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Amanat: Women’s Writing from Kazakhstan
An unprecedented collection of women’s voices from the heart of Central Asia.
From the foreword by Gabriel Mcguire: “I cannot think of anything quite like … Amanat.”
A man is arrested for a single typo, a woman gets on buses at random, and two friends reunite in a changed world…. Diverse in form, scope and style, Amanat brings together the voices of thirteen female Kazakhstani writers, to offer a glimpse into the many lives, stories, and histories of one of the largest countries to emerge from the breakup of the Soviet Union.
The twenty-four stories in Amanat, translated into English from Kazakh and Russian,comprise a groundbreaking survey of women’s writing in the Central Asian country over its thirty years of independence, paying homage to the rich but largely unrecorded oral storytelling tradition of the region. Contemplating nostalgia, politics, and intergenerational history in a time altered by modernity, Amanat acutely traces the uncertainties, struggles, joys, and losses of a corner of the post-Soviet world often unseen and overlooked.
Utterly absorbing, Amanat is an invitation to listen—the women of Kazakhstan have stories to tell.
From the foreword by Gabriel Mcguire: “I cannot think of anything quite like … Amanat.”
A man is arrested for a single typo, a woman gets on buses at random, and two friends reunite in a changed world…. Diverse in form, scope and style, Amanat brings together the voices of thirteen female Kazakhstani writers, to offer a glimpse into the many lives, stories, and histories of one of the largest countries to emerge from the breakup of the Soviet Union.
The twenty-four stories in Amanat, translated into English from Kazakh and Russian,comprise a groundbreaking survey of women’s writing in the Central Asian country over its thirty years of independence, paying homage to the rich but largely unrecorded oral storytelling tradition of the region. Contemplating nostalgia, politics, and intergenerational history in a time altered by modernity, Amanat acutely traces the uncertainties, struggles, joys, and losses of a corner of the post-Soviet world often unseen and overlooked.
Utterly absorbing, Amanat is an invitation to listen—the women of Kazakhstan have stories to tell.
296 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
August 11, 2022
[Thank you Gaudy Boys for the gifted copy!]
If you are like me and know little to nothing about Kazakhstan and even less about Kazakh literature, which was made sorely clear during Asian Heritage Month, when the prompt for a Central Asian story came up and I came up blank.
AMANAT is an anthology of 24 stories from Kazakh women translated into English from Kazakh and Russian. They run the gamut from past love stories, to a fluke chance encounter of two friends at an airport, to a story of a young man being held in Russian jail for speaking ill against Communist rule. Some of the stories are only a couple of pages; some are longer form, and some are excerpts from books.
As in any story collection, there are favorites. I most enjoyed
The Rival by Zira Naurzbayeva translated by Shelley Fairweather-Vega
18+ by Aya Omirtai translated by Zaure Batayeva
Procedures Within by Oral Arukenova translated by Sam Breazeale
The Lighter by Olga Mark translated by Fairweather-Vega
The French Beret by Asel Omar translated by Fairweather-Vega
My Eleusinian Mysteries by Zira Naurzbayeva translated by Fairweather-Vega
But overall, I am most thrilled by the fact that I have gotten the chance to get an intro foray into learning more about the history, culture, stories of Kazakh women. A few of the stories that piqued my interest I will pursue the authors' other translated writings as well.
If you are like me and know little to nothing about Kazakhstan and even less about Kazakh literature, which was made sorely clear during Asian Heritage Month, when the prompt for a Central Asian story came up and I came up blank.
AMANAT is an anthology of 24 stories from Kazakh women translated into English from Kazakh and Russian. They run the gamut from past love stories, to a fluke chance encounter of two friends at an airport, to a story of a young man being held in Russian jail for speaking ill against Communist rule. Some of the stories are only a couple of pages; some are longer form, and some are excerpts from books.
As in any story collection, there are favorites. I most enjoyed
The Rival by Zira Naurzbayeva translated by Shelley Fairweather-Vega
18+ by Aya Omirtai translated by Zaure Batayeva
Procedures Within by Oral Arukenova translated by Sam Breazeale
The Lighter by Olga Mark translated by Fairweather-Vega
The French Beret by Asel Omar translated by Fairweather-Vega
My Eleusinian Mysteries by Zira Naurzbayeva translated by Fairweather-Vega
But overall, I am most thrilled by the fact that I have gotten the chance to get an intro foray into learning more about the history, culture, stories of Kazakh women. A few of the stories that piqued my interest I will pursue the authors' other translated writings as well.
