My Pen Is The Wing Of A Bird: New Fiction by Afghan Women

Title- My Pen Is The Wing Of A Bird: New Fiction by Afghan Women

Publisher- Maclehose Press

Pages- 190

Rating- 4/5

Summary- Afghanistan is a country where women are oppressed more than anywhere in the world. A place where they are not allowed to express themselves or pursue their dreams and where the other half silences half of the population. This book is a short story collection by some of those women.

Review- The moment I came across this fascinating book, I knew that I had to read it. The stories were originally written in Dari and Pashto, the two principal languages of Afghanistan. They have been translated into English by Afghan men and women. They primarily address themes like domestic violence, oppression of women and war. Though the themes are common, every story is unique and makes one ponder on it at the end. Some of them are even based on actual events. Though short stories don't draw me as much as novels do, this book was an exception. It did not let me rest till I finished it, as after reading one story, I wanted to read the next one. The introduction and afterword have added more value to this book through which one can get an idea about the current scenario in Afghanistan and also the pain taken by the authors and other people involved with this book to complete this project.

              There were a couple of stories which were too complex for me to get through. However, overall it was a joyful ride.

              This book has taught me to cherish some things I have (like freedom, right to speech and living in a peaceful environment), which for Afghans is a far-off dream. I would highly recommend this book to all.