Slanting Towards the Sea Summary, Characters and Themes

Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija Hilje is a deeply introspective novel that follows Ivona, a woman caught in the complexities of her past relationships, family obligations, and personal struggles.  Set in the coastal regions of Croatia, it explores Ivona’s life after a painful divorce, her strained relationship with her ailing father, and the emotional aftermath of her failed marriage.

As she navigates these challenges, Ivona reflects on her lost aspirations and the weight of familial expectations.  The story delves into themes of memory, love, and self-discovery, as Ivona faces the inevitable choices between holding on to her past and embracing a new future.

Summary

Ivona, a 38-year-old woman, finds herself trapped in a life that doesn’t reflect her aspirations.  Divorced from her ex-husband, Vlaho, and living in her childhood home with her frail, sick father, Ivona feels disconnected from the vibrant, hopeful person she once was.

Her father’s stroke has left him dependent on her for care, and their relationship is fraught with tension, particularly over his business decisions surrounding their family’s heritage hotel.  Ivona’s life feels like a series of compromises: a failed marriage, financial struggles, and a lack of personal fulfillment.

Yet, despite these burdens, Ivona continues to hold onto memories of her past, particularly her relationship with Vlaho, which remains an emotional anchor in her life.

Her father’s hotel project, once a symbol of their family’s success, now represents a heavy financial burden.  Ivona is torn between preserving it out of loyalty to her family and facing the harsh reality that it may have to be sold to avoid financial ruin.

This internal conflict is compounded by her complicated relationship with her ex-husband.  Though Vlaho has moved on and built a life with his new wife, Marina, Ivona can’t let go of her feelings for him.

She frequently checks his social media, reminiscing about the passionate connection they once shared.  This ongoing emotional attachment prevents her from moving forward, as she struggles to reconcile the person she was with the person she has become.

The novel also explores Ivona’s past.  Raised in Zadar, she recalls her younger years, marked by a dutiful relationship with her parents and the carefree days spent in the family’s olive grove.

However, this idyllic image is marred by her transition to adulthood.  As a university student in Zagreb, Ivona met Vlaho, and their intense relationship seemed like the beginning of something significant.

But, like many relationships, it eventually faltered, leaving Ivona with unresolved feelings and a deep sense of loss.  While Vlaho has found happiness with Marina, Ivona remains emotionally tethered to him, unable to fully heal from their breakup.

In the present, Ivona finds herself caught between her father’s declining health, the looming sale of the Lovorun property, and the temptation to re-enter Vlaho’s life.  After running into Marina and their young child, Ivona experiences a mixture of resentment and bittersweet nostalgia.

Though she initially avoids interaction with Vlaho’s new family, she gradually begins to form a fragile connection with Marina.  Despite the tension between them, Ivona feels a strange kinship with Marina, both women caught in the web of Vlaho’s past relationships.

Ivona’s desire to maintain a bond with Vlaho’s children complicates her emotions, as she’s reminded of the family she lost, even though she is no longer a part of it.

Simultaneously, Ivona’s involvement with the family business deepens.  The financial pressures on the Lovorun hotel are mounting, and she is forced to consider selling it to an investor, Asier, to alleviate their debts.

Asier, who shows interest in the property and the olive grove, begins to form a personal connection with Ivona, though she is reluctant to mix business with emotions.  Ivona struggles with the potential loss of the grove, a place tied to her memories of youth and family.

But as she navigates the complexities of the sale, she finds herself drawn to Asier, unsure of what their connection might mean for her future.

The hotel sale becomes more complicated when Ivona learns that there might be a way to save the olive grove.  A geodesist suggests splitting the property, allowing the hotel to be sold while keeping the grove intact.

However, Ivona’s father strongly opposes this idea, and the urgency of the sale forces Ivona to make a difficult decision.  Despite her hopes, Asier informs her that the grove is crucial to his plans for the hotel’s development, particularly the creation of a luxury infinity pool, and that the property must be sold as a whole.

This news forces Ivona to accept the loss of her family’s connection to the land.

Amidst the turmoil of the sale and her relationship with Asier, Ivona’s emotional journey takes another turn when she learns that she cannot have children due to a medical condition.  This revelation forces her to confront the future she had once envisioned, one that was filled with the promise of a family with Vlaho.

