It is still the same

“The world changes, but human desires remain the same.”

Furt je to stejný is a multi-layered novel about relationships, the desire for freedom, and the search for identity in a changing world. Author Kamil Pešťák, a musician from Pilsen, weaves together two different timelines – Czechoslovakia during the 1970s Normalisation period and the present day in 2022 – letting them intertwine. The backdrop changes, but the essence of human destiny and its recurring dramas remains the same.

The prologue takes us to Klatovy in 1976, into the suffocating atmosphere of a late June afternoon. An innocent violin lesson turns into a dark game of seduction and abuse, carrying the stigma of an entire era: official calm, but beneath the surface, suppressed passions, manipulation, and silent helplessness. The colourful life story of Romani guitarist Arno then guides us through the Czechoslovak underground and official music scenes, both during totalitarianism and after the revolution. A significant part of the story takes place against the backdrop of provincial Pilsen, gripped by socialism, and metropolitan Prague. References to real clubs, restaurants, and stories from the local music scene offer an insight into a not-so-distant past.

The contemporary part of the story begins at Lake Garda in northern Italy and continues in Prague. A young couple, Tomáš and Lucie, tired of wild camping, cross paths with the charismatic and mysterious Alex – a Czech woman living in Italy. A simple invitation for a drink develops into a relationship full of tension, attraction, and unspoken secrets. Alexandra alternates between the roles of hostess, seductress, and manipulator, while Lucie finds herself drawn into a new, previously undiscovered world, and Tomáš balances loyalty to his partner, his own dreams, and an ever-growing fascination with Alex.

Set against the backdrop of a classic thriller plot, the novel touches on timeless themes: generational clashes, the gap between ideals and reality, erotic attraction, as well as social inequality and the question of what it actually means to be free. The author masterfully works with the setting – from the dust of a provincial town during Normalisation to the sun-drenched Italian shores – while prompting readers to ask themselves how much people really change, and to what extent the same stories just keep repeating themselves.

Furt je to stejný is a parallel novel that draws the reader in with its suspense, lively dialogue, and ambiguous characters. It paints a picture of relationships where passion intertwines with calculation, humour with harsh reality, and the desire for tenderness with the darker sides of human nature.