February 22, 2024
A perfect mix of professional and personal reading for me. This collection of women's writing from Kazakhstan was delightful. A mix of mostly fiction and some nonfiction, it's a view of Kazakhstan through eyes and voices we do not always get in English (or Kazakh or Russian!)
A favorite moment in one of the stories was in one about a village putting on a play for some visitors but it's only old people left in the village and the head has decided to do Romeo and Juliet. But none of the old women want to play Juliet. During rehearsal, one of the villagers remarks: "Hey, Montague and Capulet must have had Kazakh origins. Nobody ever outperformed Kazakhs in feuding. Who knows, maybe Montague's real name was Montay and Capulet's name was Qapalbek."
I laughed out loud. Other stories had such a a viseral ache to them. Orphans and the lost appear often, a typo gets one man a jail term. The portraits of kempir (old women) in the middle will be a favorite for a while yet, I'm sure.
A favorite moment in one of the stories was in one about a village putting on a play for some visitors but it's only old people left in the village and the head has decided to do Romeo and Juliet. But none of the old women want to play Juliet. During rehearsal, one of the villagers remarks: "Hey, Montague and Capulet must have had Kazakh origins. Nobody ever outperformed Kazakhs in feuding. Who knows, maybe Montague's real name was Montay and Capulet's name was Qapalbek."
I laughed out loud. Other stories had such a a viseral ache to them. Orphans and the lost appear often, a typo gets one man a jail term. The portraits of kempir (old women) in the middle will be a favorite for a while yet, I'm sure.
March 26, 2025
I have not read anything by a Kazakh author or set in Kazakhstan before.
The title intrigued me because it is a word that is a part of many Indian languages. The meaning in Kazakh also turned out to be similar, indicating a legacy passed on and that was such a pleasant surprise!
This was an enjoyable collection of stories written by women authors from the country and translated from Russian/Kazakh.
The stories were based on different themes with many highlighting the culture of the country and giving glimpses into its history. Some were quite funny and others evoked reflection.
My favorite stories - Romeo and Juliet, Precedent, The Beskempir and A woman over fifty.
The Beskempir which was a portrait of older women and grandmothers in particular was delightful.
The title intrigued me because it is a word that is a part of many Indian languages. The meaning in Kazakh also turned out to be similar, indicating a legacy passed on and that was such a pleasant surprise!
This was an enjoyable collection of stories written by women authors from the country and translated from Russian/Kazakh.
The stories were based on different themes with many highlighting the culture of the country and giving glimpses into its history. Some were quite funny and others evoked reflection.
My favorite stories - Romeo and Juliet, Precedent, The Beskempir and A woman over fifty.
The Beskempir which was a portrait of older women and grandmothers in particular was delightful.
October 31, 2024
I really enjoyed all the different kinds of stories contained in this anthology: the humourous and absurd ones, the ones that immersed the reader in the sprawling social connections of the aul or the urban haze of Almaty, the more explicit political commentaries, the two-page vignettes, the ones that meandered through a community and a lifetime. Some of the pieces, especially in the front half, had the generic writing style of translated work, but it didn't overwhelm the bones of the stories themselves. Definitely has me thinking about a reading goal of a book from every country.
March 11, 2024
I read Amanat as part of a women in translation book club for our month on Central Asia. I knew nothing about Kazakhstan before reading it, but I've come out of this experience feeling like I've had a genuine taste of Kazakh culture and society.
Here's a couple notes on my favourites out of the 24 in the collection:
Aslan's Bride by Nadezhda Chernova
My absolute favourite in the whole book! I need a full-size novel of this story!
I loved every character and all the complexities of the relationships between them. The writing was downright gorgeous, and the story itself was really beautiful, telling of the power of love and unity over historical traumas and cultural clashes.
'Sky, earth, and sea combined into a single enormous space with the tiny village sculpted into it, and there was Milochka's body, a lonely white spot hovering inside it'.
The Beskempir by Zira Naurzbayeva
A recurring theme throughout the collection was the place of elderly women in Kazakh society who seemed to be left behind by the country's quick and violent break into the modern day. Naurzbayeva introduces you to several elderly women from her life, all of them amazing vibrant people brought to life by her writing (I loved Nyanya-Apa: "Are you getting married yet? Well, good, they're all idiots. You're supposed to become a big boss..."). They all felt so real I was emotionally invested in the stories of each and every one of them.