Unable to share her loss with anyone, Ivona becomes increasingly isolated, reflecting on her decisions and wondering if her dreams of a different life are now forever out of reach.

In a moment of self-reflection, Ivona begins to understand the choices that have shaped her life.  She realizes that she has been stuck in the past, unable to move on from her failed marriage and the loss of her dreams.

Despite her emotional turmoil, she continues to care for her father, who worsens after his stroke.  Ivona is left to confront the grief and guilt of losing her father while also grappling with the emotional complexities of her past relationships.

Eventually, Ivona makes the difficult decision to sign the contract that seals the sale of Lovorun.  This marks the end of an era for her and her family.

Asier, who has been supportive throughout the process, is there for her, though their relationship remains uncertain.  With the sale of the property, Ivona faces the future with a mixture of loss and possibility.

She begins to consider a fresh start, potentially moving to Florence to leave behind the pain of her past and the emotional ties to her home.

Yet, as Ivona contemplates her future, the emotional ties to Vlaho remain strong.  She finds herself once again reflecting on their relationship and wondering if there is still a chance for them to reconcile.

Despite their unresolved issues, Ivona’s longing for him persists, and she is left to navigate the complexities of love, loss, and the hope for a new beginning.

Ultimately, Slanting Towards the Sea is a story of self-discovery, where Ivona’s journey of emotional healing and acceptance takes center stage.  As she confronts the realities of her life, Ivona learns to reconcile her past with her present, and in doing so, she begins to understand what it means to move forward—whether that means letting go of her former life or embracing new opportunities that await her.

Characters

Ivona

Ivona is the protagonist of Slanting Towards the Sea, a woman navigating the emotional chaos following the end of her marriage and the responsibilities surrounding her family.  At 38 years old, she finds herself stuck in the past, unable to let go of the remnants of her relationship with Vlaho, her ex-husband.

Despite knowing he has moved on with a new family, Ivona remains emotionally tethered to him, constantly grappling with feelings of longing, resentment, and nostalgia.  This inability to move on is one of Ivona’s central struggles.

Her life, constrained by her father’s illness and their financial troubles surrounding the family business, is emotionally draining.  The responsibility of caring for her ailing father and the burden of maintaining their family’s heritage hotel, Lovorun, weighs heavily on her.

Ivona is also confronted with the loss of dreams—she had once hoped for a different life, but the pressures of her circumstances have stifled her desires.  She remains attached to her childhood memories and the land, even though she recognizes the necessity of change.

As the novel progresses, Ivona attempts to reconcile her feelings of grief, love, and duty, all while finding herself at a crossroads in her personal and professional life.  Despite the emotional turmoil, Ivona’s journey is one of self-reflection, and through it, she begins to accept her role in her own stagnation, learning to face her past and look toward a potential future.

Vlaho

Vlaho, Ivona’s ex-husband, is a key figure in Slanting Towards the Sea, representing the emotional complexity of Ivona’s past.  Although the two are no longer married, Vlaho continues to play a significant role in Ivona’s life, largely due to her lingering attachment to him.

He is depicted as a man who has moved on, married Marina, and started a family, yet his past with Ivona clearly still impacts him.  Vlaho’s life is shaped by the grief surrounding the death of his sister, Ane, which has created an undercurrent of tension in his family.

His relationship with his mother, Frana, is strained, and much of Vlaho’s decisions throughout his life have been influenced by his attempts to meet his mother’s expectations.  This tension is revealed when Ivona and Vlaho have a quiet, intimate conversation where he reflects on his deep emotional turmoil.

It’s clear that Vlaho is still grappling with unresolved emotions, and though his life has seemingly moved forward, he is unsure of who he is without the shadow of his mother’s influence.  His relationship with Ivona, marked by both love and hurt, remains a focal point in his emotional journey.

However, like Ivona, Vlaho’s relationship with his past continues to shape his present, and his unresolved feelings for her linger, complicating his new family life.

Marina

Marina is the woman who marries Vlaho after his divorce from Ivona, and she represents the new chapter in Vlaho’s life.  Though Ivona harbors resentment towards her, especially because Marina became the person who replaced her in Vlaho’s life, Marina is portrayed as more than just an obstacle for Ivona.

Initially, Ivona avoids meeting Marina and their child, unable to cope with the reality of the situation, but as the novel progresses, Ivona and Marina have a brief but important interaction.  During this moment, Ivona hides her emotional turmoil, but it’s clear that the confrontation brings some level of closure.

Marina is a quiet presence in Ivona’s life, but she is also a figure of growth and change, representing the inevitable shift in Ivona’s world.  Though Ivona feels a sense of betrayal from both Vlaho and Marina, it’s ultimately Ivona’s own unresolved emotional connection to her past that keeps her tethered to the life she can’t seem to let go of.

Marina, who has her own emotional complexities, including raising a child with Vlaho, becomes a symbol of the life Ivona could have had, but ultimately never did.

Asier

Asier, a potential investor in the family business, introduces a new layer of complexity to Ivona’s life.  He becomes a figure of both professional and emotional tension.

While he offers Ivona a potential way out of her financial struggles, his involvement in the sale of Lovorun places Ivona in a difficult position.  Asier is distant but also shows vulnerability, and Ivona becomes emotionally drawn to him despite her initial desire to keep things professional.

This emotional entanglement complicates Ivona’s already turbulent feelings, particularly in relation to her father’s legacy and her connection to the land.  Asier’s presence in Ivona’s life serves as a catalyst for her personal growth, as she confronts the inevitable changes she must make, even though she struggles to let go of the past.

His role in the sale of Lovorun signifies a new chapter for Ivona, one where she must face the reality of her family’s decline and the uncertain future ahead.  Asier is, in a sense, the embodiment of the external forces pushing Ivona to make difficult decisions about her future.

Frana

Frana, Vlaho’s mother, plays a subtle but significant role in the narrative.  She is a woman marked by the grief of losing her daughter, Ane, and her complicated relationship with her son.

Her loss has deeply influenced her interactions with Vlaho, creating an emotional distance that has impacted his life choices.  Frana’s warmth toward Ivona during her visit to Cavtat contrasts sharply with the unspoken emotional tension between her and Vlaho.

Her presence in the story reveals the generational influence of family dynamics, especially the way grief and unresolved emotions can shape relationships.  Through Frana, Ivona begins to see the complexities within Vlaho’s family, particularly his struggles with his mother’s expectations and the pain of losing his sister.

Frana is not just a mother to Vlaho but also a reminder of how the past, particularly the grief of losing a loved one, shapes the present.  Her relationship with Ivona, though brief, offers Ivona some insight into the role of mothers and daughters and the unspoken tensions that can exist within families.

Themes

The Burden of Family Loyalty

In Slanting Towards the Sea, Ivona’s sense of family loyalty is central to her identity, but it also traps her in a cycle of emotional and financial struggle.  Her decision to care for her father after his stroke, despite their strained relationship, reflects a deep-rooted obligation she feels towards her family, particularly her father.

Ivona is caught in the difficult position of being a dutiful daughter, yet she resents the responsibility thrust upon her.  The weight of maintaining the family’s heritage hotel, Lovorun, further intensifies this burden.

Though she wants to preserve the estate for sentimental reasons, she knows that the business is failing, and the reality of her financial situation becomes an overwhelming factor in her decision-making.  Ivona’s conflicting emotions – the pull between preserving family legacy and seeking her own happiness – lead to numerous arguments with her father, who remains emotionally distant and demanding.

As she faces the potential loss of Lovorun, Ivona grapples with the notion of whether to let go of the past or continue to honor a family legacy that no longer serves her.  Her loyalty to her father, while noble, often comes at the cost of her own dreams and personal growth, creating an emotional turmoil that defines her journey.

The Lingering Pain of Unrequited Love

Ivona’s inability to let go of her past relationship with Vlaho encapsulates the theme of unrequited love and the emotional toll of lost connections.  Despite knowing that Vlaho has moved on and built a new life with Marina, Ivona continues to fixate on their shared history, constantly revisiting their memories and the love they once had.

