Zerin is a wealthy man, approximately forty years old, who lives alone in a large seaside resort, in an impressive stately mansion left to him by his parents. His life ticks over monotonously with no notable excitement or surges of emotion. However, he has one great, unique passion, an inexplicable adoration of Romania, a country that’s become an obsession. The roomy study in his house is full of maps, pictures and photographs from Romania, like a miniature museum dedicated to his beloved country.
Once he hears that a Romanian family of four has settled in the area he’s overcome by an inner turmoil and without wasting any time he sets about finding them and secretly observing their every move from afar. Soon observation is no longer enough and he approaches the family explaining his passion, showering them with gifts, finding a job for the husband, Flaviu. The family, previously in dire straits, thinks it has found its saviour.
Zerin will enmesh himself into the life of the family so much that they become dependent on him (he also develops an affair with Ionela). At which point Zerin confesses the truth to Flaviu, that he’s having an affair with his wife and declares that Flaviu is surplus to requirements. He has a plan in mind to resolve the situation: he will secure the children future, but Flaviu must be cooked and eaten by the whole family. Everyone agrees it is a good plan…
Sotakis is on familiar ground with an absurdist, claustrophobic and tragi-comic tale of obsession for strong stomachs. Allegorical, stylistically playful and peppered with black humour.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE SAMPLE AVAILABLE

220 pages – Original language: Greek (Kedros Publishers 2017). Foreign editions: French (Intervalles, 2020), Danish (Jensen & Dalgaard, 2020), Turkish (Tudem, 2020).