Lead Review

• Book: Every Day, Every Hour
• Location: Croatia, Paris
• Author: Natasa Dragnic

This book spans a couple of decades at the end of the 20th century and comes to its conclusion around 2008 – thus it is set against a huge amount of recent history in the Balkan region. Having said that, however, the central and lingering focus is on the relationship between Luka and Dora. The two start off seeing something special in each other early on in Kindergarten and the on/off nature of the relationship continues right to the end.
Their relationship is exclusive, although each has affairs with other people during their enforced breaks they have, but the exclusivity is something that envelops them and leaves others, including the reader, peering in on something that is all-consuming, and something that almost feels as though it teeters on the verge of psychological instability, cloaked in passion and longing.
The style is often written in short sentences which gives it a staccato feel, sometimes as little as only 5 or 6 words per sentence, which can be jarring at times.
Although the book has a modern context, it nevertheless has a feeling of being quite retro, the manner and the discourse are reminiscent of the dialogue of, say, the 1950s. This adds to the alienation of those on the outside, and the utter all-consuming nature of what is going on within the relationship; thus it is quite difficult for the reader to really enter into the world of Luka and Dora and feel part of the story. The reader remains an observer.
Tina Hartas for WeLoveThisBook.com

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