During these seven years the V.B.Z. Prize for the Best Unpublished Novel of the Year
has become one of the most important literary events in Croatia. A large media inter-
est for this literary prize is a result of two key points an exceptional prize fond of HRK
100.000 which makes it the biggest prize fond in the Croatian culture in general, and the
fact that the contest is anonymous, which promotes the principle of equality.
The writers who have won at the Contest so far, and whose novels were elected among
more than a hundred manuscripts that many arrive for the Contest every year, have
been given excellent reviews from the professionals from the public life as well as a good
reception of readers from this part of the world.
Poetry:
Androids Eyes (Oi androida), 2004
Prose:
A Snails House (Pueva kuica), 1997
When Fogs Stop (Kad magle stanu), 2000; V.B.Z., Zagreb, 2007
A Reection in the Water (Odraz u vodi), 2002
A Family Picture (Obiteljska slika), 2002
Alive and Dead (ivi i mrtvi), V.B.Z., Zagreb, 2002
Triangulation: Three Stories on the Same Topic (Triangulacija: tri prie o jednome), 2003
Dogs and Clowns (Psi i klaunovi), V.B.Z., Zagreb, 2006
Guardians of Bridges (uvari mostova), V.B.Z., Zagreb, 2007
FROM REVIEWS:
Manuscript by Josip Mlaki is a powerful manuscript which has comple -
tely justied the sole idea of the award.
Miljenko Jergovi on the occasion of presenting the award
Alive and Dead is a signicant novel in the Croatian literature, one of those
works you keep reading while mumbling something to yourself, but it does
not leave you alone even after you have done reading it.
Jasen Boko, Slobodna Dalmacija
There are no descriptions of direct combats in the novel. Readers get drawn
into the story in which they feel the fear of prosecution themselves, the
fear from the fact that they might not manage to withdraw, together with
the characters.
Julijana Matanovi, Vjesnik
Other Works:
Will the French Prose Live to See the 21th Century (Hoe li francuska proza doivjeti 21.
stoljee), 1998
That Small Amount of Sand on the Palm of a Hand (To malo pijeska na dlanu), 2005.
Michel H. A Miracle Worker, a Martyr, a Manipulator? (Michel H. mirakul, muenik,
manipulator?), 2007
FROM REVIEWS:
Wonderland is for me a literary refreshment of the year.
Robert Perii, Globus
Koec started out as a nice guy but has turned into the Woody Allen of
the Croatian prose works.
Jagna Poganik, Jutarnji list
Works:
Before Leaving to the Fireplace (Prije odlaska u kamin), 1994 a collection of stories
Plagiarism copied from life (Plagijat prepisano od ivota), 1997 a collection of
stories
How we Played with our Deceased Granny (Kako smo se igrali sa pokojnom bakom),
2002 poetry
Cashmere for Eternity (Kamir for eternity) a story in Anthology of Young Authors
Stories, Rebellious Prose, 2002
Cutlery for the Veal (Escajg za teletinu) V.B.Z. Prize for the Best Unpublished Novel
of the Year, 2003
A Foot of a Chinese Woman (Stopalo kineske ene), 2005 a novel
1220, 136 p.
Other works:
Slavonian blood (co-signed with D. Topi), Taking the Smell Off, Ventriloquists, hor-
ror stories Hooks for Hams, a novel Koljivo (won the V.B.Z. Literary Prize for the Best
Unpublished Novel of the year 2004). He has his novel Dancing with the Bride (Ples s
mladom) published by V.B.Z. in 2007.
* Boiled and sweetened wheat with walnuts served for orthodox customs
FROM REVIEWS:
An exciting story between a tragedy and a grotesque, told in a literary
convincing way; a story which affects us.
Strahimir Primorac, Veernji list
piis strongest ace is the one that comes from his experience in drama
writing: good dialogues which give the whole novel a screenplay poten-
tial, the dynamics of the novel and successful editing of the time and
space apart episodes.
Jagna Poganik, Jutarnji list
Novels:
Love Is a Wizard, Daddy (Ljubav je sihirbaz, babo), 1994
Ours However Is a War (Nae meutim je rat), 1995
Rosa Canina, 1996
Cruelty of Heaven (Okrutnost raja), 1997; 2008 V.B.Z., Zagreb
I Am So Sorry (Ba mi je ao), 1999
Behest (Amanet), 1999
How I Taught a Fish to Swim (Kako sam ribu uio da pliva), 2000
A Saber and a Feather (Sablja i pero), 2002
A Night in Brela (No u Brelima), 2003
Collection of stories:
Bizarre stories (Bizarne storije), 2001
Bridal abyss (Nevjestinski ponor)
Drama:
Brothers (Braa), 1998
FROM REVIEWS:
We are talking about shocking and dramatic prose work, which can hardly
be compared to the prose patterns of describing events from the history.
It tells us about one of the most traumatic experiences of contemporary
history in this part of the world. In spite of the seriousness of the topic and
a load of moral life-related questions which arise while reading this novel,
it is read in one breath and it wins readers hearts.
Mirela Menge, Hrvatski vojnik
FROM REVIEWS:
alkovis on the road novel or a fairy tale for those who feel nostalgic of
the spirit of the sixties.
Davor iovi, Glas Istre
This novel by Hrvoje alkovi is a funny and a witty reading, and readers
will recognize in it numerous music, literary and lm associations.
Metro express
FROM REVIEWS:
Digressive, just like consciousness of a woman confronted with another fatal immer-
sion, so the story-telling is turning into an attempt to reshape her own destiny. This
novel is a erce confrontation with life made up of snags: books, pictures, installa-
tions, objects and characters which have, at rst glance and without any order, been
brought by the dirty water of a ood and then put together in an interesting mosaic.
Zoran Feri, a jury member