Lada Žigo
WINNER
WINNER
Biography
Lada Žigo is a Croatian writer. She was born in 1970 in Zagreb. She graduated in Comparative literature and Philosophy from the University of Zagreb. She has written literary reviews and essays for many newspapers and cultural and literary magazines (such as The Bridge, Europski glasnik, Republika, Književna republika, Kolo, Nova Istra etc.) over many years. She runs a literary panel for the Croatian Writers’ Association.
Her first book, People and News People (Ljudi i novinari) came out in 2007 (published by SysPrint) and was shortlisted for two prestigious literary awards – Ksaver Šandor Gjalski and Kiklop. In that book, Ms Žigo’s main theme is the issue of sensationalism in the press and its influence on both everyday life and the truth itself, which, unfortunately, often remains undiscovered in its own time.
Her second novel, Bitches (Babetine, SysPrint 2009) sets itself against the “women’s writing” then in vogue.
In 2010 Ms Žigo published Roulette (Rulet, SysPrint) a novel exploring how gambling can become the only hope for people in a transitional society who have no better prospects. Essentially existentialist in character, this work has elements of a thriller, in its portrayal of a man who tries to outwit roulette, that is to say destiny, using a creative strategy based on numbers.
In 2011 Ms Žigo published Healer (Iscjelitelj, Alfa) a novel in which she targets another phenomenon not unknown in transitional societies – false healers and fortune-tellers who manipulate people and take their last hopes. It is a humorous work which sets the traditional idiom of Dalmatinska Zagora in opposition to the “new” language of contemporary tycoons.
Ms Lada Žigo is a member of the Croatian Writers’ Association and Croatian Freelance Artists Organization. She lives and works in Zagreb.
Nominated book : Rulet (Roulette)
Summary
Lada Žigo’s novel entitled Roulette describes post-war Croatia in a way which differs from the stereotype that has been fed to European readers for over 20 years. This description is based on several factors: more than a billion kunas are spent every year on gambling and there are about 50,000 chronic gamblers in Croatia. There are more betting and gambling outlets in Croatia (with 4.5 million inhabitants) than there are in London. The sale of Croatian banks, businesses and firms to foreign investors and companies is just one aspect of the brutal capitalism which led to exploitation on all levels, which, in turn, was followed by increasing unemployment with dire consequences like extreme poverty for many people. Metaphorically speaking, human beings become like roulette balls in a game in which only powerful croupiers take the winnings.
The main character of this essentially existentialist novel is a disillusioned soldier who starts to gamble after he finds out that powerful Serbian and Croatian leaders are united in crime. At the same time, the Americanisation of the culture and language is further annulling the sovereignty of this “small country”. People’s jobs, chances and hopes are being squandered in the environment of liberal capitalism. Disappointed and disillusioned, the main character in Žigo’s novel indulges in playing roulette, a game that becomes one of destiny in which one can win or lose all.
Organized as a series of adventurous episodes, the novel also introduces a plethora of side characters who tell their own tragic stories of life on the margins of society.
Excerpts
Related publications
EUPL Retrospective Box
Various authors
EUPL Anthology 2012
Various authors