The Hired ManGost is surrounded by mountains and fields of wild flowers. The summer sun burns. The Croatian winter brings freezing winds. Beyond the boundaries of the town an old house which has lain empty for years is showing signs of life. One of the windows, glass darkened with dirt, today stands open, and the lively chatter of English voices carries across the fallow fields. Laura and her teenage children have arrived. A short distance away lies the hut of Duro Kolak who lives alone with his two hunting dogs. As he helps Laura with repairs to the old house, they uncover a mosaic beneath the ruined plaster and, in the rising heat of summer, painstakingly restore it. But Gost is not all it seems; conflicts long past still suppurate beneath the scars. |
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Common terms and phrases
Aminatta Forna Andro Anka Anka's asked Bihać bird blue house brought coffee Conor Danica dark deer devrek dogs door drink Duro eyes Fabjan face father Fićo fingers front fucking glass gone Gost Grace hair hand head hunting inside Javor Karlobag Karlovačko kilometres kitchen knew Kos and Zeka Krešimir later laughed Laura light lived looked Matthew metres minutes mosaic mother mouth moved never night nodded once outbuilding passed Pavić picked rain rakija ravine red hat remember rifle road scent shoot shot shoulder shrugged side sitting smell smiled sound standing stared stood stopped swimming hole Tajči talk tell There's things thought tiles told took town tree line trees turned Vinka wait walked wall watched wearing widow's peak window woman wonder Zadar Zagreb Zodijak