“Brussels is my greatest lover. I can never get enough of him; he always grips me, seduces me to unexpected places, introduces me to extraordinary people, pampers me with stories”. This is probably the last thing we imagine when we hear the name of the European (and Belgian) capital. In our country, it is still […]
‘Brussels Naked‘ – a novel about the invisible trace we leave
Good Bulgarian books should be shared and talked about with at least a fraction of the excitement with which we feel they have been written with. At least, that’s what I think. Therefore, today I want to tell you in a few lines about the novel “Brussels Naked” by Irina Papancheva, without revealing anything from […]
Irina Papancheva undresses Brussels, Europe and the world
In “Brussels naked”, Irina Papancheva skilfully and fascinatingly undresses Brussels, Europe and the world, by exposing people, feelings, faith, religiosity, passions and destinies; united in a novel construction.
The book consists of twelve interwoven stories, each with a separate narrator.
The discreet charm of Brussels. Irina Papancheva’s new novel
‘Brussels Naked‘ is a novel written with deep intimate knowledge of the multinational context in the capital of united Europe. Irina Papancheva’s elegant composed style harkens back to the best examples of contemporary European prose, and the original structure of the novel adds to its impact. Each chapter is situated in a separate district of Brussels and has its name, respectively, as well as
Pelican Feather (a book by the contemporary Bulgarian writer Irina Papancheva)
The main theme of Pelican Feather is passionate love and its many – often painful – vicissitudes, experienced through the eyes of a young, smart, sensitive boy – the child of the coulple that broke up – Martin. One of the remarkable things about passionate love is that it exhibits a desire for purity and […]
Opening speech of Viviane Defosset at Brussels presentation of Pelican Feather
I have now translated three of Irina’s works into French from English: the novels Pelican Feather and Almost Intimately, and her short story, No One. In these works, I found human beings fighting for their existence, often in very difficult conditions. They use short phrases, vibrant dialogues, an oral, everyday language, punctuated by poetic passages. They pose open questions with no hint of moralising.