Books — Bronwyn Birdsall

Time and Tide in Sarajevo

My first novel was published in August 2022 by Affirm Press and was shortlisted for the 2023 Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction.

The Sydney Morning Herald/The Age described it as “elegant and finely wrought, achieving an intimate sense of place before ramping up the suspense” and WellRead called it “exquisitely written and perfectly paced.” The judges of the Readings Prize said it was “a fascinating look at contemporary politics and how they impact ordinary lives…A warm yet gripping read from a new voice in Australian fiction.”

I loved writing this book, and it has been such a joy to hear the wonderful readers’ responses I received via email, IG DMs, and at events. I wrote the novel for my younger self and having it out in the world is a genuine thrill.

Background to the book:

Time and Time in Sarajevo is inspired by the years I lived in Sarajevo – a place rich in beauty and history. I was 24 when I moved there in 2007, eleven years after the end of the long and brutal siege of the city. After returning to Australia in 2011, I couldn’t stop thinking about everything I’d seen and heard, asking myself – how do I find hope in a world that can feel beyond repair? What does it mean to have given up on a future?

One morning before work in 2016, I found myself writing a scene that took me by surprise. By the time I was running for my bus, I had figured out the basics of a story that took me several years to solve, like a puzzle.

Set over a few days, I think it's about friendship, loyalty, and finding your place in the world. I hope it captures the city's warmth, humour, and atmosphere. The protagonist Evelyn is similar in age and background to me, but responds to life very differently than I do. Through her, I got to experience the city again with a fresh perspective. I think it’s deepened my understanding of Sarajevo, and maybe even given me some answers to those questions.

For more about me, click here. For more resources and tips about writing, click here.

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Book Trailer by Elliott Magen

O autoru:

Bronwyn Birdsall je Australijanka koja je od 2007. do 2011. živjela u Sarajevu, gdje je predavala engleski jezik. Njen prvi roman, ‘Time and Tide in Sarajevo’, inspirisan je njenim životom u Sarajevu i neraskidivom vezom koju je izgradila sa tim gradom. Poznata američka spisateljica Sarah Sentilles opisuje ga kao “trijumf knjige – nježno, prekrasno ljubavno pismo gradu i njegovim ljudima koji se bore sa osjećajem pripadnosti i mogućnošću iscjeljenja.”

Roman izlazi u Australiji 26. jula 2022. u izdanju Affirm Press. Intervju sa Bronwyn možete pročitati ovdje.

Listen to SBS Bosnian interview (in Bosnian) here.

Praise for Time and Tide in Sarajevo:

‘A fascinating perspective of life and culture in post-war Sarajevo, along with a compelling touch of political intrigue. A warm yet gripping read from a new voice in Australian fiction.’ The Readings Prize judging panel

‘Time and Tide in Sarajevo is elegant and finely wrought, achieving an intimate sense of place before ramping up the suspense.’ The Age/Sydney Morning Herald

‘In many ways, this literary novel reads like a thriller – keeping us on the edge of our seat – as we hold out hope for Evelyn’s young students, whose futures could be so bright. Exquisitely written and perfectly paced.’ WellRead

‘Time and Tide in Sarajevo hooked me from page one. Bronwyn Birdsall has written a triumph of a book – a tender, careful, beautiful love letter to a city and its people that grapples with belonging and the possibility of repair. I couldn’t put this page-turner down!’
Sarah Sentilles, author of Draw Your Weapons and Stranger Care

‘A vivid and compelling novel that goes right to the beating heart of modern-day Sarajevo.’
Marele Day, author of Lambs of God and Reckless

‘A fine thread of tension and mystery binds this beautiful, gentle story. Time and Tide in Sarajevo is both fascinating and touching, encompassing lovely details of life in Sarajevo.’
Mirandi Riwoe, author of Stone Sky Gold Mountain

'In Time and Tide in Sarajevo, Bronwyn Birdsall constructs an intricate world, where old pain and contemporary frustration ignite and hope and despair are tightly woven. A tinderbox of a novel. Finely-crafted and absorbing.’
Jessie Cole, author of Staying and Desire