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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
challenging
emotional
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was an excellent collection of stories. While they shared common themes, there were stories in the genre of literary fiction, magic realism, and some horror and contemporary fiction. I highly recommend.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
I often find short story collections intimidating - I find it challenging to keep up with the cast of characters, become invested in their stories, but also be ready to move on when their story is over. Sometimes the stories are connected, sometimes not, and sometimes extra effort is required to go back to previous stories to reassure yourself this is not deja vu, and that yes, in fact, this new story is actually connected to the previous story via a vague link, shifted perspective, or otherwise.
I also often struggle to rate short story collections as there are inevitably stories that I really enjoy, and stories that I don't like as much. In this case, I really enjoyed most of the stories - they were clever and unexpectedly funny at moments. I'm glad I pushed past my personal short story hang-ups and read this collection.
THE HAUNTING OF HAJJI HOTAK by Jamil Jan Kochai is a collection of short stories that shines a light on the experiences of Afghans in both Afghanistan and in the U.S. The book starts with an unforgettable first story (my favorite), in which an Afghan American teenager revisits his family’s ancestral village through a first-person shooter video game. Other stories address the relentless violence of life in Afghanistan, its history of being a pawn in other nations’ wars, intergenerational trauma, and the vicissitudes of immigrant life. In each of the stories, some of which are glancingly connected, there is a deep pull towards Afghanistan and home.
Kochai’s writing is forceful and specific, his stories varied in style, from long run-on sentences illustrating the madness of devastating loss to a resume documenting the contortions required to survive and adapt. There is a touch of the fantastical to many of the stories, and this mostly works exceedingly well. Kochai's talent is tremendous, and I was blown away by this collection.
This is a perfect pairing with MY PEN IS THE WING OF A BIRD, a collection of short stories by Afghan women. While Kochai’s prose is stylized and intellectual (this book demands to be re-read), MY PEN’s bite-sized stories offer a complementary perspective. Both are emotionally wrenching, and I wish more Americans would read them.
Kochai’s writing is forceful and specific, his stories varied in style, from long run-on sentences illustrating the madness of devastating loss to a resume documenting the contortions required to survive and adapt. There is a touch of the fantastical to many of the stories, and this mostly works exceedingly well. Kochai's talent is tremendous, and I was blown away by this collection.
This is a perfect pairing with MY PEN IS THE WING OF A BIRD, a collection of short stories by Afghan women. While Kochai’s prose is stylized and intellectual (this book demands to be re-read), MY PEN’s bite-sized stories offer a complementary perspective. Both are emotionally wrenching, and I wish more Americans would read them.
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced