InAugust,1992,aboyandhismotherfleethewarinYugoslaviaandarriveinGermany.Sixmonthslater,theboy’sfatherjoinsthem,bringingabrownsuitcase,insomnia,andascaronhisthigh.SasaStanisic’sWhereYouComeFromisanovelaboutthisfamily,whoseworldisuprootedandremadebywar:theirhistory,theirlifebeforetheconflict,andtheyearsthatfollowedtheirescapeastheycreatedanewlifeinanewcountry.Blendingautofiction,fable,andchoose-your-own-adventure,WhereYouComeFromissetinavillagewhereonlythirteenpeopleremain,inlostandmade-upmemories,incoincidences,inchoices,andinadragons’den.TranslatedbyDamionSearls,it’sanovelabouthomelands,bothrememberedandimagined,lostandfound.Abookthatplayfullytwistsformandgenrewithwitandhearttoexplorequestionsthatlieinsideallofus:aboutlanguageandshame,aboutarrivalandmakingitjustintime,aboutluckanddeath,aboutwhatroleouroriginsandmemoriesplayinourlives.