'Its only now that I understand how hard it was for our grandmothers to settle in this strange city of stone, where a completely different set of morals rules, where you need to stand in a suffocating line of people for hours on end to receive a two-kilogram bundle of bones wrapped in cellophane, where your grandchildren might not know a single word of your native tongue.'
Hunger by Aigul Kemelbayeva
I really connected with the protagonist of this story, a starving student who gets by as a nanny. Her discussion of her struggle is so raw and is woven through with the literature she's reading for school and the Kazakh sayings she repeats to herself to keep up her morale.
'My soul was whining like a wolf cub, crying like a camel calf who had been fooling around carelessly and finally stepped into the fire.'
An Awkward Conversation by Zhumagul Solty
This was a story I came to better appreciate after discussing it with others, particularly the storytelling format, though it's hard to talk about without spoilers. I'll say I was really struck by the arc of the narrator's mother whose story seems to reflect a common struggle of women to retain this mask of a perfect woman, wife, and mother.
'I remember my parents as two oxen toiling under the same yoke.'
Poet by Madina Omarova
This story was barely two pages but it spun the story of a relationship between a man and a woman so effectively through a single conversation, it was deeply intriguing.
'"This world has become meaningless. I'm tired. Everything is in vain." He squeezed my hand. Autumn falls quickly in Almaty.'
The Lighter by Olga Mark
This was the story of an orphaned teenage girl living an extremely rough life on the streets, yet is deliriously happy. I felt so sad for her but also felt like she wouldn't give a single damn for my pity. She was such a well-written character she felt so extremely real I'm dying to know what becomes of her.
'Everything was swimming, the headlights, the houses, the streets... The wayward planet was flying into the unknown ... Verka shouted at the lights smeared into thin, bright streaks. "Kind people, have compassion for a poor orphan!"'
My Eleusinian Mysteries by Zira Naurzbayeva
In this story, a woman on a night car trip holds her child and reflects on her female ancestors who came before her. As the last story in the collection, nothing could be a more perfect wrap-up.
'In the car racing across the steppe, I thought about how my daughter would take the cup of life from me, the one our grandmothers had carried through the darkness of millennia, through war and hunger, through victory and defeat. And I also felt that we were not alone in the night, that our foremothers were there, invisible, protecting us.'
There were a few stories I struggled to fully understand without better knowledge of Kaakhstan's history, like 'Orphan' by Ayagul Mantay, 'Operatic Drama' by Lilya Kalaus, and 'Black Snow of December' by Asel Omar. but I feel encouraged to learn more and give them another go because I think there's a lot of hidden significance I'm yet to uncover in them.
Honourable mentions for all the food described throughout the book, it all sounded delicious, and I think I'm willing to try horse after hearing so much praise for it... And also to the descriptions of music, instruments, and folk songs which encouraged me to go out and find some amazing Kazakh artists and add them to my playlist.
All in all this collection was an experience I would strongly recommend, especially if you know nothing about Kazakhstan like I did. It was full of amazing characters, beautiful stories, and so very much complexity and depth. If anything more is published in English by any of these authors I will be first in line for a copy!
Here's a couple notes on my favourites out of the 24 in the collection:
Aslan's Bride by Nadezhda Chernova
My absolute favourite in the whole book! I need a full-size novel of this story!
I loved every character and all the complexities of the relationships between them. The writing was downright gorgeous, and the story itself was really beautiful, telling of the power of love and unity over historical traumas and cultural clashes.
'Sky, earth, and sea combined into a single enormous space with the tiny village sculpted into it, and there was Milochka's body, a lonely white spot hovering inside it'.
The Beskempir by Zira Naurzbayeva
A recurring theme throughout the collection was the place of elderly women in Kazakh society who seemed to be left behind by the country's quick and violent break into the modern day. Naurzbayeva introduces you to several elderly women from her life, all of them amazing vibrant people brought to life by her writing (I loved Nyanya-Apa: "Are you getting married yet? Well, good, they're all idiots. You're supposed to become a big boss..."). They all felt so real I was emotionally invested in the stories of each and every one of them.
'Its only now that I understand how hard it was for our grandmothers to settle in this strange city of stone, where a completely different set of morals rules, where you need to stand in a suffocating line of people for hours on end to receive a two-kilogram bundle of bones wrapped in cellophane, where your grandchildren might not know a single word of your native tongue.'
Hunger by Aigul Kemelbayeva
I really connected with the protagonist of this story, a starving student who gets by as a nanny. Her discussion of her struggle is so raw and is woven through with the literature she's reading for school and the Kazakh sayings she repeats to herself to keep up her morale.
'My soul was whining like a wolf cub, crying like a camel calf who had been fooling around carelessly and finally stepped into the fire.'
An Awkward Conversation by Zhumagul Solty
This was a story I came to better appreciate after discussing it with others, particularly the storytelling format, though it's hard to talk about without spoilers. I'll say I was really struck by the arc of the narrator's mother whose story seems to reflect a common struggle of women to retain this mask of a perfect woman, wife, and mother.
'I remember my parents as two oxen toiling under the same yoke.'
Poet by Madina Omarova
This story was barely two pages but it spun the story of a relationship between a man and a woman so effectively through a single conversation, it was deeply intriguing.
'"This world has become meaningless. I'm tired. Everything is in vain." He squeezed my hand. Autumn falls quickly in Almaty.'
The Lighter by Olga Mark
This was the story of an orphaned teenage girl living an extremely rough life on the streets, yet is deliriously happy. I felt so sad for her but also felt like she wouldn't give a single damn for my pity. She was such a well-written character she felt so extremely real I'm dying to know what becomes of her.
'Everything was swimming, the headlights, the houses, the streets... The wayward planet was flying into the unknown ... Verka shouted at the lights smeared into thin, bright streaks. "Kind people, have compassion for a poor orphan!"'
My Eleusinian Mysteries by Zira Naurzbayeva
In this story, a woman on a night car trip holds her child and reflects on her female ancestors who came before her. As the last story in the collection, nothing could be a more perfect wrap-up.
'In the car racing across the steppe, I thought about how my daughter would take the cup of life from me, the one our grandmothers had carried through the darkness of millennia, through war and hunger, through victory and defeat. And I also felt that we were not alone in the night, that our foremothers were there, invisible, protecting us.'
There were a few stories I struggled to fully understand without better knowledge of Kaakhstan's history, like 'Orphan' by Ayagul Mantay, 'Operatic Drama' by Lilya Kalaus, and 'Black Snow of December' by Asel Omar. but I feel encouraged to learn more and give them another go because I think there's a lot of hidden significance I'm yet to uncover in them.
Honourable mentions for all the food described throughout the book, it all sounded delicious, and I think I'm willing to try horse after hearing so much praise for it... And also to the descriptions of music, instruments, and folk songs which encouraged me to go out and find some amazing Kazakh artists and add them to my playlist.
All in all this collection was an experience I would strongly recommend, especially if you know nothing about Kazakhstan like I did. It was full of amazing characters, beautiful stories, and so very much complexity and depth. If anything more is published in English by any of these authors I will be first in line for a copy!
May 20, 2026
READ THE WORLD REVIEW: Amanat: Women's Writing from Kazakhstan' is a unique and thoughtful collection of 24 short stories by twelve authors, compiled and translated from Kazakh and Russian into English by Shelley Fairweather-Vega and Zaure Batayeva.
The works range from the gloriously mundane to the absurdly fantastical. Some are explicitly political, speaking to the shadow of World Wars and the Soviet Union, and the lethal pace of social change in the 20th century.
Others are quieter in what they reveal of Kazakh life and the preoccupations of the authors. I particularly enjoyed the ones where you could feel the author's own presence within them - stories about teachers, students, lovers of literature, and women fighting for the arts and their place in the world.
As is to be expected with an anthology of this kind, not every short story is a standalone masterpiece, and there are some (particularly early on) where it's possible some of the magic has been lost in translation. But this said - as a collection they work pretty well and each has a role to play.
A couple stood out to me.
'The Stairway' by Lilya Kalaus - a single page describing the memory of an apartment building's staircase as one of its occupants grows up, lives, and dies.
'The French Beret' by Asel Omar - a short but potent tale of a man imprisoned for publishing a typo.
'My Eleusinian Mysteries' by Zira Naurzbayeva, the final inclusion and a beautiful ode to matrilineal love and the role of women in shaping the past and future.
I read Amanat on my way from Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan, and am glad I'd spent some time in the country before I picked it up, as that bit of familiarity with terminology and setting helped me connect more with the writing. I'm not sure all of the stories would translate as well to a reader who had no context, but as a stepping off point for anyone who is interested in learning more about the country and its talented authors, I would still recommend it!
#TranslatedFiction #KazakhLiterature
#CentralAsianLiterature #ReadTheWorld #BookReview
The works range from the gloriously mundane to the absurdly fantastical. Some are explicitly political, speaking to the shadow of World Wars and the Soviet Union, and the lethal pace of social change in the 20th century.
Others are quieter in what they reveal of Kazakh life and the preoccupations of the authors. I particularly enjoyed the ones where you could feel the author's own presence within them - stories about teachers, students, lovers of literature, and women fighting for the arts and their place in the world.
As is to be expected with an anthology of this kind, not every short story is a standalone masterpiece, and there are some (particularly early on) where it's possible some of the magic has been lost in translation. But this said - as a collection they work pretty well and each has a role to play.
A couple stood out to me.
'The Stairway' by Lilya Kalaus - a single page describing the memory of an apartment building's staircase as one of its occupants grows up, lives, and dies.
'The French Beret' by Asel Omar - a short but potent tale of a man imprisoned for publishing a typo.
'My Eleusinian Mysteries' by Zira Naurzbayeva, the final inclusion and a beautiful ode to matrilineal love and the role of women in shaping the past and future.
I read Amanat on my way from Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan, and am glad I'd spent some time in the country before I picked it up, as that bit of familiarity with terminology and setting helped me connect more with the writing. I'm not sure all of the stories would translate as well to a reader who had no context, but as a stepping off point for anyone who is interested in learning more about the country and its talented authors, I would still recommend it!
#TranslatedFiction #KazakhLiterature
#CentralAsianLiterature #ReadTheWorld #BookReview
May 1, 2026
The book was a gem to get insights of Kazakh society. To see what was behind socialism, how the society developed after 1990s. I could not familiarize myself with the translation. Thus 3 stars. Else 4*
February 12, 2024
I'm really happy to read this collection of stories from my homeland and it makes my heart warm to feel seen and represented in the global literary world. Perhaps, I didn't like all of the stories but they still echoed in my heart. I would want all my foreign friends to read this book to understand the region better
October 22, 2025
First, I am incredibly honored to read these works as I've hardly came across Kazakh literary works. This was very refreshing, every story carrying its unique charm. There was also mentions of other Kazakh and Central Asian authors in the foreword- Gabriel McGuire brought up a great point that many translated stories, on the surface, appear to have novelty because of their foreign-ness to Western readers and their national/cultural identity. While that is a part of it, some of the stories in this collection could really stand out on their own. Additionally, having learned about the history of the Soviet Union and seeing those aspects within these stories really makes my understanding of that era more fleshed out with emphasis on cultural/language erasure. I did say that these works do not need to have a foreign novelty to be considered great, but I also think these stories give me a little insight on how Kazakh women attempt to reconcile their culture with the recent past, especially in the face of globalization.
Now, I say some because to be honest, some of the stories I read from this collection were unremarkable. Of course, I'll mention my favorites, but if I had to divide what I liked and didn't like, it would be a 4o/60 respectively. I wasn't sure if these stories didn't land for me because some things simply can't be translated, but I think adding annotations that could explain the significance of a specific concept or idea that is isolated to the Kazakh/Russian language would've made my reading feel more supported. Otherwise, I just felt like I couldn't truly appreciate the work for what it was. Still, if I was judging, translation issues aside, I would say that some stories just fall flat, not at all thought-provoking, even if I had to scratch my head. It would be exposition, occasionally flowery language, and basic dialogue. I think I'd like to go back and reread to see what I may have missed, because I'd hate to call a story bad because I didn't understand it. What people consider thought-provoking is subjective though.
A few stories that I liked, which I'll give brief reasons why:
An Awkward Conversation - A story about infidelity that is telephoned from Guldaria (narrator's friend) to the narrator and us simultaneously. It's juicy gossip on the surface (that has a depressing end at the story's conclusion) but it is also a story that shakes one's conception of their childhood and parents. Guldaria tells the story from her childhood, then it ends with her mother being mad that her husband was buried next to his mistress. The helplessness is haunting.
Aslan's Bride: Very quirky, about a lady that comes across a mother that can't reconcile with the fact that her son is probably dead. She plays along with it, so much as acting as his bride-in-waiting. She grows a heartwarming relationship with the mother although it feels... morbidly sweet? Haha, I cackled a few times.
Excerpt from School and Anthropologists (two separate stories written by one of the book's translators): Reminiscent of other stories I've read that critique bureaucracy by inserting the victim as the narrator (victim might not be the best word, but both narrators have to deal with serving self-serving and superficial people in the name of profit and reputation- this story resonates with literally everyone on the planet, I think everyone would find a charm with these two stories).
The Lighter: An interesting story about a fourteen year old orphan who effectively sells her body for money, she's drunk and eating a hotdog most of the time but the girl's mood vs. the context she exists in is incongruent and I find it SO intriguing; I have a proclivity to stories like these. She is physically vulnerable and yet as readers reading her perspective, it still feels like she's hiding something. It's tragic, even when you read her spinning in drunken happiness at the end of it.
