Put bez sna

The Journey Without Sleep is one of the most important historical novels by Ivan Aralica and the first part of the so-called exile tetralogy, which is continued by Souls of the Slaves, The Inn Builder and Asmodeus Scarf. The plot is set in 1687, during the time of the great wars between the Ottoman Empire and the Venetian Republic and the mass migration of the Croatian population from the Rama Valley towards Dalmatia.

The main characters are the Rama friar Pavle Vučković and Šimun Grabovac, the son of a village blacksmith, an exceptionally capable craftsman who knows several trades. The novel begins with their journey to Split at the invitation of the Venetian commander Antonio Zeno. This invitation sets in motion a series of events that reveal the political games of the great powers and the difficult fate of the people that lies between them.

Through letters, reports, conversations and memories, Aralica shows how fear, insecurity and rumors of the upcoming migration spread among the population. Friar Pavle tries to protect the people and preserve their identity, while Šimun represents an ordinary man who must make decisions about the survival of his family and community. The novel describes in detail the preparations for leaving his homeland, negotiations with the Venetian authorities, betrayals by local powerful people, and the position of people who become pawns in the political plans of others.

The central theme is not just migration but the question of the price of survival. Aralica shows how wars and political decisions affect ordinary people and poses a dilemma between serving the powerful and preserving one's own identity. Historical events are presented through concrete human destinies, which is why the novel acts as a chronicle of a people at a time when its survival is threatened.