Aperkat

Powerful, demanding, and impactful—qualities that apply as much to a knockout as to Maja Iskra’s debut novel, Uppercut. The protagonist, a young woman living and loving in Vienna, recalls her childhood in 1990s Belgrade. War is barely more than a distant hum, but life at home, on the streets, and at school is harsh and often brutal—even the girls fight. Yet they also reconcile, learn to respect and encourage one another, and refuse to give up. Written in a strikingly economical style and packed with pop-cultural and literary references, Uppercut celebrates a generation’s triumph over adversity.