The Bonfires is a fantasy novel for young readers rooted in early Croatian and Slavic mythology. Jasna Horvat brings to life the krijesnici, invisible household spirits connected with fire, protection and folk belief, and places them within an adventurous literary world.
The novel draws on oral tradition and mythic motifs while presenting them in a form accessible to contemporary readers. Its supernatural beings are not decorative additions: they carry memories of how earlier communities understood home, nature, danger and mutual responsibility. Fast-moving scenes, humour and fantasy make these traditions approachable without weakening their cultural meaning.
The Bonfires invites children and adults to discover Croatian heritage through story rather than explanation alone. It joins imagination with cultural memory and shows how old beliefs can gain a new literary life. Readers interested in Croatian mythology can continue with Gemfeather’s Sayings, Fairycon and The Lost Fairy.