TuÄkovà¡'s biggest novel gets English publication as The Last Goddess
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Loading... - Bohumil Cermak
- 04 May 2022
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The most successful novel to date by leading Czech writer KateÅ™ina TuÄková is coming out in English this Sunday. Tracing the story of a community of women in the White Carpathians, The Last Goddess is – characteristically for the author – based on extensive historical research.
The novel Žítkovské bohynÄ› (literally the Žítková goddesses) was originally published in Czech in 2012, becoming a major hit. It sold well north of 100,000 copies and was translated into numerous languages.
A decade later it is finally coming out in English as The Last Goddess.
Author KateÅ™ina TuÄková is known for the extensive historical research that goes into her major works.
In the case of The Last Goddess she heard about the community of female healers that inspired it from historian David KovaÅ™ík.
“He told me about the women who lived in the White Carpathians and were followed by all regimes which came across Czechoslovakia, which means by the Nazis and by the Communists. Also that their art of healing lasted centuries – and finally the Communists were the power that stopped their work, or their helping people. That attracted me and I went to the White Carpathians to find the story and it was really fascinating, what I found out.”
The Last Goddess is translated by Andrew Oakland, who is based in TuÄková’s home city of Brno. As somebody who spent a great deal of time with the novel, the Englishman is very familiar with its strengths.
“The very strong sense of place. The very powerful, direct storytelling, the pace of the storytelling, the research, the verified sources that it includes; you feel that you are reading something that has a true basis in history. The element of mystery, of course, is very important to its success, I would imagine. The characters are terrific – the very, very strong protagonist and a support cast.” Read More...
