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The Three-Arched Bridge

By Ismail Kadare
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3.86 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 1,687 ratings, 195 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Three-Arched Bridge is a hard-hitting parable set in the Balkans, focusing on the mysterious sabotages of a bridge meant to link the region to Europe. The novel intertwines legend and superstition, telling of a woman immured in a castle wall to save it from decay, and explores themes of terror, power, and cultural conflict as the town faces a dire decision to sacrifice one of its own to protect the bridge.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3700
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for readers interested in literary fiction that blends history, mythology, and political allegory, particularly those intrigued by Balkan history and complex cultural narratives.

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When the construction of a bridge built to link the Balkans to Europe is repeatedly and mysteriously sabotaged, an old ballad starts making the rounds at local taverns. Some say the bridge is being damaged by local ferrymen, others blame the vengeful water spirits.

A hard-hitting parable about the conflicts that have ravaged the Balkan states, by Albania's most influential novelist.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Three-Arched Bridge is a hard-hitting parable about the conflicts that have ravaged the Balkan states, by Albania's most influential novelist.

When the construction of a bridge built to link the Balkans to Europe is repeatedly and mysteriously sabotaged, an old ballad starts making the rounds at local taverns. The bards sing of a legend - a woman immured in a castle wall to prevent it from falling. Some say the bridge is being damaged by local ferrymen, others blame the vengeful water spirits.

But this is a town where terror and superstition reign and a solution must be reached. So it is decreed - a willing person must be plastered into the bridge...

A vivid, macabre and wise novel - New York Times

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Praised as a vivid, macabre and wise novel by the New York Times, Kadare's work is celebrated for its eerie parables and deep investigation into language, myth, politics, and power. Critics have noted his talent for crafting compelling stories rooted in little-known history, making his books an addictive pleasure. His exploration of creation and destruction highlights the human cost of such forces, marking him as a master storyteller.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780099560883

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 September 2013

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage Classics

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 12.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 127g

Pages: 176

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Best Sellers at Book Hero Fiction General Fiction In Stock Books In-Stock Fiction Books Ismail Kadare Literary Fiction New Release Fiction Penguin Books

About the Author

Ismail Kadare, born in 1936 in the mountain town of Gjirokaster, near the Greek border, is Albania's best-known poet and novelist. Since the appearance of The General of the Dead Army in 1965, Kadare has published scores of stories and novels that make up a panorama of Albanian history linked by a constant meditation on the nature and human consequences of dictatorship. His works brought him into frequent conflict with the authorities from 1945 to 1985. In 1990 he sought political asylum in France, and now divides his time between Paris and Tirana. He is the winner of the first ever Man Booker International Prize.

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