Vinko Vrbanić

Novellas Furmani [Carters] and Sokolov let [Flight of the Falcon] are collections of diverse tales connected by loose narratives about the tragic lives of common folk. Whereas, the coming-of-age novel Glasovi u šumi [Voices in the Forest] traces the life of a mischievous boy growing up in a Croatian village during times of socio-political upheaval. “At last, we received a storyteller who stepped away from traditional themes and turned towards the urban setting, telling stories that avoid romantic or heartbreaking content,” says Zlatko Virc in Vinkovacki list [Vinkovci Newspaper].

The short stories in Sokolov let [Flight of the Falcon] trace the struggles and destinies of the ordinary people caught between the great military powers during the decline of the Ottoman Empire. In Furmani [Carters], the author examines fate in short stories about people from the bottom of the social ladder who turn to alcohol as a way to cope with their broken lives.

His coming-of-age novel Glasovi u šumi [Voices in the Forest] captures the persistent struggle for a better life and brutality of those in power.

Vrbanić writes short, inter-connected narratives with a discernible beginning, climax, and resolution encapsulated within self-contained chapters that demonstrate the author's skill as storyteller from an oral tradition.

• 2nd shared prize [pohvalnica] for a drama "Dvadeseto pjevanje" at 36th HSK National Literary Competition 2017
• 1st prize for a short story "Cvija" at the Dr. Stjepan Kranjčić Literary Competition 2016
• Short story "Rakija" selected for publication in the journal Dar Domovine, as part of the Dr. Stjepan Kranjčić Literary Competition 2014