Ain't That Peculiar

 

    Honey, you do me wrong but still I'm crazy about you
    Stay away too long and I can't do without you
    Every chance you get, you seem to hurt me more and more
    But each hurt makes my love stronger than before 

    I know flowers grow through rain
    But how can love grow through pain 

    Ain't that peculiar.

    - Marvin Gaye

When I started to read Life’s Peculiarities, “charming” was a word that tended to engulf my sensibilities about this collection of short stories. And while there is a poignancy and dramatic nuances that permeate the stories in this collection, charming tended to be the end point for me. Now, I realize that some readers may feel that this descriptive reference is trite and overly simplistic. However, a central facet of that word and the literary work it characterizes is its sublime elegance; its ability to leave a lasting impression in regard to the complexity of the characters and the weight of emotions that cast each story to a level of familiar recognition. We know these characters and can relate to their variety of life situations. And when one is finished reading the stories, I suspect it was an “extremely pleasing” experience. 

Sarah Khan is the author.

 

Sarah Khan (photo provided)

Ms. Khan has written an exploratory array of life conditions that enable us to build an understanding and emotive relationship with the characters who are multi-faceted in their actions and life views. The first story explores the personality and reflective dynamics of Anwar, fifteen-year-old Rakhshi and her twenty-five-year-old sister Qaisar. And the collection ends with the fervor and provocative, “The Vigilante” possibly an Everyman’s story. Khan intersperses poems at the end of each story that pushes the reader to further be mindful of the themes that were just explored. 

The compelling insights into mental and emotional health are intrinsic features of this collection. And Sarah’s scientific and academic research and writing in the areas of psychiatry, depression, anxiety and behavorial sciences underpin her story-telling instincts quite well. She has the ability to present complex issues with the mastery of an aged and elder story-teller, a remarkable accomplishment for a writer who has future decades ahead of her to continue to explore her profound sense of the world, its humanity and the interlocking and differing aspects of human experiences. 

Life’s Peculiarities is a gem of a read and once started, it is hard to put down even as each story offers its own peculiarities of life. The collection is published by Daastan Publishing (and is available via Order@www.meraqissa.com/Store)

Sarah Khan is a contributing writer and editor at aaduna.

 

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