The Big Water

Set in Macedonia immediately after World War 2, it tells the story of a group of children orphaned by the war and their life in an orphanage. Full of characters and incidents, the book presents a child's view of life that is both humorous and bleak and, by its end, very moving. At a metaphoric level, the novel presents a strong critique of the authoritarianism of both institutional life and the Communist system, and their inability to reconcile with the needs and nature of the individual. At the human level, The Big Water is a very positive and moving story of the emotional development of children, and of the fundamental and irreplaceable role of the mother. Readers will remember this story and its climax long after they have finished the book.