The Scent of Rain in the Balkans

The Scent of Rain in the Balkans (Serbian: Мирис кише на Балкану, Miris Kiše na Balkanu) is a historical novel written by Gordana Kuić. The novel was published in 1986, becoming an instant bestseller. It centers on the Salom family, most notably five sisters — Buka, Nina, Klara, Blanki and Riki. The novel was inspired by Kuić's mother Blanki Levi and her sisters. The Scent of Rain in the Balkans follows the destinies of, not only Jews, but also Orthodox, Bosniaks and Catholics during two major historical events — World War I and World War II.

In his review of the novel, David Albahari wrote:

The Scent of Rain in the Balkans possesses all the characteristics of a good book. In her attempt to show the destiny of a Jewish family living on Bosnian soil, the author has gone much further: she shows that the inevitability of historical developments is inescapable; she paints history as a monster who continually returns in cycles, but also as a mad joker who is ready to change the colors at any moment. The novel is also a document of a world that no longer exists – the world of the Sephardic Jews of Sarajevo. Therefore, this novel is an important contribution to the rather meager Jewish literary output in Serbia, but grows beyond the boundaries of such a definition and undoubtedly takes a more general significance.

The Scent of Rain in the Balkans has been adapted into a ballet, a play and a television series.