Slavuji i šišmiši
Nightingales and Bats (1990), the last novel by Mirko Božić, sets the plot in the urban setting of the Rijeka theater in the early post-war years. This "novel with a key" subtly evokes real-life figures, such as Miroslav Krleža and Vladimir Bakarić, as we
The story follows a group of theater artists – actors, directors and writers – who struggle for artistic freedom under the pressure of political ideology. The main character, a young director, tries to stage a play that challenges social norms, but encounters resistance from party powerful people who, hidden behind collectivist rhetoric, manipulate and stifle individual creativity. The novel exposes hypocrisy and intrigue within the cultural elite, where lofty ideals clash with practical compromises. Through the characters, Božić depicts the tension between artistic integrity and political loyalty, as the individual struggles to preserve his or her voice.
Božić's language, steeped in the Ikavian-Štokavian idiom, brings authenticity, while the dialogue and psychological depth of the characters emphasize the drama. Although less well-known than Kurlan, the novel is significant for its critique of social pressures on art. Nightingales and Bats is a melancholic but sharp depiction of the struggle for authenticity in a world where "nightingales" sing and "bats" lurk in the shadows.
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