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A review by atlas_shruggs
Jokes for the Gunmen by Mazen Maarouf
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
Jokes for the Gunmen - 5 stars | Matador - 3 stars | Gramophone - 5 stars | Cinema - 4 stars | Bisquits - 3,5 stars | Joke - 2 stars | Angel of death - 2 stars | Other-People's-Dreams Syndrome - 4,5 stars | Aquarium - 3,5 stars | Portion of Jam - 3 stars | Curtain - 1 star | Juan and Ausa - 2 stars
I went into this short-story collection wanting to learn more about Palestine and their history and though I did learn about the mental effects of the war, it wasn't exactly what I was expecting.
I didn't know this was surrealism which was the biggest mistake I made before starting to read. I thought it was stone-cold realism, which the first story seemed to confirm, but the more I read the stranger the stories became.
My favourite stories were "Jokes for the Gunmen", "Gramophone" and "Other-People's-Dreams Syndrome". The first two were very based in realism and were exactly what I was looking for. They gave a stark glimpse into the war, especially Gramophone.
The third of these stories was more surreal than the other two, but I liked the writing and the concept was very interesting.
I went into this short-story collection wanting to learn more about Palestine and their history and though I did learn about the mental effects of the war, it wasn't exactly what I was expecting.
I didn't know this was surrealism which was the biggest mistake I made before starting to read. I thought it was stone-cold realism, which the first story seemed to confirm, but the more I read the stranger the stories became.
My favourite stories were "Jokes for the Gunmen", "Gramophone" and "Other-People's-Dreams Syndrome". The first two were very based in realism and were exactly what I was looking for. They gave a stark glimpse into the war, especially Gramophone.
The third of these stories was more surreal than the other two, but I liked the writing and the concept was very interesting.