"A surprising and beautiful novel about the desire for more." - Kirkus Reviews
"Strictly controlling every step, carefully considering every detail, the author nevertheless manages to create a lively illusion of a downfall, as if a large river were imperceptibly gathering strength, increasing its speed, and suddenly breaking into a dreadful catastrophic waterfall..." - Rimvydas Silbajoris, Netekties ženklai
"This novel by the exiled refugee, the great Marius Katiliskis, at the peak of his powers in 1957, is a realistic yet linguistically musical ode to the country he left behind. No other writer has captured such a vivid and detailed picture of independent Lithuania between the wars, revealing both the complications of its daily life, the beauty of its nature, the tortured reality of those who wanted to realize their hopes and dreams. He is a master of men's and women's psychology, the social fabric's sociology, wrapped in a tender and at the same time no-holds-barred narrative of what life was like then. Loved by generations of native speakers, the book makes for delicious reading that no one will be tempted to put down. Move over John Steinbeck of East of Eden fame." - Violeta Kelertas, Kellogg Fellow at the University of Washington
"Katiliskis painted a picture of life in a village in the northeastern section of Lithuania in all its richness and complexity. He took us inside the seeming simplicity of village life, revealing to us levels of consciousness and sensitivity only a close acquaintanceship can grant." - Marija Stankus-Saulaite, Lithuanian Heritage
"Marius Katiliskis has created a well-loved classic of Lithuanian literature showing how love, ambition, and revenge create huge storms in life." - Birute Putrius, author of The Last Book Smuggler
