Title: The Quest - A Collection of Short StoriesAuthor: Yannis KyrlisPublisher: Austin Macauley PublishersISBN 9781786932099 (Paperback); ISBN 9781786932105 (Hardback): ISBN 9781786932112 (eBook)
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https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-quest-a-collection-of-short-stories/yannis-kyrlis/9781786932099
Reviewed by Maria Georgala
I wish I had written this book! However, I have been so lucky to indulge myself reading the manuscript in Greek and to be so deeply involved in the text, that I decided to translate it into English. I was enchanted by the depth and the richness of diverse meanings, the dream-tinged, surreal and weird writing style. Every time I read the story “THE THREAT” it blows my mind. Any time I read it again, I want to cry and laugh at the same time, excited about its imperceptible irony.
Although his every story is surprisingly different from the others, they are all immersed into a dreamy atmosphere. In a conversation with the author, Yannis Kyrlis, I asked him about the role of dreams in his writings and I was touched by his reference to our inner scriptwriter, whom we often ignore, but who has something to tell us. The writer’s use of dreamy imagery initiates the reader into this surrealist scriptwriter and self-knowledge.
The book covers a wide range of situations and feelings, from lack of awareness and conscience, to despair and remorse, from a child’s innocence to the lack of personal responsibility and the psychology of the mass, since in many cases a crowd is similar to a herd of animals (this is the subject of the short stories “THE QUEST” and “THE COURSE OF A CRISIS”).
The author has not given names to the heroes of his stories (most of the time), emphasizing the timeless nature of human behaviours and emotions. The hero of the short story “THE QUEST” is in pursuit of his internal integration through self-knowledge. In “THE LITTLE GIRL WITH CLOTH LEGGS”, the path towards the hero’s internal integration passes through the restoration of harmony and balance between the two parts of a human being, the male and the female energy. The little girl with cloth legs symbolises a man’s undeveloped female energy (compassion, empathy…)
Twelve strangely brilliant stories: The more I read and go deeper into them, the more I get enchanted by them.
ABOUT THE REVIEWER
Author and artist of painting Maria Georgala was born in Greece. She studied Philosophy and Archaeology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and Yoga of Bihar Yoga Bharati system. Her art has been exhibited in Greece and Germany. She also contributes to Greek magazines in Athens, Duesseldorf and Chicago. Her work as an author includes fiction, plays, screenplays and children’s literature. Learn more about her at:
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