Original edition:
Mramorna koža
Grafički Zavod Hrvatske, Zagreb, 1989
Creating a scandal when it was first published in the former Yugoslavia, this provocative and immensely readable novel explores one of the last taboos in our western culture – the image of the sexual mother. Marble Skin explores the darkest recesses of the female psyche and exposes the destructive power of sexual desire when forced to compete with the bonds of maternal love.
The imagery in this novel is so tactile, you feel as though you are reading it with your hands instead of your eyes; its textures – marble, silk, flesh. Wood – stroke your fingertips…Drakulić has written an erotic tragedy…with a heart-wrenching power.
Her writing has the spare poetry of Marguerite Duras.
Marble Skin is a novel that quietly comes at you, putting ice into your blood long before you are aware of it. Ms. Drakulić deals unflinchingly, and without jargon, pop psychologizing or editorial comment, with child abuse, incest and rape , making them more horrible for the nearly suffocated voice in which her heroine speaks of them. In dealing with issues of deadly seriousness… she speaks, like her heroine, as powerfully with her silence as with her words.
Related posts
Editions
2000
MARMORHAUT
Aufbau Taschenbuch, Berlin
2000
1998
MARMORHAUT
Aufbau Verlag, Berlin
1998
1995
MARMORHUD
Ordfronts, Stockholm
1995
1995
MARBLE SKIN
Harper Perennial, New York
1995
1994
PELLE DI MARMO
Giunti, Firenze
1994
1994
MARBLE SKIN
The Women’s Press
1994
1994
MARBLE SKIN
W.W. Norton, New York
1994
1993
MARBLE SKIN
Hutchinson, London
1993
1992
PIEL DE MARMOL
Grupo libro, Madrid
1992
1991
MARMEREN HUID
de Prom, Baarn
1991
1991
PEAU DE MARBRE
Robert Laffont, Paris
1991
Essays & Reviews About Book
MRAMORNA KOŽA
Grafički Zavod Hrvatske, Zagreb, 1989
- Gjurgjan, Ljiljana Ina (1992). The three cases of mother-daughter relationship in Croatian literature. Bradford Occasional Papers, 11, p. 59-72.
- Slavenka Drakulić: Mramorna koža. Extract, SVIJET, p. 12-13.
MARMEREN HUID
de Prom, Baarn, 1991
- Verschueren, Walter (1992). De wrede begeerte. Review, DE MORGEN, April 29, p. 23
- Van der Pleog, Durk (1992). En lange schreeuw om liefde. Review, May 15
- Schuyt, Roel (1992). Haar schoonheid laat een leegte achter. Review, HANDELSBLAD, March 27
- Rikken, Judith (1992). Moeder met marmeren huid. Review, ARGUS, February 7
- Mes, MarJanuary (1992). Slavenka Draculic en de taal van het vrouwenlichaam. Review, DE STEM, January 10
- Hagdorn, Michiel (1992). Emotioneel niemandsland. Review, DAGBLAD DE LIMBURGER, February 24
PIEL DE MÁRMOL
Grupo libro, Madrid, 1992
- (1993). Piel de mármol. Review, LAS PROVINCIAS, January 24, p. 42
- (1993). Piel de mármol. Review, EL CORREO, January 8
MARBLE SKIN
Hutchinson, London, 1993
- (1994). Top 20 Feminist Books. Review, EVERYWOMAN, June, p. 18
- Mackay, Shena (1994). Barbed bouquets for mother. Review, FINANCIAL TIMES, March 12
- Scott, Mary (1993). Globe trotting. Review, EVERYWOMAN, September, p. 26
- Darling, Allison (1993). Examining the female psyche. Review, HUDDERSFIELD DAILY EXAMINER, August 28
- Paraday, Neil (1993). Easily missed. Review, THE GUARDIAN, August 10
- Startle, William (1993). Review of reviews. Review, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, August 1
- Ashworth, Andrea (1993). Realm of the senses. Review, THE TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT, July 30
- Potter, Jennifer (1993). Hearts turned to stone. Review, THE INDEPENDENT, July 25
- Kennedy, A. L. (1993). Fights of passage. Review, THE SCOTSMAN, July 24, p. 6
- Balaam, Lucy (1993). When melodrama takes precedence over drama. Review, YORKSHIRE POST, July 20
- Chisholm, Kate (1993). In bondage to feminism. Review, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, July 18
- Messud, Claire (1993). The day-to-day pain of hated stains. Review, THE INDEPENDENT, July 17
- (1993). London's best sellers. THE LONDON EVENING STANDARD, July 15
- Perrick, Penny (1993). Cut to the heart. Review, THE SUNDAY TIMES, July 11
- Huth, Angela (1993). Holy smoke and child brides. Review, DAILY TELEGRAPH, July 10
- Buckley, David (1993). Six finger trick. Review, THE OBSERVER, July 4
- Manderson, Tim (1993). Marble skin. Review, PUBLISHING NEWS, April 9, p. 7
- (1993). Marble skin. Review, THE BOOKSELLER, February 12
MARBLE SKIN
W. W. Norton, 1994
- Trueblood, Kathryn (1994). Marble skin. Review, SEATTLE WEEKLY, August 31, p. 39
- (1994). Marble skin. Review, ELLIOTT BAY BOOKNOTES, Summer, p. 7
- Christopher, Nicholas (1994). To know hwe I had to become her. Review, THE NEW YORK TIMES, March 13, p. 10
- Passaro, Vince (1994). A sculptor fixated on her mother's body. Review, NEW YORK NEWSDAY, March 2
- Finkle, David (1994). Mother-dAugusthter relations examined. Review, THE TIMES, February 27, p. BB5
- Jablow, Valerie (1994). Shaping loving silence. Review, BELLES LETTRES, Vol 9, No. 4, p. 51
- (1994). Marble skin. Review, LOS ANGELES TIMES, February 13
- (1994). Marble skin. Review, THE NEW YORKER, Books briefly noted, February 7, p. 95
- Jackson, Marni Drakulic's sensual skin has intellectual core. Review, THE GLOBE AND MAIL, April 16
MARBLE SKIN
The Women's Press, 1994
- (1995). Suffer the little child. Extract, THE GUARDIAN, August 25
- Howarth, Catherine (1994). Marble skin by Slavenka Drakulic. Review, AMAZON, November
- Doyle, Ursula (1994). Of blood and stone. Review, THE INDEPENDENT, April 3
- Huffman, Theo (1994). Sculptor's tale crackles with energy. Review, THE BUDAPEST SUN, May 12-18, Sun Style, p. 11
- Morin, Carole (1994). Marble skin. Review, GUARDIAN, March 29, p. 15
- (1994). Getting beneath the skin. Review, HAM & HIGM, March 11
- (1994). Mum's sculpture clubbed. Review, NORTH EASTERN EVENING GAZETTE, March 12
- McLeod, Cinders (1994). Visions of motherhood. Article, THE HERALD, March 10
- (1994). Marble skin. Trview, THE TIMES, March 5
- Keenan, John (1994). Marble skin. Review, THE BIG ISSUE, March 15
- Chunn, Louise (1994). For my mother's love. Review, THE GUARDIAN, March 5, p. 19-22
- Januarye, Sarah (1994). Marble skin. Review, SHOUT MAGAZINE, March, p. 58
- Marlowe, Joelle (1994). Marble skin. Review, HARPIES & QUINES, March, p. 31
- Pepworth, David (1994). Relative relations. Review, IMPACT, March
- Just, Mary (1994). Marble skin. Review, PINK PAPER, February 25
- (1994). Women's press. Review, THE BOOKSELLER, February 11
MARMORHUD
Ordfronts, Stockholm, 1995
