I. Zrinka Martinić
The work could alternatively be titled “Knight, Lady, Cloak.”
Rose L. Harper has, for the third time, pleasantly surprised us with what is arguably her most creative work to date, A painting, a horseman, a clock, a novel written not only in the manner of modernist writers but also carrying the resonance of a work worthy of repeated readings. It is not merely engaging for the attentive reader; it is also intellectually enriching, thus possessing that artistic value which only rare writers manage to achieve—being equally compelling and appealing to both audience and critics alike.
Events from the past are skillfully intertwined with present-day developments through the technique of retrospection, into which introspection is also embedded. The narrative almost compels the reader to begin investigating the subject matter themselves, while simultaneously admiring it. Formally, the novel is divided into 57 chapters, and the action unfolds in the period immediately before and during the First World War in Sarajevo, where the author has placed eighteen realistic chapters. Thirteen chapters are highly emotional—love letters between Dora and Zvonimir—through which the writer skillfully fills in the missing wartime events, both in Sarajevo and Vienna, and which truly delight the reader. They almost recall the world-famous letter of Petar Zrinski to his wife Katarina (“My Dear Heart”). The more beautiful, fantastical, and no less historically significant events are set in the past—from the fifteenth century to the present—across several locations connected to the main and secondary protagonists: the Republic of Dubrovnik, Olovo (eighteen chapters), Kraljeva Sutjeska (four chapters), Ilok, and Vienna. The narrative threads converge in the final chapter, whose action returns to where it all began—Sarajevo—but now in 1919.
The main protagonists are Dora Zlatar, a beautiful, good, and intelligent young woman from a bourgeois artisan family (what one might call “the watchmaker’s treasure”), and Zvonimir Josip Stjepan Krsto Anton Maria Kotromanić—a descendant of a noble and illustrious royal lineage, who, in accordance with his name, also embodies royal demeanor and equal skill.
This is a historical-romance novel in which both components are equally represented. It can be said that it is suitable for readers of all generations, as it offers a fresh perspective on well-known subject matter. It will, in my view, be especially appealing to younger audiences who increasingly seek elements of fantasy as a conditio sine qua non of what they consider a good book.
The narrative flow is particularly interesting with regard to its religious dimension. The most significant event is the discovery of the miraculous painting of Our Lady of Olovo, followed by Queen Katarina Kotromanić’s gift to the Franciscan monastery in Olovo in fulfillment of a vow made for answered prayer—two chests. This situation is reminiscent of adventure films about Indiana Jones.
We may conclude that reality and fantasy are interwoven throughout the entire novel. Even the book’s cover is visually striking and fairytale-like, excellently designed, so that form fully corresponds to content. I believe that all the effort invested in this book will prove worthwhile many times over. Personally, I would recommend it to all who believe in ideals and whose hearts are adorned with love and goodness.
Translated from original Croatian version.
roselharper.com 