“Titoland” Czernin Verlag, Vienna (March 2012)
In “Titoland”, Ana portrays Yugoslavia in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Driven by Tito’s charisma and political skills, the country managed the impossible: a balance between East and West, Communism and Capitalism. What appear to be loosely connected childhood memories of Summers on the seaside, travels to “the outside,” or the happiness of wearing a self-made (and therefore unique) dress, create a rich literary tableau before the backdrop of the gradual collapse of Tito’s Empire. Ana’s childhood does not end abruptly, but breaks up painfully, piece-by-piece, like the country in which she lives. What follows is a leap into the unknown.
“Knockout” (2010) not published
In “Knockout”, Ana is interweaving her intimate story of a fight against burnout with an analysis of social roots of this mysterious syndrome. A critique of postmodern capitalism, “Knockout” is a call for courage to change one’s life – and even the whole system – when it proves no longer functional.
“Von der Barbie zum Vibrator” Czernin Verlag, Vienna (2009)
“Od Barbie do vibratora” Profil International, Zagreb (2008)
” I love the title. If she was a man, Ana could have written “From Lego to Porno”. But she is definitely a woman. I think feminism is the subject of her first novel. How complicated it is to be a (thinking) girl in the XXIst century. I agree: it must be difficult and painful. Maybe that’s why her book is so funny. She had no choice but to laugh about herself.” Frédéric Beigbeder
In her debut novel, Ana introduces us to a glittering world of ambitious, self-confident and fun-loving young women. Her short, partially fictive, partially autobiographical episodes talk about friendships, career, sex and parties. Yet more importantly, they talk about the metamorphosis that takes place as we see Ana turning away from the posh life of a Barbie doll and move towards a conscious orientation on the self – even without a “Mr. Right” in background. Ana is portraying and questioning a generation that got lost in their freedoms and possibilities while hastily chasing mainstream priorities. This highly entertaining collection of short stories analyses one whole generation, a system and, most importantly, the self.
Excerpts from From Barbie to Vibrator