15/10/2026
Ankica's is The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway.
This is a fictional novel based on the 1990s Siege of Sarajevo. The premise pivots on a cellist who plays the Adagio by Albinoni for 22 days in a tow to honour the 22 people who died in a bombing while waiting for bread (based on the true event). The book follows three separate people through their life at that time, who do not directly interact with the cellist or each other, but who are deeply affected by what he does; a female sniper tasked with keeping him alive, a bread maker whose family has escaped the city, and a father who must travel through the city to get fresh water for his family.
In a besieged city, the objective is to drive to submission the defending people to destroy all hope, to condemn people to absolute deblilitating fear for their lives. The cellist sits in the middle of the square, sets up his instrument, and plays. He creates something beautiful, melodic, and mesmerising. Among the destruction, he demonstrates power over fear, a symbol of hope, and a light that reminds us of humanity and normality.
