People of the Book

“To restore a book to the way it was when it was made is to lack respect for its history.” 

In this quote, Hanna is speaking to Ozren about her philosophy on conservation and preservation. She tells him that she is passionate about leaving the book’s history in tact—to erase that history would be to destroy the book itself. 

“We did not believe in the war [...] We were too intelligent, too cynical for war. Of course, you don’t have to be stupid and primitive to die a stupid, primitive death.” 

Ozren speaks of the perspective of the Bosnians when the war began. Sarajevo was known for being multicultural, and so they did not believe war could come to them. He expresses his bitterness and pain in his sarcastic and harsh phrasing. 

“Lola did not think of herself as brave. She would not have described the feeling that took hold of her as courage. All she knew was that she could not leave Isak out there, exposed, struggling, alone.” 

In this chapter, set during World War II, Lola saves her friend when he cannot get a fire started. This passage indicates her bravery, which is drawn not from her own strength but from her desire to do what it is right. Her empathy for others drives her to do good things.