Branka Primorac

Branka Primorac’s School-leavers’ Trip (Maturalac) is easy to read. It does not explore any specific existential dramatic issues and follows the selected genre – young adult literature, the series in which it was published.

Branka Primorac wrote a fresh and interesting novel for readers of all ages.

Ingenuous, discrete, and fluent story-telling of The School-leavers’ Trip (Maturalac) goes beyond the traditional genre and focuses on original author’s perspective towards teenage readers. The novel may be easily enjoyed by readers from other age groups who may have different motivations for reading and different expectations than the teenagers.

I wonder whether it was a coincidence or the publishers have recognised an author for young adults, who does not offer them stereotypes, but skilfully leads them towards the adulthood, expanding their views by means of literature. Namely, two novels by Branka Primorac have recently been published by two different publishers in Zagreb - DiVič has introduced the new novel by Branka Primorac titled A love case of Jojo the Cat (Ljubavni slučaj mačka Joje), whereas Znanje has published the second redesigned edition of The School-leavers’ Trip (Maturalac) in the Hit Junior series, in which it was first published in 1993. The author keeps the interest of the reader throughout the novel until the very last page by resolving one and immediately creating another intrigue, however without exaggerating the dialogues and adventures. The pupils’ laughter fills the air up to the point when they realise, without any lecturing and moralising, that they are responsible for their own actions.

The author skilfully creates the plot smoothly going from one innocent intrigue into another. As soon as an problem is resolved, another begins, and this theme continues until its key-phrase ending. In short, The School-leavers’ Trip (Maturalac) is a very readable, unpretentious novel. I hope it reaches the targeted audience as soon as possible.