Bruno v hlavě – Šimkovičová Monika (2010)

It is not common for a book novella to have multiple authors, to be bilingual, and to be openly controversial. The book by musician, lyricist, and screenwriter Xindl X and visual artist Monika Šimkovičová convincingly demonstrates that it is possible and that the Czech-Slovak, gender, and age differences between the two authors do not matter. When the co-authors shared their literary juveniles years ago, they discovered that both, despite being separated by place, time, and age, had unknowingly written two parts of the same story. A story about the same character, only at a different stage of her journey. They therefore connected their stories, resulting in a novella about death and not dying, and about the fact that even when you think you have nothing to lose, there is still much you must defend. The visual artist Monika's entire world collapses in a single day. Within twenty-four hours, she loses her beloved husband and her illusions about their relationship. Moreover, she finds out that her days are probably numbered and that the time she has left in this world must be spent in the presence of Bruno, who is not only 'terribly curious' but also a 'normal killer' who 'plays with a person as he pleases.' Although Monika knows what Bruno is, she tries to engage with him...