What do you think?
Rate this book
Ossessjoni
TWISSIJA: Jinkludi xeni espliċiti
Rebbieħ tal-ewwel premju Konkors Letterarju Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb/Aġenzija Żgħażagħ
Amira altru li mhijiex it-tifla ta' 10 snin li tidher.
Moħħ ta' mara li taf tikkalkula, ma tibżax minn raġel, taf fejn trid tasal u lesta tagħmel kollox biex tasal s'hemm.
Nymphet. Il-gremxula tiegħi. Il-Lolita favorita.
Jien iffissat fuqha, inħobbha bi mħabba tal-ġenn u nixtieqha b'mod miġnun il-ħin kollu.
Minn liema pjaneta waqgħet din it-tifla ħelwa?
Tatni prova kemm-il darba li taf tkun mara. Naf ċert li jekk nibqa' naqdiha mill-koxxa ġġibli realtà l-ħolm u l-fantasiji kollha li għandi fuqha.
Sirt agħar, wisq agħar minn skjav tagħha.
Rebbieħ tal-ewwel premju Konkors Letterarju Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb/Aġenzija Żgħażagħ
Amira altru li mhijiex it-tifla ta' 10 snin li tidher.
Moħħ ta' mara li taf tikkalkula, ma tibżax minn raġel, taf fejn trid tasal u lesta tagħmel kollox biex tasal s'hemm.
Nymphet. Il-gremxula tiegħi. Il-Lolita favorita.
Jien iffissat fuqha, inħobbha bi mħabba tal-ġenn u nixtieqha b'mod miġnun il-ħin kollu.
Minn liema pjaneta waqgħet din it-tifla ħelwa?
Tatni prova kemm-il darba li taf tkun mara. Naf ċert li jekk nibqa' naqdiha mill-koxxa ġġibli realtà l-ħolm u l-fantasiji kollha li għandi fuqha.
Sirt agħar, wisq agħar minn skjav tagħha.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
2 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 5, 2013
Tackling a subject like paedophilia through fiction takes guts. Tackling it from the angle that Carmel Scicluna has opted for, not only giving the reader the ‘culprit’s’ point of view, but also including a subplot that deals with an Al Qaeda assisination attempt...well, then you really need to keep your wits about you, not to allow your story to descend into chaos.
In fact, Scicluna seems to have no problem keeping his wits about him. Ossessjoni won the Konkors Letterarju Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb/Aġenzija Żgħażagħ, and even before I finished the second chapter I could see why.
The story revolves around a man who calls himself Uncle Charlie, a 40-something year old who has a sexual fixation on Amira. The only problem is that Amira is a 10-year-old. A 10-year-old who is more wise to the ways of the world, and who possesses more sexual nous, than is usually expected from kids her age.
And this is the crux of the matter. Is Uncle Charlie the monster? Is Amira just an innocent child? Or are there more than 50 shades of grey (if you’ll pardon the pun) in between innocence and culpability?
The story is told in the first person, alternating between the point of view of Amira and that of Uncle Charlie. This is a disturbing tale. You read and re-read the words; you alternate between feeling disgust at Uncle Charlie and grudging pity.
Because yes, Uncle Charlie is depicted as a piteous figure, a man who does not necessarily like what he is doing, but who somehow can’t help himself. As the relationship between Uncle Charlie and Amira grows more complex, with the balance of power continuously shifting towards the little girl, the reader accepts reality. Uncle Charlie cannot help himself, and this sexual urge is something that controls his every waking moment. In short, this is a very sick man we are talking about.
I have to confess that up to this stage, I was still in two minds about Scicluna’s narrative. Did it manage to hook me? Undoubtedly. Did I like the conflicts that it was creating in my mind? I was not that sure. I’m usually very happy in my unequivocal belief that sympathy is wasted on paedophiles and pederasts.
This is particularly so in the wake of the ridiculous attempts by paedophiles to claim the same rights as homosexuals – for all the world as if the two are even remotely in the same ballpark. I wasn’t sure that I was comfortable having my beliefs rocked.
Still, being perfectly aware that the true hallmark of a great writer is his/her ability to rock said status quo, I continued reading. After all, the biggest masterpieces created are those that disturb and that deliver that touch of unpredictability that makes you question your values/beliefs/priorities – as long as this is done with purpose, and not just for the sake of it.
Happily, Scicluna definitely belongs to the former camp. The more the story progressed, the more evident his prowess in subtle story-telling, with the reader’s sense of contempt, of revulsion, towards Uncle Charlie deepening with each page.
Scicluna manages to create the two opposing emotions – getting the reader to acknowledge paedophilia as a sickness, while at the same time condemning the actions of the protagonist – with seemingly no effort. He achieves this without taking on the role of preacher. He doesn’t even actively tell us that what is happening is wrong.
However, every twist and turn in the narrative implies just this. He paints a picture of a childhood that, while maybe not innocent, has certainly been further deflowered by the actions of a selfish, weak-willed individual. The fact that Amira comes from a background of turmoil and physical abuse only serves to make this abrupt ending of her childhood even more poignant.