There are other stories, but these stand out to me especially. I could go on more about why I like these stories and indulge you guys with my personal analysis but I'm too lazy haha. These reasons are only scratching the surface of why I like them. There were also stories that are dark, recounting the period of perestroika and the aftermath, it feels like personal accounts that remind me of Post-Soviet Jewish stories. These stories are very, very important in understanding the difficult relationship between a Kazakh person and their culture after a traumatizing era.
I don't want to weigh down the review of this book because of the amount of stories in here that I simply don't like, but I think the authors and translators could've picked more engaging stories. I refuse to believe these are the best of the best Kazakh Women writers, respectfully. I just know there are perhaps thousands upon thousands of Kazakh works just waiting to be read and appreciated and adored, and this book was definitely an introduction for outside readers like me to Kazakh writings (it's difficult to find Kazakh stories, period, so seeing this was lovely). I look forward to reading more works from Central Asia. I would definitely read another collection of Kazakh Women stories should the author and translators choose to make another one.
Now, I say some because to be honest, some of the stories I read from this collection were unremarkable. Of course, I'll mention my favorites, but if I had to divide what I liked and didn't like, it would be a 4o/60 respectively. I wasn't sure if these stories didn't land for me because some things simply can't be translated, but I think adding annotations that could explain the significance of a specific concept or idea that is isolated to the Kazakh/Russian language would've made my reading feel more supported. Otherwise, I just felt like I couldn't truly appreciate the work for what it was. Still, if I was judging, translation issues aside, I would say that some stories just fall flat, not at all thought-provoking, even if I had to scratch my head. It would be exposition, occasionally flowery language, and basic dialogue. I think I'd like to go back and reread to see what I may have missed, because I'd hate to call a story bad because I didn't understand it. What people consider thought-provoking is subjective though.
A few stories that I liked, which I'll give brief reasons why:
An Awkward Conversation - A story about infidelity that is telephoned from Guldaria (narrator's friend) to the narrator and us simultaneously. It's juicy gossip on the surface (that has a depressing end at the story's conclusion) but it is also a story that shakes one's conception of their childhood and parents. Guldaria tells the story from her childhood, then it ends with her mother being mad that her husband was buried next to his mistress. The helplessness is haunting.
Aslan's Bride: Very quirky, about a lady that comes across a mother that can't reconcile with the fact that her son is probably dead. She plays along with it, so much as acting as his bride-in-waiting. She grows a heartwarming relationship with the mother although it feels... morbidly sweet? Haha, I cackled a few times.
Excerpt from School and Anthropologists (two separate stories written by one of the book's translators): Reminiscent of other stories I've read that critique bureaucracy by inserting the victim as the narrator (victim might not be the best word, but both narrators have to deal with serving self-serving and superficial people in the name of profit and reputation- this story resonates with literally everyone on the planet, I think everyone would find a charm with these two stories).
The Lighter: An interesting story about a fourteen year old orphan who effectively sells her body for money, she's drunk and eating a hotdog most of the time but the girl's mood vs. the context she exists in is incongruent and I find it SO intriguing; I have a proclivity to stories like these. She is physically vulnerable and yet as readers reading her perspective, it still feels like she's hiding something. It's tragic, even when you read her spinning in drunken happiness at the end of it.
There are other stories, but these stand out to me especially. I could go on more about why I like these stories and indulge you guys with my personal analysis but I'm too lazy haha. These reasons are only scratching the surface of why I like them. There were also stories that are dark, recounting the period of perestroika and the aftermath, it feels like personal accounts that remind me of Post-Soviet Jewish stories. These stories are very, very important in understanding the difficult relationship between a Kazakh person and their culture after a traumatizing era.
I don't want to weigh down the review of this book because of the amount of stories in here that I simply don't like, but I think the authors and translators could've picked more engaging stories. I refuse to believe these are the best of the best Kazakh Women writers, respectfully. I just know there are perhaps thousands upon thousands of Kazakh works just waiting to be read and appreciated and adored, and this book was definitely an introduction for outside readers like me to Kazakh writings (it's difficult to find Kazakh stories, period, so seeing this was lovely). I look forward to reading more works from Central Asia. I would definitely read another collection of Kazakh Women stories should the author and translators choose to make another one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2026
Il giudizio su questo libro sarà particolarmente (immeritatamente?) severo, ma riflette la mia disastrosa esperienza di lettura più che la qualità intrinseca dell'opera.
