Croat, Dalmatian Jurica Pavičić writes excellent stories, with fine inclination toward family melodrama: misunderstandings and misfortunes in a family, everyday life and a war, violence and death, escapes and funerals, sons and fathers, brothers and sisters….It’s hard to distinguish who is winner and who is loser there- winner and loser in everyday life, war and peace.
Goffredo Fofi, Internazionale, Rim
“Classical Pavičićâ€: intimate doubts that tear us apart and family misunderstandings are intertwined with external chaos, chaos created by a “newâ€, cruel political system. “Highway Patrol†is executed in a manner that we can only respect.
Teofil Pančić, Vreme, Belgrade
Sensitive portrait of the ambient which iz southern definitely, and Southern undoubtly, but recognizable and understandable to all. Excellent stories!
Davor Å išović, Glas Istre, Pula
In a “Highway Patrol†you’ll probably encounter yourself, your own pictures from childhood, you’ll probably stumble over your own delusions, longings or fears. If it happens that from this book you hear your father’s voice, that you enter into your granny’s room, if you have a feeling that the one with whom you eat a soup from the bowl speaks to you in a first person, then it becomes impossible to read such a book in any other key except the key of your own home. This book is a book about things gossiped in every terrace while you sip macchiato.
Olja Savičević Ivančević, Slobodna Dalmacija
Between southern magic and southern melancholy, Pavičić is strongest when he explores a psyche of the heroes- heroes whose happiness, joy or rage imminently withdraw in front of the “mute, white emptinessâ€.
Mirjana Jurišić, Večernji list, Zagreb
Mordor of CroÂatian Highlands materialised in front of my eyes, misÂteÂriÂously comÂpreÂssed into a short story form. Pavičić’s stoÂries bare no unnecÂceÂssary words…. it’s impoÂssiÂble to find any week spot in this collection.
Božidar Pavlović, Booksa
Pavičić had found a nice tone for his stories. He sensibly involves a reader into a topic, go back and forth in time, and through flashbacks reaches the core of the story. He shows us that things could be interely different then it seemed at the first glance- but, leaves to the reader to imagine how that „different“ would look, to reach conclusions and imagine the rest. That leaves a long-lasting echo.
(Petra Lohrmann, Gute Literatur- Meine Empfehlung)
