In her new novel, Mornštajnová proves she is a born storyteller who knows how to captivate readers
Some things seem to exist outside of time. They remain the same despite history, wars, totalitarian regimes and even the weather. Such is the hotel – or rather, the by-the-hour hotela – of Mr Leopold, founded during the First Republic and offering couples pleasure and delight through the Protectorate, and even after its nationalisation by the communists. But the more straightforward love the hotel rooms offered, the more fateful and dramatic the relationships became within the family of the owner, and later its manager.
After her highly successful novel Slepá mapa (Blind Map), which described the dramatic lives of three generations of women, the author's new book focuses primarily on a male protagonist: Leopold's grandson, Václav Mánes, who takes over the hotel in the 1960s. Václav is a man without strong opinions or character, which allows him to skilfully navigate the communist regime and keep the family business together. However, this has a devastating effect on his family relationships and the lives of those around him.
Alena Mornštajnová (born 1963)
She studied English and Czech at the Faculty of Arts, University of Ostrava. She currently works as an English language lecturer and translator. She lives in Valašské Meziříčí. Her debut novel, Slepá mapa (Blind Map), was published in 2013 and was nominated for the 2014 Czech Book Prize.
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