This novel, set in 1990s Prague, offers a wild and humorous ride through the tumultuous days of Europe's transformation after the fall of the Iron Curtain. The author's energetic and witty style brings to life the atmosphere of a city in flux and the American expats finding their way in a new frontier. It's a darkly comic, immersive, and poignant narrative of culture clashes and expatriate life, perfectly mirroring the absurdities of civilization in decline.
In the oppressed city of Pava, a fatherless girl named Petra and her dragonka become embroiled in a rebellion against a child dictator. They join forces with the Blackhearts, a gang of orphans leading the resistance. Together, they navigate the challenges of defying authority and seek to reclaim their freedom in a world filled with danger and hope.
Not long ago, John Shirting held down a beloved job as a barista at Capo Coffee Family, a coffee chain and global business powerhouse. When he is deemed "too passionate" about his job, he is let go. Shirting makes it his mission to return to the frothy Capo's fold by single-handedly breaking into a new market and making freshly post-communist Prague safe for free-market capitalism.