<p>The stories in Bitter Almonds, edited by Najeeb S A, manifest a flux of events and experiences without a specific focus. So, the end result of all stories is slightly scattered and diluted, rather than streamlined and concentrated. All stories are disproportionate mixtures of reality, fancy, magic, surrealism and myth. A case of too many cooks spoil the broth. Quite a few stories are samples of phantasmagoria. Yet, the stories in Bitter Almonds are not Harry Potterish. Neither are the feverish outpourings of Edgar Allan Poe. An uninitiated or unversed reader might find these stories a bit uncommon and even ho-hum type. But as you patiently surge ahead and read through, a few stories indeed intrigue you. In other words, it’s a curate’s egg. Exasperation and elation go hand in hand while reading this anthology. One must say, editing an anthology of this kind is no joke. One ought to have a taste for something creatively outlandish and narratively novel. Najeeb S A has these attributes in abundance.</p>.<p>Juxtaposing stories with magic, fantasy, reality and an O Henrian end may need the highest editorial skills and acumen. The amalgamation of magic, fantasy and reality needs creative dexterity or else, the result will be a disaster. Fortunately, the book is not an unmitigated catastrophe. The title ‘Bitter Almonds’ does carry a semblance of profundity. The ancient Greeks used to consume a few bitter almonds and olives to reach a state of trance and would also offer the same to their gods. It helped them reach a fantastical state, yet kept them grounded in reality. Maybe, the editor had this in mind as a metaphor when he chose the title. All in all, the novelty of the stories will intrigue as well as bemuse readers.</p>
<p>The stories in Bitter Almonds, edited by Najeeb S A, manifest a flux of events and experiences without a specific focus. So, the end result of all stories is slightly scattered and diluted, rather than streamlined and concentrated. All stories are disproportionate mixtures of reality, fancy, magic, surrealism and myth. A case of too many cooks spoil the broth. Quite a few stories are samples of phantasmagoria. Yet, the stories in Bitter Almonds are not Harry Potterish. Neither are the feverish outpourings of Edgar Allan Poe. An uninitiated or unversed reader might find these stories a bit uncommon and even ho-hum type. But as you patiently surge ahead and read through, a few stories indeed intrigue you. In other words, it’s a curate’s egg. Exasperation and elation go hand in hand while reading this anthology. One must say, editing an anthology of this kind is no joke. One ought to have a taste for something creatively outlandish and narratively novel. Najeeb S A has these attributes in abundance.</p>.<p>Juxtaposing stories with magic, fantasy, reality and an O Henrian end may need the highest editorial skills and acumen. The amalgamation of magic, fantasy and reality needs creative dexterity or else, the result will be a disaster. Fortunately, the book is not an unmitigated catastrophe. The title ‘Bitter Almonds’ does carry a semblance of profundity. The ancient Greeks used to consume a few bitter almonds and olives to reach a state of trance and would also offer the same to their gods. It helped them reach a fantastical state, yet kept them grounded in reality. Maybe, the editor had this in mind as a metaphor when he chose the title. All in all, the novelty of the stories will intrigue as well as bemuse readers.</p>