The pain of seeing Vlaho’s new family, while still harboring feelings for him, creates a profound sense of loss.  Ivona’s obsession with Vlaho, even as he lives his life without her, illustrates the complexity of emotional attachment and the difficulty of moving forward.

She is emotionally tethered to him in ways that prevent her from truly healing, and this unresolved longing serves as a constant backdrop to her life.  At times, Ivona’s fixation on her past with Vlaho seems to give her a sense of purpose, even though it is ultimately a source of pain and regret.

Her inability to fully sever the emotional bond with Vlaho leaves her vulnerable and prevents her from embracing new opportunities, including a potential relationship with Asier.  This theme explores the damaging effects of clinging to past relationships and the emotional scars left behind when love is not reciprocated or when it fades over time.

The Struggle Between Personal Ambitions and Familial Expectations

Throughout Slanting Towards the Sea, Ivona’s internal conflict between pursuing her personal ambitions and fulfilling familial expectations plays a significant role in her emotional struggle.  As she contemplates her life, Ivona faces the dilemma of choosing between career opportunities and remaining tied to the family business.

The chance to work in Florence offers a glimpse of escape from the suffocating responsibilities of her family, yet Ivona finds herself rooted in the obligations tied to Lovorun.  Her father’s wishes and the tradition of the family hotel are forces she cannot easily ignore, even as she yearns for a different life.

Ivona’s journey highlights the tension many individuals face when personal desires clash with the expectations placed on them by family or society.  The weight of her father’s illness and the financial uncertainty surrounding the hotel make it even more difficult for Ivona to break free from the life she feels compelled to live.

At the same time, Ivona’s contemplation of a future with Vlaho also illustrates how relationships can complicate the pursuit of one’s own ambitions.  The balance she seeks between preserving her family’s legacy and pursuing her dreams ultimately leads to a painful realization: she cannot have both, and this awareness forces her to confront the limitations of her own choices.

The Role of Memory in Shaping Identity

Memory plays a pivotal role in shaping Ivona’s sense of self and the decisions she makes throughout Slanting Towards the Sea.  The novel examines how memories, especially those tied to people and places, influence Ivona’s identity and emotional well-being.

Her memories of Zadar and her youth, as well as her time spent with her grandmother at Lovorun, serve as a foundation for her nostalgia and longing.  These memories are not just personal recollections; they become a part of Ivona’s internal conflict.

She is constantly torn between her desire to preserve the past and the recognition that the past is fading or lost.  The connection to her childhood home and the heritage hotel becomes both a source of comfort and a painful reminder of what she stands to lose.

Similarly, her memories of Vlaho and the life they could have had together remain vivid and influential in her emotional world.  The novel shows how these memories, while cherished, also become anchors that hold Ivona in a place of stagnation.

Her failure to move beyond these memories leaves her emotionally stuck, unable to fully embrace the present or future.  This theme reflects the broader human experience of how memories can shape our understanding of who we are, but also how they can prevent growth if one becomes too attached to what has passed.

The Complexities of Grief and Loss

Grief, both personal and relational, is a recurring theme in Slanting Towards the Sea, explored through Ivona’s loss of her marriage, her father’s declining health, and the fading of her connection to the land and the family business.  Ivona’s grief is multifaceted; it’s not just the loss of a loved one, but also the loss of an idealized future she once hoped for.

Her failed marriage to Vlaho, her inability to have children, and the crumbling of the family business all contribute to a growing sense of loss that is both emotional and existential.  The emotional weight of her father’s stroke forces Ivona to confront the inevitability of his death, adding another layer to her grief.

At the same time, she is faced with the reality that she has lost her place in the family’s narrative, as the sale of Lovorun symbolizes the end of an era.  Ivona’s grieving process is complicated by the emotional baggage tied to these losses.

She cannot fully mourn because she is constantly distracted by the weight of responsibility, guilt, and the unresolved issues in her relationships.  The theme of grief in the novel reflects the complexity of loss in its many forms—personal, relational, and even financial—and the ways in which it shapes and reshapes the lives of those who must endure it.

Through Ivona’s journey, the reader witnesses the long, painful process of coming to terms with loss and the possibility of renewal, despite the scars it leaves behind.