Primeval and Other Times

In the center of the universe lies Pravets. And in Pravets is the hub of everything that exists in the universe. Decades, scoffing at everything, replace one another; love flares up and burns out; the world turns into war; children are born and die. “Pravets and Other Times” is a novel by Nobel laureate Olga Tokarczuk. Tokarczuk’s works are always full of a heap of meanings and reflections on existence, death, time, and personhood—for her, as stated in the Nobel committee’s commentary, “crossing boundaries is a form of life.” Tokarczuk’s novels are adult fairy tales beyond time and space—serious, profound, real. In the story of Pravets, the history of all humanity is embodied, with its pain, losses, transformations, discoveries, and triumphs. This captivating narrative hints at real historical events, with a touch of magical realism!