Summary of The Porcupine
“The Porcupine” tells the story of the court trial of a former Communist party leader in an unnamed country, widely assumed to be Bulgaria. The fallen dictator’s guilt seems unquestionable, but the real issue is whether he is receiving a fair hearing or being subjected to a show trial to legitimise the fragile new democracy. The novel was first published in Bulgarian and is loosely based on the trial of the former communist leader of Bulgaria, Todor Zhivkov.
Reasons to read The Porcupine
“The Porcupine” is a sharp exploration of a post-communist society grappling with the demons of the past and the challenges of transition. Julian Barnes is one of Britain’s most acclaimed contemporary writers. He has won many literary awards including the 2011 Man Booker Prize for his novel “The Sense of an Ending”, the 1992 Prix Femina étranger for “Talking it Over”, and the 1981 Somerset Maugham Award for “Metroland”.
Setting: Sofia (Bulgaria)
Book set in the capital city of a fictional Eastern European country, strongly resembling Sofia, Bulgaria, where the trial takes place.
Original title: The Porcupine
Year of publication: 1992
Nr of pages: 160
