Baltagul / El hacha

Sadoveanu's depiction of rural life feels so authentic — I wonder what influenced his portrayal of these customs and values.

The story takes some time to build, but I found myself more invested once the mystery deepened. Was that intentional or could it have been tighter?

The narrative follows her journey so closely, almost like a personal pilgrimage. I'm curious if this was inspired by real events or purely fictional.