Magarcima pucaju rebra: Zapisi varoškog skribe

Donkeys' Ribs Are Cracking by Leа Držić is a chronicle of old Zagreb from the 17th century, presented through the eyes of the town clerk Dominik Pivarić. The title, taken from the proverb "When horses kick, donkeys' ribs are cracking", metaphorically describes the position of "little people" in a society where the conflict between the powerful always breaks out on the weaker.

The novel combines historical facts, satire and lively humor, creating a vivid mosaic of the conflict between Gradec and Kaptol - two worlds divided by religion, power and interests. Through the everyday events of a magistrate, Držić depicts Zagreb at that time as a place of misunderstanding, intrigue and struggle for prestige, in which ordinary citizens suffer the consequences of other people's ambitions.

Although set in the past, the work has a contemporary tone: written in today's language, it refreshes the spirit of the times and actualizes the themes of moral duplicity, the relationship between the individual and the system, the struggle between power and common sense.

In addition to the title chronicle, the book also contains the prose "Head Against the Wall", which motivically continues and rounds out the story of the human search for dignity in the world of the powerful. The result is a humorous, insightful and warmly written book that confirms Držić as a master of subtle satire and irony.