- Israel, Dan (1995). Oacceptable fördelning av litteraturstödet. Article, DAGENS NYHETER, October 11
- Januaryson, Erik (1995). Kärlek och oresonlig svartsjuka. Review, LAND No. 39
- Palm, Mimmi (1995). Dålig berättarteknik och översättning. Review, BLEKINGE LÄNS TIDNING, September 14
- Wikholm, Kristina (1995). Striden för värdighet och frigörelse. Review, NORRBOTTENS-KURIREN, September 14
- Sandberg, Joakim (1995). Slavenka Drakulic: Komprimerad och laddad av energi. Review, NORRA VÄSTERBOTTEN, September 6
- Rye, Margareta (1995). En kärlek som aldrig får nog. Review, FINANSTIDNINGEN, September 23-25
- Hammar, Asa (1995). Modern, dottern och älskaren. Review, ARBETAREN No. 38
- Sommelius, Sören (1995). Hud av sten. Review, HELSINGBORGS DAGBLAD, September 20
- (1995). Topp listan, No. 1 Marmorhud. Top list, AFTONBLADET, September 13
- Rundgren, Lars (1995). En väg till livet genom kroppens mystik. Review, FOLKBLADET NORRKÖPING, September 9
- Lundh, Tryggve (1995). Närkontakt som gripper tag i läsaren. Review, FOLKET, September 8
- Karlsson, January (1995). Fenomenologi i romanform. Review, BOHAUSLÄNINGEN MED DALS DAGBLAD, September 5
- Bladh, Curt (1995). Drakulisc roman en parodi på sig själv. Review, SUNDSVALLS TIDNING, September 5
- Lindgren, Helen (1995). En väg mot försoning. Interview, VÄSTERBOTTENS-FOLKBLAD, September 5
- Duke, Yukiko (1995). I marmor dold. Review, GT, September 5
- Thor, Clas (1995). Döden som en långhårig skönhet. Review, NERIKES ALLEHANDA-NERIKES TIDNINGEN, Sept 5
- Karlsson, January (1995). Skönhetens terror. Review, ÖSTGÖTTA CORRESPONDENTEN, September 5
- Schottenius, Maria (1995). Balkan i det egna ögat. Review, EXPRESSEN, September 5
- Waern, Carina (1995). Begär för tre. Review, DAGENS NYHETER, September 5
- Wistrand, Sten (1995). Review, HALLANDS NYHETER, September 5
MARMORHUD
a play, 1998
- (1998) Flicka med mord i sinet. Article, BORGÅBLADET, March 21, p. 14
MARMORHAUT
Aufbau, Berlin, 2000
- Youtube video (2008). 22. Praha Writers Festival Only the future exists. Autorské čtení: Mramorova kuže. https://www.youtube.com/embed/Jwzv5p8kcq0?autoplay=1
- Hertel, Lisa (1999). Fremder Körper. Review, March 12
- (1999). Roman aus fast nichts als Fleisch. Review, LETZBÜRGER LAND, February 12
- Asmondo, Joe (1999). Slavenka Draculic "Marmorhaut". Review, ZILLO MUSIKMAGAZIN, February
- (1999). Schweigendes Ringen. Review, DER BUND, January 23
- Griesinger, Barbara (1999). Am Schweigen kann man sterben. Review, HEILBRONNER STIMME, January 23
- Muschick, Stephan (1999). Geschundener Körper als Kriegs-Metapher. Review, DIE WELT, January 11, p. 30
- Bartmann, Christoph (1998). Ausweg aus dem Kindergrab. Review, FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG No. 275, November 26, p. 44
- Auffermann, Verena (1998). Was sag ich's meiner Mutter?. Review, SÜDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG, November 21-22
- Popović, Nenad (1998). Hinter der Wand. Review, DIE ZEIT, October 8, p. 10
- Walter, Klaus-Peter (1998). Slavenka Drakulićs Lolita wird Künstlerin. Review, DIE WELT, October 7
- Baureithel, Ulrike (1998). Letzte Umarmung. Review, DER FREITAG No. 41, October 2
- Köhler, Andrea Das Zögern vor der zweiten Geburt. Review, NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG, October 6