A transportive debut novel set in Bulgaria and America, Joanna Elmy’s Born Of Guilt follows the lives of three generations of Bulgarian women. Protagonist Yana, her mother Lily and grandmother Eva have all suffered from their surroundings. Set against the backdrop of Communism, and weighed down by expectation, Yana moves to America as a seasonal worker.
After witnessing a fatal accident and struggling with the cultural differences, she cannot shift the generational trauma of her past. When her grandmother becomes ill, Yana returns home to face the past in an attempt to move on with her future.
Moving through the present, with stories from previous generations weaved through the narrative, Elmy makes it plain that each character is transferring accumulated guilt onto the next generation, providing no opportunities for a change in circumstances. Exploring themes of motherhood, alcoholism and immigration, there are harrowing and heartbreaking scenes played out, but the overriding feeling after finishing the novel was hopefulness for a brighter future for these characters.
The translation into English, by Angela Rodel and Elmy herself, captures the emotion and landscapes in rich, vivid detail. Born Of Guilt is an immersive and powerful debut by this talented author.
