'Hard by a Great Forest' is a novel about returning home decades after fleeing war

Leo Vardyashvili reflects on his harrowing journey from Georgia to the United Kingdom as a refugee, a narrative that distinctly resonates with the story of the protagonist in his novel, "Hard by a Great Forest."

Vardyashvili's personal background mirrors that of the protagonist in his novel "Hard by a Great Forest"

Vardyashvili describes how his own life parallels the story within his novel. He recounts the difficult decision his family faced during the civil unrest following the collapse of the Soviet Union. "I left Georgia ... we left in '95 and came to the UK as refugees," he states, drawing on these personal hardships to create vivid portrayals of displacement and survival in his writing.

Vardyashvili left Georgia with his family during the civil war in 1995, settling as refugees in the UK

The Vardyashvili family fled their homeland during the Georgian civil war, settling in London where they began new lives as refugees. This massive upheaval during his formative teenage years would leave an indelible mark on Vardyashvili, ultimately shaping his future and the narratives he would choose to explore as an author.

Unlike the novel's protagonist, Vardyashvili's mother was able to ac ...

Leo Vardyashvili's personal experiences deeply inform the plot and themes of his novel "Hard by a Great Forest," where the characters' quest for answers in their homeland echoes his own life journey.

Reflecting Personal History Through Fiction

Vardyashvili's novel presents a compelling parallel to his life, especially his reluctant return to his homeland of Georgia, which informs the characters' odysseys.

The novel's central mystery and characters' journeys parallel Vardyashvili's own reluctant return to his homeland

The novel kicks off with a cryptic message instructing sons not to follow their father, thus introducing the central mystery. Saba, the youngest son in Vardyashvili's narrative, finds himself alone and driven to return to Georgia in pursuit of his vanished father and brother. This plot mirrors Vardyashvili's own personal narrative, his return to the Georgia of his youth, similarly on a quest for connection and understanding of his past.

Vardyashvili drew inspiration from his childhood experiences, such as the game of collecting shell casings, to depict the protagonist's youth

Vardyashvili infuses the protagonist's childhood with elements from his own experiences. He recounts a game from his youth where he and his friends ...

In Leo Vardyashvili's novel, a pivotal incident mirrors an event from recent history, where flood-induced damage at the Tbilisi zoo resulted in animals escaping into the urban environment.

The real-life incident of zoo animals escaping into Tbilisia during a flood provided vivid material for Vardyashvili's fictional narrative

Vardyashvili used the 2015 escape of animals from the Tbilisi zoo as an essential event in his novel, transforming the real incident into a device that elevates the narrative. The visceral image of animals on the loose in a city provided an unforgettable backdrop for the book's activities.

The escaped zoo animals serve as a metaphor for displaced persons and refugees in the novel

Vardyashvili's story draws a deliberate parallel between the displaced zoo animals and the struggles of refugees. The metaphor infuses the novel with a deeper layer of meaning, employing the animals' escape as a representation of the broader human experiences of displacement and seeking refuge.

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Leo Vardiashvili shares an enriching and intimate recount of his visit to Georgia, reflecting on the unchanging spirit of the place and its people that inspired his writing.

Vardyashvili was struck by how much of his childhood Tbilisi he was able to recognize upon returning

Vardiashvili experienced a profound sense of nostalgia and time travel when he returned to Tbilisi, recognizing many elements of the neighborhood from his youth. This deep connection with his past sparked the beginning of Vardiashvili's novel-writing process, as he embraced his rediscovered roots.

Vardyashvili's anecdote about the unexpected hospitality of a rural Georgian family exemplified the country's cultural values

Vardiashvili found himself stranded in a village outside Tbilisi, where a local farmer offered him unexpected hospitality. This encounter exemplifies the Georgian proverbial sentiment that guests are a gift from God, reflecting the nation’s renowned generosity.

Georgians' resilience and tendency to "smile in the face of adversity" is a key theme Vardiashvili explores in his work

Leo Vardi ...