E' un' antologia di racconti scritti da autrici kazake contemporanee quindi il risultato è un insieme eterogeneo di stili e temi: alcuni lavori sono dei divertissement fulminanti, altri sono malinconici e altri ancora più politicizzati. Il fil rouge è il Kazakistan, un paese dalle due anime eternamente in conflitto, quella russa e quella kazaka.
Gli intenti dunque sono ottimi: far conoscere l'identità di uno Stato giovane (ha raggiunto l'indipendenza solo nel 1991 dopo decenni di colonizzazione sovietica) attraverso le sue voci femminili.
La realizzazione però lascia molto a desiderare: innanzitutto i racconti sono privi di contesto ed è difficile capire cosa stia succedendo e perché; poi non so se qualcosa sia andato perso per via della traduzione o se la scelta delle dodici autrici sia stata sfortunata, ma la scrittura mi è sembrata genericamente piatta e poco ispirata. Essendo 24 lavori ce ne sono alcuni più riusciti di altri ma nel complesso nessuno di essi spicca per qualche aspetto particolare, rientrano tutti nella mediocrità.
Ho fatto davvero una gran fatica a portare a termine la lettura e non per via di qualche difetto eclatante ma perché non avevo mai la minima voglia di riprendere in mano il libro. Zero coinvolgimento, zero interesse: in parte sarà perché la formula del racconto non mi è congeniale, ma non posso non tener conto del fatto che raramente un libro mi ha suscitato così tanta indifferenza e noia.
E' un' antologia di racconti scritti da autrici kazake contemporanee quindi il risultato è un insieme eterogeneo di stili e temi: alcuni lavori sono dei divertissement fulminanti, altri sono malinconici e altri ancora più politicizzati. Il fil rouge è il Kazakistan, un paese dalle due anime eternamente in conflitto, quella russa e quella kazaka.
Gli intenti dunque sono ottimi: far conoscere l'identità di uno Stato giovane (ha raggiunto l'indipendenza solo nel 1991 dopo decenni di colonizzazione sovietica) attraverso le sue voci femminili.
La realizzazione però lascia molto a desiderare: innanzitutto i racconti sono privi di contesto ed è difficile capire cosa stia succedendo e perché; poi non so se qualcosa sia andato perso per via della traduzione o se la scelta delle dodici autrici sia stata sfortunata, ma la scrittura mi è sembrata genericamente piatta e poco ispirata. Essendo 24 lavori ce ne sono alcuni più riusciti di altri ma nel complesso nessuno di essi spicca per qualche aspetto particolare, rientrano tutti nella mediocrità.
Ho fatto davvero una gran fatica a portare a termine la lettura e non per via di qualche difetto eclatante ma perché non avevo mai la minima voglia di riprendere in mano il libro. Zero coinvolgimento, zero interesse: in parte sarà perché la formula del racconto non mi è congeniale, ma non posso non tener conto del fatto che raramente un libro mi ha suscitato così tanta indifferenza e noia.
June 20, 2024
A beautiful anthology of Kazakh literature and a great introduction to this country as a whole.
Some of the short stories contained incredible descriptions of the natural world (i.e. the sea) and the collective hope of women in the country.
Others had darker more depressing moods regarding poverty, alcoholism, and loneliness from one's culture and identity.
Overall, a worthwhile read for those wanting to know more about Kazakhstan during the Soviet to modern era and the stories of individuals grappling with modernization and urbanization.
Some of the short stories contained incredible descriptions of the natural world (i.e. the sea) and the collective hope of women in the country.
Others had darker more depressing moods regarding poverty, alcoholism, and loneliness from one's culture and identity.
Overall, a worthwhile read for those wanting to know more about Kazakhstan during the Soviet to modern era and the stories of individuals grappling with modernization and urbanization.
November 16, 2024
The anthology is notable for its diversity in form and style, featuring a range of genres from fiction to essays. The stories delve into various themes, including nostalgia, identity, and the struggles faced by women in a rapidly changing society. This collection is particularly significant as it represents the first comprehensive anthology of women's writing from Kazakhstan available in English, providing insights into a culture often overlooked in global literature.
April 10, 2026
For some reason, I particularly liked one of the first stories, Aslan's Bride, which might’ve coloured my impression of the rest of the book (there were definitely some tales that felt less polished...). Just something about going right, city life is a bust, I'm going to go live in the countryside where people think I'm really pretty and participate in some kind of daughter/mother-in-law mutual delusion and see how that works out instead?! Bold.
