Mansarda is the first novel published by the renowned Serbian author Danilo Kis (1935-1989). Written in 1960, published in 1962, and set in contemporary Belgrade, Mandarda explores the relationship of a young man, known only as Orpheus, to the art of writing; it also tracks the personal relationship among a colorful cast of characters with nicknames such as Eurydice, Mary Magdalene, Tam-Tam, and Billy Wise Ass. Rich in references to music, painting, philosophy, and gastronomy, as well as literature, this bohemian Bildungsroman provides important perspectives on the evolution of Kis as a writer. It is a laboratory of techniques and the anvil of artistic ethos for Kis. In other words, as a work of art, Mansarda is at once a depiction of life in bohemian Belgrade, a register of stylistic devices and themes that would recur throughout Kis' oeuvre, and an account of one yong man's quest to work out one's artistic ethos and approach to representation by balancing art, life, and text. These three aspects of Mansarda add up to an admirable first novel, indeed.


John K. Cox, Translator Professor and Department Head at North Dakota State University