Barbora Hrínová’s first novel, The Shy House, will captivate readers with its delicacy and humor. It focuses on a nuclear family: Ambróz, a kind, aging piano teacher, collector of poems, and dog lover whose eccentric habits might at first glance seem incompatible with today’s fast-paced world and its craving for change; his daughter Naďa, a thirty-something professional still living with her parents; and his wife, Silvia. The narrative perspective shifts between the three characters and an omniscient narrator, while the novel’s unconventional form seamlessly blends straightforward narration with the characters’ reminiscences, excerpts from diaries and quotations from poetry. The result is a rich, tender and deeply human portrayal of three very different individuals living their ordinary lives in present-day Bratislava.

Published in 2025 by Artforum Publishing in Slovakia.
248 pages / 14 x 20 cm

Also by Barbora Hrínová

Barbora Hrínová’s short stories paint an intimate portrait of people searching for happiness in a world that feels increasingly unstable and uncertain. Across the eight stories in this volume, we meet a colorful cast of ordinary yet unconventional people trying to find their place in a society that often prefers conformity over authenticity. Taking us to places such as a bustling cafe, a small village shack, a rental flat, or a psychiatric ward, Hrínová captures the texture of everyday life with piercing accuracy and a fresh, original voice.

Unicorns is a remarkable debut that resonates across generations. With compassion, wit, and an eye for detail, it shows us that weirdness isn’t rare—it’s a universal human experience.

Published in 2020 by Aspekt Publishing in Slovakia.
192 pages / 13 x 20 cm

Also by Barbora Hrínová