4.5-STAR REVIEW: FATHER OF ONE by Jani Anttola

Publication Date: July 25, 2023

Maka, a young Bosnian soldier, has survived three years under siege. When the enemy forces launch their final attack on his hometown, he must escape to the hills. But traversing the vast woods is a task against all odds: to stay alive, and to find his infant son and his wife, he is soon forced to make a desperate move.

Set against the harrowing background of raging guerrilla warfare and the genocide in Srebrenica, Father of One is, at heart, a story of deep humanity, compassion and love. It is the account of one man’s desire to reunite his family, separated by war, and of bonds unbroken by trauma, sustained by loyalty and tenacity. Writing in a voice that rings with clarity and authenticity, Jani Anttola lays open a dark moment in Europe’s recent history.

Amid a conflict between Bosnia and Serbia, a soldier must make a dangerous trek in hopes of reuniting with his family.

Author Jani Anttola uses Father of One to tell a story of suffering and survival through alternating perspectives, featuring the soldier and his wife. While Amelia and the child he has not met are safe in Germany, Maka has been away fighting for three years.

This particular conflict, like many occurring in Europe, features a substantial amount of hand-to-hand combat. It’s immediately clear that Maka’s side is not only undermanned but under-equipped.

The sheer horror of the war unfolds through the pages, especially as the enemy has no qualms about brutally murdering civilians. Not only does Maka have to hide from the enemy, but he faces the challenge of navigating a rough environment.

It would have been incredibly helpful for the author to have provided a map illustrating essential places. Unless you are already familiar with the geographical area, you probably won’t understand the significance of Maka’s actions.

Father of One focuses on the struggles a soldier faces in trying to escape certain death and locate his family.

Jani Anttola is a Finnish novelist and a medical doctor. In the 1990s he served in Rwanda with the French military and fought in Bosnia as a soldier of the Bosnian army. His works have been published in the UK and Finland. He has spent most of his adult life abroad, working in Africa, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific.