‘The girl was playing the music with such soul because she knew she was going to die. And am I not going to die? Where is my soul that I might play the music of my own life with such enthusiasm?’
This is a though question, but a good one indeed. It’s asked by a girl. A simple girl. Just like me. Just like you. Just like everyone in here. Her name is Veronika, she’s 24 years old, she lives in Slovenia and is the protagonist of the book ‘Veronika decides to die’. Our Veronika thinks that she has lived her life and that continuing it will only lead her into misery. That’s why one day she decides to die (hence the title) and chooses the clean way – an overdose of sleeping pills. A failed attempt lands her in Villete, a psychic ward, where she finds out she only has 5 more days to live. That’s when the heroin’s inner debates start. She thinks how she never did something out of place, never got mad, never lived in the heat of the moment! She just surrendered to the society’s perceptions and did whatever seemed the right thing to do. While in Villete, Veronika begins to question the idea of madness and gets to the conclusion that actions which may appear insane to someone can be completely justified to someone else. She then meets some people, among who is Edward, a schizophrenic whom she falls in love with. Veronika quickly learns that love is the biggest risk that humans take and that life is worth living. She is eager to live those last days of her life as if they were a miracle. The girl starts playing the piano, she ‘voices’ her frustrations, her anger and hurt, but also her love and most intimate desires, that were stuck insider her for 24 years, because she was ‘sane’ then.
In her fourth day at the psychic ward, the couple decides that it’s better for them to escape, to live their last day together. But what will be the surprise that stands by the corner? And has Veronika really learned her lesson? Between surrender, love and insanity, what do you think will best define her life, before and after those 5 days?
This is a though question, but a good one indeed. It’s asked by a girl. A simple girl. Just like me. Just like you. Just like everyone in here. Her name is Veronika, she’s 24 years old, she lives in Slovenia and is the protagonist of the book ‘Veronika decides to die’. Our Veronika thinks that she has lived her life and that continuing it will only lead her into misery. That’s why one day she decides to die (hence the title) and chooses the clean way – an overdose of sleeping pills. A failed attempt lands her in Villete, a psychic ward, where she finds out she only has 5 more days to live. That’s when the heroin’s inner debates start. She thinks how she never did something out of place, never got mad, never lived in the heat of the moment! She just surrendered to the society’s perceptions and did whatever seemed the right thing to do. While in Villete, Veronika begins to question the idea of madness and gets to the conclusion that actions which may appear insane to someone can be completely justified to someone else. She then meets some people, among who is Edward, a schizophrenic whom she falls in love with. Veronika quickly learns that love is the biggest risk that humans take and that life is worth living. She is eager to live those last days of her life as if they were a miracle. The girl starts playing the piano, she ‘voices’ her frustrations, her anger and hurt, but also her love and most intimate desires, that were stuck insider her for 24 years, because she was ‘sane’ then.
In her fourth day at the psychic ward, the couple decides that it’s better for them to escape, to live their last day together. But what will be the surprise that stands by the corner? And has Veronika really learned her lesson? Between surrender, love and insanity, what do you think will best define her life, before and after those 5 days?
