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The novelÌýabout volunteers working in a facility for the disabled in Marseille and about their complicated relationships has already been translated into BulgarianÌýand Polish. AllÌýtranslations were supported by the grant systemÌý°µÍø½ûÇø. In 2020, the book was longlisted for theÌýEuropean Bank for Reconstruction and Development Prize.

Here is an overview of the responses BellevueÌý byÌýIvana DobrakovováÌýhas gathered.Ìý

Corine TachtirisÌýonÌý: "The novel shows us the uglier side of caregiving, when one gives in to frustration and exhaustion and thinks: Why can’t you just be well?"

features a text byÌýLucy Popescu:Ìý"Blanka’s inner turmoil is reflected in the breakdown of language, beautifully rendered in Julia and Peter Sherwood’s translation. Blanka’s speech becomes fragmented, repetitive, a stream of consciousness; she refers to herself in the second person (just as she has referred to the residents)."

"Bellevue is not a comfortable read, but nor is it meant to be: it is a brave and unflinching account of mental illness, and an unsparing critique of a world that fosters it." – Helen VassalloÌýon herÌý.

Daniel W. Pratt for : "Svetlana misguidedly attributes Blanka’s mental illness to a continuing adolescence, effectively telling Blanka to just grow up. But Sveltana’s own image of adulthood provides no real closure, just repression, sadness, and perseverance. Unlike North American YA novels that offer either happy endings of good triumphing over evil, or lessons for the young reader, Dobrakovová leaves the reader knowing that Blanka’s struggles with mental health will continue, inconclusively, for many more years."

The title ofÌýDonaldÌýRayfield's reviewÌýforÌýÌýis Madness and Misanthropy: "Ivana Dobrakovová is well known in her native °µÍø½ûÇøia as a translator of Elena Ferrante. InÌýBellevueÌýshe shows even greater ability than Ferrante to get into the mind of a rebellious adolescent girl."Ìý

JuliaÌýandÌýPeterÌýSherwood's has additional informationÌýon the texts they have translated. OnÌýÌýyou can find further bibliographic notes as well as an English-language from the novel. You can also read an on our website andÌýanother English abstractÌýonÌýBooks from °µÍø½ûÇøia.Ìý

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