May 09 2026, 14:28

She Who Remains

Author: Rene Karabash

First published: 2018

It starts confusingly with word definitions, quotes, and a rush of thoughts about the death of a father. Bekija is the daughter of Murash who has been shot in the head. They live in the “Accursed Mountains” somewhere in Albania with her unnamed mother and her brother, Sále. The villagers live under the Kanun of Lekë Dukagjini, a set of ancient Albanian laws passed down through families. Murash was killed because Bekija turned down the offer of arranged marriage to become a sworn virgin.

Men rule the villages, and women have little agency. The night before her unexpected wedding, Bekija loses her virginity, and she knows if that is discovered her father will be shot. To avoid this, she renounces her female identity and takes a vow of chastity so she can begin a life as a man. She changes her name to Matija. However, this unleashes a series of brutal decisions and actions under the archaic laws of the Kanun.

I read She Who Remains in one sitting. It’s short, 35,000 words or so, and the stream of consciousness style, short chapters and changing formats kept me reading. The story rushes along, told to a “Mrs Journalist”, possibly the author, with details of Albanian life dropped unexplained into the lyrical prose. The fact that Matija can’t read sets up the second half of the book, which has surprising twists and a satisfyingly emotional ending.

Translated by Izidora Angel.

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