(The Lake)
Magnesia Litera Award 2017
European Union Prize for Literature 2017
EBRD Literature Prize 2023
About the Book
Original Title | Jezero |
First Published | 2016 |
Publisher | Host, Brno |
Pages | 186 |
Rights Sold
Poland | Afera – Wroclaw |
Egypt | Sefsafa – Cairo |
Macedonia | Tri Publishing – Skopje |
Bulgaria | Izida – Sofia |
Italy | Miraggi – Turin |
Bulgaria | Balkani Publishing House – Sofia |
Serbia | Heliks – Belgrade |
Croatia | Ljevak – Zagreb |
Switzerland | Kein & Aber – Zürich |
The Netherlands | De Geus – Amsterdam |
Spain | Tres Hermanas – Madrid |
Slovenia | Cankarjeva založba – Ljubljana |
Hungary | Metropolis Media – Ăjlengyel |
Latvia | Petergailis Publishers – Riga |
Denmark | Jensen & Dalgaard – Copenhagen |
Japan | Kawade Shobo Shinsha – Tokyo |
Romania | Editura Aramis – Bucharest |
Lithuania | Sofoklis – Vilnius |
United Kingdom | Parthian Books – Cardigan |
Greece | Vakxikon – Athens |
Korea | Marco Polo Press – Sejong City |
France | Cambourakis – Paris |
Azerbaijan | Strauss – Baku |
Finland | Kairaamo – Helsinki |
Nami grows up on the shores of a toxic, dwindling lake (the Aral Sea) in one of the former Soviet Republics. We follow his search for his mother through a narrative that combines elements of both a coming-of-age story and a road trip. He first arrives at the capital, where he finds work in the harbour and the dirty sulphur industry. Later on, he moves to the small village where his mother resides, where he learns that he was born out of rape. His mother doesn’t want to return with him, so he sets off once again to live out the final years of his adolescence in his home town. All of this is set against a backdrop of political and religious tensions between the poor exploited local population, Russians and oil tycoons.
The novel is a raw account of life in a devastating land and the harsh, primitive circumstances under which people fight to survive. This is also reflected by the strong, outspoken language and the naturalistic depiction of events and feelings. Love, rape, strife and survival are the key words for this novel.
“‘The Lake’ is a bewitching, beguiling, terrifying and shocking portal into a world gone wrong, a realm in which tenderness and courage come up against brutality and indifference, in which fellow-feeling and communality are undercut by self-interest and folly – and in which small gestures nonetheless keep the flame of hope alive. It is utterly propulsive, immersive and unique, and deserves to become a European classic, to be read by many generations to come.”
— Toby Lichtig – Jury chair EBRD Prize
“Bellová’s gripping depiction of life under forced occupation shows how despite the utter bleakness of their reality, people like Nami can still find ways to keep on going, as did many under communism and so many do now under other oppression. In the face of evil, there is nothing more radical than preserving one’s humanity.”
— Apofenie
“‘The Lake’ is a highly original search for descent, for an unknown father and mother, written in a compelling tone with plenty of understated, ‘witty’ humour, a powerful read about a world adrift. For the truth, Nami will have to delve into the past, literally and figuratively.”
— Tzum
Translations
البحيرة
Sefsafa, Giza, 2017
Translated by Khalid El Biltagi
Am See
Kein & Aber, Zürich , 2018
Translated by Mirko Kraetsch
Het meer
De Geus, Amsterdam, 2018
Translated by Kees Mercks
Il lago
Miraggi, Turin, 2018
Translated by Laura Angeloni
Jezioro
Afera, Wroclaw, 2018
Translated by Anna Radwan-Żbikowska
Ezers
Petergailis, Riga, 2018
Translated by Halina Lapina
Езерото
Izida, Sofia, 2018
Translated by Vasil Samokovliev
Tó
Metropolis Media, 2019
Translated by Dóra Ehrenberger
Jezero
Ljevak, Zagreb, 2019
Translated by Katica Ivanković
湖
Kawade Shobo, 2019, Tokyo
Translated by Kenichi Abe
Jezero
Heliks, Belgrade, 2019
Translated by Tihana Hamović
El lago
Tres Hermanas, Madrid, 2019
Translated by Daniel Ordóñez.
Eзеро
Tri Publishing, Skopje, 2020
Translated by Donka Rous
Søen
Jensen & Dalgaard, Copenhagen, 2020
Translated by Peter Bugge
Ežeras
Sofoklis, Vilnius, 2020
Translated by Kristina Karvelytė
Jezero
Cankarjeva založba, Ljubljana, 2020
Translated by .Anjuša Belehar
Lacul
Editura Aramis, Bucharest, 2021
Translated by Olga Jora
Η λίμνη
Vakxikon, Athens, 2021
Translated by Andriana Khondrogiannis
The Lake
Parthian, Napier St, Cardigan, 2022
Translated by Alex Zucker
Nami
Cambourakis – Paris, 2023
Translated by Christine Laferrière
Järvi
Kairaamo, Helsinki, 2024
Translated by Susanna Räty