Ballad for Emma

Blanka Raguz

Ballad for Emma depicts the life journey of a woman of Jewish descent who, amid the turmoil of the twentieth century, struggles both to survive and to cope with her love for a man she cannot have. Her story dovetails with that of the old Trenck’s Castle, whose fate is miraculously intertwined with hers. Set in Croatia and Hungary, this book explores the dramatic position of one woman under the fascist and communist regimes that left such bloody marks on Europe.
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Foreword Clarion Review (★★★★)  HISTORICAL

Ballad for Emma
Blanka Raguz
AuthorHouse (Dec 17, 2016) Softcover $29.95 (744pp)
978-1-5246-5166-4

This unique novel builds a romance into Croatia’s history.

A sweeping tale of love and setback, Blanka Raguz’s historical romance Ballad for Emma encapsulates major events in the early twentieth  century.

The story begins in Croatia  and travels  across Eastern Europe.

The novel is part romance, part historical document. The author, a Croatian native, interweaves Emma’s story line with broader historical strokes. These historical segments are decisive and direct, explaining facts and details, but still allowing for emotional connections. They give great insight into how the world wars impacted Croatia  and its people, highlighting the general crossfire they found themselves in. The wars are documented from both sides to avoid bias, leading  to numerous accounts of tragedies and inspirational  tales.

Emma’s  sections are more passionate and dramatic. Her story often involves reactions to historical goings-on and to personal turmoil, including elements such  as misunderstandings, grudges, hope, and delicate relationship balances. These sections are held back from melodrama by reinforcement from the historical accounts, which provide context to character actions and motives. The two writing styles balance to keep things engaging and informative.

Ballad for Emma is a unique  and interesting novel that builds a romance into Croatian history.

BlueInk Review

Ballad for Emma
Blanka Raguz AuthorHouse, 737 pages, (paperback) $29.95, 9781524651664
(Reviewed: May 2017)

In this saga by Blanka Raguz, a woman’s life journey evolves against the backdrop of wars-ravaged Croatia and Hungary. Dealing with an undesirable arranged marriage, she clings to the memory of a past relationship while struggling to survive.

Raguz offers an emotional drama filled with sacrifices and longings as social and political climates take their toll on the less fortunate and the aristocracy alike. The author’s descriptive writing breathes life into Trenck’s Castle, which becomes an ever-evolving character that transforms from elegance to a monument of decay over the course of the novel.

Nonetheless, many will enjoy the story. The heart of this tome is reflected in Emma’s words: “Those who are no longer alive continue to exist as long as they live in our memory.” For those moved by such leanings and who appreciate historical romance, Ballad for Emma should prove a largely engaging read.

Also available in hardcover and ebook.

Kirkus Review

TITLE INFORMATION
BALLAD FOR EMMA
Blanka Raguz
AuthorHouse (744 pp.)
$36.99 hardcover, $29.95 paperback, $3.99 e-book
ISBN: 978-1-5246-5395-8; December 17, 2016

BOOK REVIEW

Historical fiction about a Croatian woman coming-of-age in war-torn Europe.

Raguz (The Labyrinth of Vukovar, 2016) begins this sweeping tale in the early 20th century as a young Jewish woman discovers that’s she’s become pregnant by her Christian boyfriend.

In straightforward prose, this story covers nearly a full century, chronicling historical events in Croatia and Hungary right along with those in Emma’s personal life. The tale is rich with detail about the intimidation tactics of the Communist regime in Croatia (“If you omitted something or dared to lie to us, you’ll be held accountable,” one militia man tells Emma), and about the hopelessness that many everyday people experienced, due in part to mass persecutions.

Overall, though, Raguz tells an engaging tale that sheds light on its era. A nostalgic examination of the effects of war, bigotry, and lost opportunities.