The book starts off by posing a question: if a child isn’t so innocent, can corruption be really said to have taken place? Scicluna’s story proves that the answer is not only a resounding yes, but that if anything, the perpetrator's guilt is double-fold.
In the same way that two wrongs do not make a right, Ossessjoni shows us that Amira’s precociousness simply makes Uncle Charlie’s guilt stronger. The message is loud and clear: there is never a justification for child abuse. Ossessjoni is disturbing to read. It upsets the status quo on a subject that most people are scared to even think about, let alone dissect. But it does so cleverly, with intent – and while weaving a very good story to boot.
The ending escalates rather abruptly, with the language suddenly becoming more forceful and innuendos becoming certainties. If I have one criticism to make, it is that the transition does not happen gradually – yet again, maybe it is precisely this abruptness that really pushes the seriousness of the situation –the fragility of Amira’s mental state, and the damage and pain that Uncle Charlie is inflicting on her – home so forcefully. The sudden turn in events proves that at the end of the day, no matter how sexually-aware or manipulative Amira might be, she remains a child.
A short note before concluding: although the main topic is paedophilia, the issues of domestic child abuse, racism, terrorism (Amira’s father is a mover in a locally-based Al Qaeda cell, and there’s an assassination subplot) and a very poor education system are also addressed.
Put like that, it may sound like an overkill of unrelated topics. In reality, it is not. All the different issues come together very naturally as part of the main narrative, and at no point is there a question of anything feeling forced. This is no mean feat to achieve when writing.
Kudos to Scicluna for pulling off the double-whammy of giving the reader both a compelling story-line and a deep analysis of one of the darkest desires that are usually taboo.
This book review appeared on http://www.timesofmalta.com.
In fact, Scicluna seems to have no problem keeping his wits about him. Ossessjoni won the Konkors Letterarju Kunsill Nazzjonali tal-Ktieb/Aġenzija Żgħażagħ, and even before I finished the second chapter I could see why.
The story revolves around a man who calls himself Uncle Charlie, a 40-something year old who has a sexual fixation on Amira. The only problem is that Amira is a 10-year-old. A 10-year-old who is more wise to the ways of the world, and who possesses more sexual nous, than is usually expected from kids her age.
And this is the crux of the matter. Is Uncle Charlie the monster? Is Amira just an innocent child? Or are there more than 50 shades of grey (if you’ll pardon the pun) in between innocence and culpability?
The story is told in the first person, alternating between the point of view of Amira and that of Uncle Charlie. This is a disturbing tale. You read and re-read the words; you alternate between feeling disgust at Uncle Charlie and grudging pity.
Because yes, Uncle Charlie is depicted as a piteous figure, a man who does not necessarily like what he is doing, but who somehow can’t help himself. As the relationship between Uncle Charlie and Amira grows more complex, with the balance of power continuously shifting towards the little girl, the reader accepts reality. Uncle Charlie cannot help himself, and this sexual urge is something that controls his every waking moment. In short, this is a very sick man we are talking about.
I have to confess that up to this stage, I was still in two minds about Scicluna’s narrative. Did it manage to hook me? Undoubtedly. Did I like the conflicts that it was creating in my mind? I was not that sure. I’m usually very happy in my unequivocal belief that sympathy is wasted on paedophiles and pederasts.
This is particularly so in the wake of the ridiculous attempts by paedophiles to claim the same rights as homosexuals – for all the world as if the two are even remotely in the same ballpark. I wasn’t sure that I was comfortable having my beliefs rocked.
Still, being perfectly aware that the true hallmark of a great writer is his/her ability to rock said status quo, I continued reading. After all, the biggest masterpieces created are those that disturb and that deliver that touch of unpredictability that makes you question your values/beliefs/priorities – as long as this is done with purpose, and not just for the sake of it.
Happily, Scicluna definitely belongs to the former camp. The more the story progressed, the more evident his prowess in subtle story-telling, with the reader’s sense of contempt, of revulsion, towards Uncle Charlie deepening with each page.
Scicluna manages to create the two opposing emotions – getting the reader to acknowledge paedophilia as a sickness, while at the same time condemning the actions of the protagonist – with seemingly no effort. He achieves this without taking on the role of preacher. He doesn’t even actively tell us that what is happening is wrong.
However, every twist and turn in the narrative implies just this. He paints a picture of a childhood that, while maybe not innocent, has certainly been further deflowered by the actions of a selfish, weak-willed individual. The fact that Amira comes from a background of turmoil and physical abuse only serves to make this abrupt ending of her childhood even more poignant.
The book starts off by posing a question: if a child isn’t so innocent, can corruption be really said to have taken place? Scicluna’s story proves that the answer is not only a resounding yes, but that if anything, the perpetrator's guilt is double-fold.
