CRANE

In this remarkable collection of prose poems, author Abu Sufyan takes readers through a series of fairy tale scenarios, wherein are hidden a number of sour existential truths. Indeed, from the bewilderment felt by anthropomorphised cranes, to the self-sacrifice of mares galloping towards their (potential) salvation, all the way to the bittersweet biographies experienced by a girl and her frustrated mother, this book weaves darkly enchanted frame stories into highly illustrative fables. Structured, as they are, in the style of unfolding dialogues, Sufyan's haunting literary technique serves to unveil a story within a storyline. An almost Postmodern strategy, whereby an introductory, or main narrative, is presented (at least in part), for the sole purpose of sharing uncomfortable anecdotes. As such, critics have observed that emphasized secondary yarns allow readers to find themselves - so to speak - stepping from one theme into another - while simultaneously being carried into ever-smaller plots. Certainly, as adventures take place between named and memorable characters, each exchange is saturated with wit, practical jokes, and life lessons contributing to an overall Central Asian literary mosaic. All in all, this tiny volume is both a delight and a warning to its admirers.