I've never reviewed a short story before. After reading though this well crafted piece, I have come to realize that reviewing stories like this needs a different set of skills and appreciation for detail which I may or might not possess.
First of all, the writing is very evocative and transportive. With the limited length that the story has, it packed a lot of realness into offering a peek into the psyche of the main character, Bierra. The story is experimental in nature opening from point of view of an "incubus", and giving credence to the meaning of this term, starts off creepy. The reason why she is disturbed in her sleep and plagued by nightmares is slowly revealed. The sense of guilt and shame she harbored over a relationship that failed due to factors beyond her control is effectively portrayed.
The way Bierra tries to make amends in such a delicate and awkward scenario while trying to suppress her feelings, succumbing to them whilst knowing it wasn't a good idea to begin with, these faults make the character grounded and believable. As this short character drama nears the climax, the way it ends, makes the reader pause for a second or two and go back scrounging for details that one might have missed the first time around. It is very inventive in it's quirky presentation and layered narration. It becomes more complex and more confusing upon re-read. The unreliable narrator element and the POV switches are done in a unique way and scenes transition from dream and reality smoothly seeding doubts in the mind of the reader.
I double checked with the author to get it right for the review. Hope I did not spoil it too much. There are some things which I am still confused about, which might appear stupid to a more astute reader or for the author. But in spite of that, I enjoyed the atmosphere that is created and the uniqueness of the short, which I really appreciated.
Thanks. Congrats that you got featured in the official reading lists.
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Constructive reviews (COMPLETED)
Random[PERMANENTLY CLOSED] A honest take on Wattpad books that I read. Review is from a reader's perspective. My reviews are my opinion and not objective truth.
