she could continue to live. From a loving childhood in a safe neighbourhood to the horrors of war, migration and the beginnings of a new life that is threatened as the past rises up with a darkness that threatens to take the war’s last victim, this is a powerful exploration of survival and the courage of refugees.
Berberovic’s writing is strong and compelling, bringing the horrors of war and the hope of the survivor vividly to the page.’
Last but not least, Julie Keys, author of The Artist’s Portrait, writes:
‘Sharply observed and beautifully rendered, the story gives an ultimate view of the day-to-day consequences of war in a depiction that’s embedded with hope. … An important and fascinating novel, one that I thoroughly enjoyed reading and highly recommend.’
I am over the moon!