The novel Plachý dom (The Timid House) by writer Barbora HrÃnová, winner of the Anasoft Litera Award 2021 award for her debut short story collection Unicorns, will captivate readers with its delicacy and humor. The main character, Ambróz, an aging, kind man, a double bassist teaching piano, a husband and father, a collector of poems, and a dog lover, might at first glance seem incompatible with today’s fast-paced world craving change. However, upon closer inspection, we find in him a master of ordinary life, and as we all know, that can often be the most extraordinary of all lives. Taking a walk with Ambróz in the park, leaning out the window with him, spending time with him in class, or traveling with him to the past means brushing away the modern froth from the days and diving into where real things happen. Plachý dom is about life, work, and relationships. It is a fragile novel about revealing and leaving.