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Black Butterflies

By: Priscilla Morris
Narrated by: Rachel Atkins
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Summary

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2023

SHORTLISTED FOR THE RSL ONDAATJE PRIZE 2023

SHORTLISTED FOR THE AUTHORS’ CLUB BEST FIRST NOVEL AWARD 2023

‘A moving, compelling, deeply human novel about love, hope and resilience in a city under siege. Everyone should read it’ Emma Stonex, bestselling author of The Lamplighters

Sarajevo, spring 1992. Each night, nationalist gangs erect barricades, splitting the diverse city into ethnic enclaves; each morning, the residents – whether Muslim, Croat or Serb – push the makeshift barriers aside.

When violence finally spills over, Zora, an artist and teacher, sends her husband and elderly mother to safety with her daughter in England. Reluctant to believe that hostilities will last more than a handful of weeks, she stays behind while the city falls under siege. As the assault deepens and everything they love is laid to waste, black ashes floating over the rooftops, Zora and her friends are forced to rebuild themselves, over and over. Theirs is a breathtaking story of disintegration, resilience and hope.

©2023 Priscilla Morris (P)2023 W. F. Howes Ltd
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What listeners say about Black Butterflies

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Beautiful and so human

Brutally beautiful story about war, art and storytelling, and the mindlessness and importance of it all. The main characters are real people to me now.

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1 person found this helpful

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Loved this

This great performance and writing captured perfectly the desent of everyday life into one of hopelessness through war.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Poignant and Sad

Poignant read as history repeats itself a decade later across the world. A love story, a story of war, of fighting for life, normality… very good.

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Haunting

A haunting & heartbreaking story of the horror and brutality of war, alongside the comfort and strength brought about by the relationships forged in the war torn city of Sarajevo.
An intense and moving read, highly recommended and enhanced by the wonderful narration.

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8 people found this helpful

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Fantastic new author

Morris tells the story of the city of Sarajevo seized in the war.

The shock as the war spreads, impact and aftermath beautifully told.

It’s a wonderful debut novel from a talented new author.

Highly recommended!

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Compelling

Excellent story that builds and builds. Full picture of humanity at it's best in a desperate situation. Stunning performance by the reader

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Deeply affecting, beautifully written & performed

In Zora's story, Priscilla Morris presents a deeply personal account of the indiscriminate brutality of war eroding life to its barest essentials....yet hope remains in the spaces between. The performance brings the text to life wonderfully and adds to the reality of the characters. A wonderful, haunting and important story, especially relevant at this time of another war in Eastern Europe. A genuine must read!

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Bridges

Excellent narration and an enjoyable if traumatic listen. I remember this war and this shows the importance of historical fiction

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Wonderfully written

A fantastic listen
Free on audible but would happily pay as the story is really captivating. Recommended

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HERSTORY

Some of the criticism of this book has been about it reading as a history text rather than a novel. I disagree. This is a great piece of writing that brings terrible events alive, especially as I am old enough to remember this playing out nightly on the news. The systematic stripping away of civilisation from the middle aged, middle class narrator illustrates how savage and inhuman is one of the most human follies we carry from generation to generation. The narration is not fussy and maybe this is a reason why some have seen it as a flat piece of historic reporting. It is a good listen, short, and powerful, giving voice to someone who so far has not really been listened to.

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