June 6, 2026
I came across this book after I’ve seen an exhibition on nuclear colonization in Kazachstan.
I’ve realized that I actually know nothing about Kazachstan and what would be a better way to learn more than from women of this country.
It was a very pleasant experience and it taught me a lot about this fascinating culture and mindset.
I was particularly struck by the way Kazach women were describing womanhood and motherhood, it made me reflect a lot on my own experiences.
I’ve realized that I actually know nothing about Kazachstan and what would be a better way to learn more than from women of this country.
It was a very pleasant experience and it taught me a lot about this fascinating culture and mindset.
I was particularly struck by the way Kazach women were describing womanhood and motherhood, it made me reflect a lot on my own experiences.
February 1, 2026
Very much enjoyed this, exactly why i cherish literature, the opportunity to explore beyond the borders of our tiny lives. .. while not every story was a polished masterwork, the collection as a whole took me into the hearts and souls of the Kazakh people through space and time - do I understand this world now? No. Do i want to know much much more? Yes. The seed has been planted and this book was its first nourishment
June 24, 2026
I’m not a short story person, but there are some very high highs here.
I particularly enjoyed the story about an “old maid” who finds her mother in law without ever finding her husband, and the story about the young sex worker, who does the best she can with the cards she’s been dealt. Can’t wait to drive around the steppe in the middle of the night.
I particularly enjoyed the story about an “old maid” who finds her mother in law without ever finding her husband, and the story about the young sex worker, who does the best she can with the cards she’s been dealt. Can’t wait to drive around the steppe in the middle of the night.
January 12, 2025
It is commendable that women writers in Kazakhstan took up their pens and gave the world snippets of information and insights in Kazakh daily life, but the stories are not the funny, intriguing and surprising stories that I usually go for
Want to Read
September 30, 2022ht the millions https://themillions.com/2022/09/the-s...
October 30, 2022
I loved loved loved Zira Naurzbayeva's The Beskempir. Actually all her stories. Some of these made me laugh out loud and some moved me to tears. Others I couldn't stop thinking about days after.
June 26, 2023
First time reading stories from Kazakhstan. Very interesting. My favourite is Aslan's Bride.
June 20, 2025
Read around the world project - Kazakhstan
May 25, 2026
Normally it is hard for me to stay engaged with shorts stories, but this book was refreshingly interesting and both calming to read. I really enjoyed some insight into Kazakh history, too.
June 23, 2026
4.5stars - Interesting and varied collection. Great to read whilst in Kazakhstan.
January 2, 2024
The editors / translators of AMANAT: WOMEN’S WRITING FROM KAZAKHSTAN (#gifted) describe “amanat” as a “promise entwined with hope for the future”—this collection is such a promise, they write, “to these writers and the ones who have come before and who will come after them, that their legacy will be honored and continued.”
I knew nothing about Kazakh history before this book (honestly, very little about Central Asian history). The introduction is particularly helpful in setting historical context, if you need it. Each story paints us a unique experience, unveiling history from the eyes of those most marginalized. Hunger overtakes hard transitions from village to big city; familial and marital tensions; sexuality and love; the status of women is questioned, publicly and privately. Much is shadowed by war and a turbulent past, but still, there is hope and resistance and living.
A couple of my favorites included Lilya Kalaus’ “A Woman Over Fifty,” where she compares an image of cacti growing out of a typewriter to middle-aged women, and Asel Omar’s “The Black Snow of December,” which documents protests by Kazakhs in December of 1986 of the Soviet Union that was violently put down by Russian troops.
Thank you Gaudy Boy for the gifted ebook.
I knew nothing about Kazakh history before this book (honestly, very little about Central Asian history). The introduction is particularly helpful in setting historical context, if you need it. Each story paints us a unique experience, unveiling history from the eyes of those most marginalized. Hunger overtakes hard transitions from village to big city; familial and marital tensions; sexuality and love; the status of women is questioned, publicly and privately. Much is shadowed by war and a turbulent past, but still, there is hope and resistance and living.
A couple of my favorites included Lilya Kalaus’ “A Woman Over Fifty,” where she compares an image of cacti growing out of a typewriter to middle-aged women, and Asel Omar’s “The Black Snow of December,” which documents protests by Kazakhs in December of 1986 of the Soviet Union that was violently put down by Russian troops.
Thank you Gaudy Boy for the gifted ebook.
December 20, 2024
A rare look into life in Kazakhstan, during the Soviet period and into the modern day.
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