In the same way that two wrongs do not make a right, Ossessjoni shows us that Amira’s precociousness simply makes Uncle Charlie’s guilt stronger. The message is loud and clear: there is never a justification for child abuse. Ossessjoni is disturbing to read. It upsets the status quo on a subject that most people are scared to even think about, let alone dissect. But it does so cleverly, with intent – and while weaving a very good story to boot.
The ending escalates rather abruptly, with the language suddenly becoming more forceful and innuendos becoming certainties. If I have one criticism to make, it is that the transition does not happen gradually – yet again, maybe it is precisely this abruptness that really pushes the seriousness of the situation –the fragility of Amira’s mental state, and the damage and pain that Uncle Charlie is inflicting on her – home so forcefully. The sudden turn in events proves that at the end of the day, no matter how sexually-aware or manipulative Amira might be, she remains a child.
A short note before concluding: although the main topic is paedophilia, the issues of domestic child abuse, racism, terrorism (Amira’s father is a mover in a locally-based Al Qaeda cell, and there’s an assassination subplot) and a very poor education system are also addressed.
Put like that, it may sound like an overkill of unrelated topics. In reality, it is not. All the different issues come together very naturally as part of the main narrative, and at no point is there a question of anything feeling forced. This is no mean feat to achieve when writing.
Kudos to Scicluna for pulling off the double-whammy of giving the reader both a compelling story-line and a deep analysis of one of the darkest desires that are usually taboo.
This book review appeared on http://www.timesofmalta.com.
March 10, 2016
If this is Mr Scicluna's first book (I saw none of his other titles listed on this book) than he started with guns ablazing. To me this was a hugely disturbing book dealing as it does with child abuse. Here Mr Scicluna's ability comes to light. Eventhough he clearly shows the evil of such abuse (more so as the books nears the end) and it's effect on both the victim and the abuser, I was also left with a huge sense of pity towards Uncle Charlie. In a way the book effected me like the film 'The Woodsman' by Kevin Bacon did, you abhor the act but what to do about the inflictor?
Spoiler Alert
The book depicts clearly the abusive behaviour of Uncle Charlie and creates a relationship between the reader and him, but remains silent about the sexual abuse of the father, why? In a way this silence makes it so much more sinister and bad, not even Amira speaks of it and she is eloquent all through the book. So this silence which maybe comes out in her dreams left me with a big sense of hurt, like when a trauma is so big that you delete it from your memory. Maybe it was one of the causes why Amira cooperated/used Uncle Charlie. With him at least she had some control. With him she had also filled in someways her needs for attention and love. Charlie on the otherhand abused this vulerability of Amira. He took a broken person and abused and hurt her some more. He had absolutely no control over his needs and actions. This lack of control made him weak as Amira called him and arose my pity.
Control is a central motif in this book, Amira's need to control at least some part of her life, maybe that is why she tried to rectify by all means the bullying, unfair situation at school. Her actions to thwart her father's murderous intent and her using Charlie to get medical treatment for her self. There is also Charlie's lack of control over his feelings, actions, desires. I truly beleived that in a way he loved Amira, but his love was not true, his love did not prevent him from hurting her if this meant satisfying his desires. Also his love, I think was time-barred, he loved the child Amira not Amira herself, so Amira for him could never grow up. What a unsolvable situation paedophily is. I feel a huge sense of loss, hurt, towards the victims, children who are abused instead of protected by adults; and also a sense of anger, pity and hopelessness towards the abusers, anger because of the action but pity and hopelessness about the lack of control they have.
Spoiler Alert
The book depicts clearly the abusive behaviour of Uncle Charlie and creates a relationship between the reader and him, but remains silent about the sexual abuse of the father, why? In a way this silence makes it so much more sinister and bad, not even Amira speaks of it and she is eloquent all through the book. So this silence which maybe comes out in her dreams left me with a big sense of hurt, like when a trauma is so big that you delete it from your memory. Maybe it was one of the causes why Amira cooperated/used Uncle Charlie. With him at least she had some control. With him she had also filled in someways her needs for attention and love. Charlie on the otherhand abused this vulerability of Amira. He took a broken person and abused and hurt her some more. He had absolutely no control over his needs and actions. This lack of control made him weak as Amira called him and arose my pity.
Control is a central motif in this book, Amira's need to control at least some part of her life, maybe that is why she tried to rectify by all means the bullying, unfair situation at school. Her actions to thwart her father's murderous intent and her using Charlie to get medical treatment for her self. There is also Charlie's lack of control over his feelings, actions, desires. I truly beleived that in a way he loved Amira, but his love was not true, his love did not prevent him from hurting her if this meant satisfying his desires. Also his love, I think was time-barred, he loved the child Amira not Amira herself, so Amira for him could never grow up. What a unsolvable situation paedophily is. I feel a huge sense of loss, hurt, towards the victims, children who are abused instead of protected by adults; and also a sense of anger, pity and hopelessness towards the abusers, anger because of the action but pity and hopelessness about the lack of control they have.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews