An evocative meditation on longing and buried resentment, set in the beautiful Croatian city of Zadar.

Ivona has returned to her childhood home to care for her father. While there, she reconnects with the man she divorced over ten years ago and finds herself welcomed into his family life by him and his wife. But when a new man enters Ivona's life, the trio's carefully curated dynamic is disrupted, forcing a reckoning for all involved.

Slanting Towards the Sea explores what it means to come of age in a country younger than oneself, as it sets a sensual, decades-long love story against an emerging Croatia.

Details

ISBN13: 9781917092210
Format: Paperback / softback
Number of Pages: 376
Edition:
Publication Date: 28 Oct 2025
Publisher: Daunt Books
Publication City, Country: United Kingdom
Dimensions (cm): 19.8(H)x12.9(L)
Weight (gm):

Author Biography

Lidija Hilje is a Croatian writer and certified book coach. Before becoming a novelist, she was a practicing attorney-at-law, spending her days trying cases before the courts. She lives in Zadar, Croatia and when she's not writing or coaching other writers, she can be found sipping coffee with her husband on one of her hometown's piazzas, or scrapbooking and buying too many books with her girls. Slanting Towards the Sea is her debut novel.

Reviews

'With illuminating prose and gripping storytelling, Lidija Hilje ascertains her place as an exciting new voice in world's literature. Slanting Towards the Sea is a love letter to Croatia and to anyone who dares to dream.' Nguy·ªÖn Phan Qu·∫ø Mai

'Oh, what a beautiful book this is - deeply felt, humane, gorgeously written. Hilje's prose is positively hypnotic - I sunk in and didn't want to come up for air.' Claire Lombardo

Hilje weaves the story of three enmeshed souls whose longing is only eclipsed by the stunning grace they offer one another. Artful, intensely moving, and unforgettable in every way.' Thao Thai

'One of the most moving and evocative debuts I have had the pleasure of reading in a long time. Hilje's prose is mesmerising - each sentence has a tidal pull.' Madelaine Lucas

'Thoughtful, compelling, and refreshing in its clear-eyed, assured style - this is a profound and deeply moving debut.' Kimberly King Parsons