First published 1991
In 1960s Czechoslovakia, a university student named Ludvik plays a harmless prank on a professor. But the joke snowballs, shattering Ludvik's life and those around him. Forced to confront the weight of his actions, Ludvik navigates the fallout as his relationships, beliefs, and very identity are called into question. A biting satire on the human condition, Žert explores the fragility of our choices and the lasting impact they can have.
Genres: fiction, satire, literary-fiction, 20th-century, academia, academic
Vibes: dark, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: social-commentary, unreliable-narrator
Setting: Czechoslovakia
336 pages · Paperback · Harper Perennial