Normalni ljudi

"Normal People" (published in 2019 by the Sisak Association for the Promotion of Alternative and Urban Culture) is the first novel by Sisak-based writer and humorist Denis Vidović. After a successful collection of aphorisms, the author turns to a longer form in this prose work, but retains his recognizable, sharp humor and absurd tone. The plot follows the main character, Izak Gržanić, who, due to a combination of unusual circumstances, ends up in a psychiatric ward. Through his stay in a closed system and interaction with other patients and medical staff, a series of grotesque and at the same time realistic situations unfold. Through Kafkaesquely designed plots, the author plays with the boundaries of mental health and social acceptability, placing the absurdities of the healthcare and bureaucratic systems in context. The central question that permeates the entire novel is the reversal of roles — who can truly be considered crazy and who "normal", and how dysfunctional and absurd today's modern society outside the walls of the institution actually is. Written in a fluid, extremely accessible and direct style imbued with irony, the novel skillfully combines dark humor with criticism of everyday life. "Normal People" is a witty and healing literary work that, through laughter and entertainment, leads the reader to question their own and social norms.