Saturday, October 5, 2013

Review: Fragile Beings and The Red Hand by Ali Al Saeed

Hey guys, I've been reading short stories outside of my genre a bit and I wanted to share my thoughts with you. Here's my review of a poetic and eerie Bahraini writer, Ali Al Saeed.


Fragile Beings and The Red Hand
Ali Al Saeed
Genre: Fiction / Short Story / Angels / Horror
Format: eBook from author

Fragile Beings Synopsis:

In a future world where a mysterious disease transforms humans into another species, one woman tries to come to terms with the loss of her husband.

The Red Hand Synopsis:

A young man returns to his homeland after spending years traveling abroad trying to escape a childhood nightmare, to investigate the mystery of an urban legend that has haunted him for all this time. As he comes to terms with the emotions of being back, he stumbles across a terrifying truth behind The Red Hand.


Review:

Ali was kind enough to offer a copy of Fragile Beings and The Red Hand for me to read. I was thrilled to try out something new and out of my usual genre, so his generosity came at the right time! I finished both books in one sitting and absolutely loved The Red Hand and I found Fragile Beings beautifully written.

Fragile Beings was poetic, descriptive, and beautiful. It made me want to read more into the story of the Angel who came back home after his transformation when no one ever comes back from this. The end came too quick, and left me wanting more. I’m disappointed it was so short. I definitely wanted to read more about the wife of an Angel.

The Red Hand, on the other hand, was amazing. At first, I was weirded out because I have never read anything with Bahrain as the location and scenario of a book and in places I know so well. The feeling didn’t go away and I think it added to the level of creepiness that the book had and gave me.  It’s safe to say, Al Saeed knows his stuff and being an award-winning author shows in every aspect of his writing. I absolutely loved the concept of The Red Hand, the writing style, and the perfect balance of details and simplicity. I feel this short story said so much in so few pages. I’m in awe and I can’t help but say, this short story should be turned into a mini movie.

Ali Al Saeed has what it takes to make Bahrain proud with his brilliant writing. I’m looking forward to seeing him shine at a global level. I have a feeling it will be soon.


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1 comment:

  1. Thank you for this post! I'm a huge fan of his and I highly recommend the delicate intricacy of his story telling in his collection of poetry titled Sad Man Dancing. It's akin to a peek into this mans life and perceptions. It's moving, brutally honest, vunerable and romantic.

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