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Do not go into the jungle
A nightwatchman at a sawmill on the edge of a forest tries to forge a bond with a lone fox; a mysterious woman arrives on a night train in the town of Madampi, leaving in her wake lovers withering and paralysed; the great communist leader ‘AKG’ mistakenly boards the general compartment of the Malabar Express and is horrified by the scene that meets his eye; a lonely station master at a derelict railway station erects on the platform a stuffed doll in his own image; a migrant labourer reads out his PhD thesis to the camels he’s herding in the Gulf; Isa is declared dead from Covid in Dubai and deported to India, where ghosts are unwelcome.
Shihabuddin Poithumkadavu’s ‘socio-horror’ writings, as he calls them, dissect the hair-raising manipulations of power. Moving seamlessly between the real and the surreal, these finely crafted stories shine a light on the anxieties of the disenfranchised, the would-be preys.
Macabre as they are, Shihabuddin’s prose is also replete with tender, heart-warming beauty—as in life, so in these tales, the light is never quite far from the dark and the unsavoury. Making Shihabuddin Poithumkadavu’s work accessible to the English-reading public for the very first time, J. Devika’s stellar translation of his stories marks the arrival of a world-class writer in a new language.
Shihabuddin Poithumkadavu’s ‘socio-horror’ writings, as he calls them, dissect the hair-raising manipulations of power. Moving seamlessly between the real and the surreal, these finely crafted stories shine a light on the anxieties of the disenfranchised, the would-be preys.
Macabre as they are, Shihabuddin’s prose is also replete with tender, heart-warming beauty—as in life, so in these tales, the light is never quite far from the dark and the unsavoury. Making Shihabuddin Poithumkadavu’s work accessible to the English-reading public for the very first time, J. Devika’s stellar translation of his stories marks the arrival of a world-class writer in a new language.
186 pages, Paperback
First published December 6, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 15, 2022
Do not go to the jungle by Shihabuddin Poithumkadavu 📚
Do not go to the jungle is literary fiction book of short stories. The central theme of the book was socio-horror. The book has been translated from Malayalam and I think some part of the magic of the orginal has been lost in translation. The book was full of weird stories which at first glance felt very simple. But upon on deeper probe, we get see the hidden meaning behind each story.
The whole book is a myriad of metaphors. The writing was not always easy to understand for me personally. I had to read some parts a couple of times to understand the entire situation. The book has an ethereal grace to it and it awed me at times. The cover of the book is gorgeous, it's based on one of the short stories in the book.
The author talks about the things that happen in our country in such a unique light. It has crass and humour in the way it has been conveyed. If you are looking for short stories with deep meaning and literary writing, this one is for you. If you know Malayalam, do go for the original book.
Do not go to the jungle is literary fiction book of short stories. The central theme of the book was socio-horror. The book has been translated from Malayalam and I think some part of the magic of the orginal has been lost in translation. The book was full of weird stories which at first glance felt very simple. But upon on deeper probe, we get see the hidden meaning behind each story.
The whole book is a myriad of metaphors. The writing was not always easy to understand for me personally. I had to read some parts a couple of times to understand the entire situation. The book has an ethereal grace to it and it awed me at times. The cover of the book is gorgeous, it's based on one of the short stories in the book.
The author talks about the things that happen in our country in such a unique light. It has crass and humour in the way it has been conveyed. If you are looking for short stories with deep meaning and literary writing, this one is for you. If you know Malayalam, do go for the original book.
February 16, 2022
The book 'Do Not Go To The Jungle' by Shihabuddin Poithumkadavu was originally written in Malayalam language and it has been translated to English by J Devika.
This book is a collection of various short stories and all these short stories belong to the socio-horror genre. The cover of this book was interesting. The various short stories in this book portray various incidents which openly showcase the manipulations of power in different scenarios. The writing style was a bit confusing and that made the reading experience difficult for me. I think it would be better if I give this book another try some other time.
Overall it was an okay read for me. I would recommend this book to those who like the socio-horror genre.
This book is a collection of various short stories and all these short stories belong to the socio-horror genre. The cover of this book was interesting. The various short stories in this book portray various incidents which openly showcase the manipulations of power in different scenarios. The writing style was a bit confusing and that made the reading experience difficult for me. I think it would be better if I give this book another try some other time.
Overall it was an okay read for me. I would recommend this book to those who like the socio-horror genre.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews