Cover
Another Albanian book read.
I hate totalitarian regimes. You see the paranoia, fear, and pain that everyday Albanians went through during the time in which their country was run by a dictator in this book.
Rudian Stefa is an Albania playwright that is called into questioning by government investigators. The reason why is that one of his books was found belonging to a young woman who recently killed herself. The government being its totalitarian self investigates suicides to see is there are any strange doings involved in them. Especially suicides that are done by someone who has been interned. Interned meaning that someone (sometimes whole families) who have been banished from the capital city of Tirana and forced to live in exile in small communities far from anywhere. They live in these small towns and have to check in every night with the police to ensure that they haven't left. "For Linda B., a souvenir from the author" is what was signed by Rudian in Linda B's book (the girl who has killed herself). He had signed it a few months prior when Linda's friend, Migena, came to a Tirana book signing. She got it signed for Linda because Linda is obsessed with Rudian. She reads about him, listens to radio shows about him, and watches any news involving him. It is her way of escaping her village and her oppression.
Migena and Rudian start a relationship a few months after the book signing after Migena reaches out to Rudian. Rudian can't just let the suicide go. A young woman is dead who had written about him in her diary and was obsessed with him. He wants to know why she killed herself. Rudian searches for an answer, talks to Migena, reaches out to the investigator who had originially questioned him, and has dreams about Linda.
We find out why she took he own life. She had to get out of her village. She prayed for cancer to appear in her breasts so that she would be qualified to go to Tirana for treatment. She prayed that the government would end her family's exile. She got neither. Rudian falls in love with Linda B. He dreams about her, wants to marry her post mortem. He thinks of old mythology and the meaning behind them. One being when Orpheus going to hell to rescue Eurydice. He must not look back for her on the way out no matter how tempting the thought be. The book ends five years after it started. Rudian is at a book signing. In line are Migena and her new fiance, the investigator from before, old friends, and a few celebrities.
A sweet voice said for the second time, "Can you inscribe it with my name?" "Of course," he replied. Before He raised his head the unknown girl said her name; "Linda B."
Don't.
There was only this exclamation inside him, nothing else.
He doesn't look up.
He signs the book "For Linda B., a souvenir from the author." and hands it back to woman.
"The girl took it in her hand and just for a moment their cold fingers touched in that dark void."
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