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The Stained Glass Window - An Anthology of Short Fiction

Heart–Rending and Hilarious

By Nikhat Sattar | March 2021

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Among all the genres of fiction, short stories are probably the most difficult to write. The author must turn an event, an episode or even just an emotion, into a larger-than-life depiction of characters, their roles and the lives they lead, with a choice of words that tell more than what is obvious. While a novel has all the luxury of development of characters with twists and turns, the short story must necessarily provide only a glimpse of lives of its protagonists, leaving the reader’s imagination free to wander and paint the latter’s own colours within and around the contours of the story.

This anthology titled ‘The Stained Glass Window’ which presents 26 stories by 25 Pakistani authors, has one common element - they are all written with the COVID pandemic as the core theme. Other than that, they are as diverse and varied, as absorbing and different as the experiences of life itself. Not for a moment does the reader sense repetition or monotony in either the moods or the styles. The writers, too, range from the more well-versed and known names to a younger generation who are publishing for the first time, although their mode of writing speaks of their maturity of thought and expression.

The collection of stories brings home the stark reality of the pandemic during its early days. The stories are both humorous and sad and depict the loneliness of people confined to their homes and restricted from meeting family and friends as well as new habits they inculcate to fill their days. They portray the chaos of immediate family lives and indirect and direct contradictions of the impacts of COVID on the poor and the rich. The stories are both beguiling and simple. Given the society they represent, they discuss the imbalance of gender roles and explore incidents of domestic violence when men became unemployed and women must bear the double burden of managing both the home and financial responsibilities. Many end with an unexpected twist, leaving the readers thoughtful with a myriad of conflicting emotions as they delve into their own lives for shared experiences.

This book should not be read in one sitting. It should be relished and chewed over while the impact of the stories sinks in. One can read according to the sequence they appear or pick the titles or authors.

It is difficult to do justice to all the well-woven stories in such a condensed review but a few are well-worth mentioning. “The War Zone” is a heart-rending description of the days and nights of a front line worker, a doctor who also happens to be a Christian among the majority of Muslims as she deals with religious bigotry, the relentless attacks of the pandemic and her 24-hour battle against sickness; “The Last Letter” presents a final parting of ways with strong undercurrents of pain in a failed marriage; “The Unwritten Story” brings a strange yet familiar feeling about the ease with which life transforms into death; “Coming of Age” is a story of hope and positivity, as a rich man’s son, born in the lap of luxury, realises for the first time the privileges he has been blessed with and finds a new lease of life as he lies in his hospital bed. “Motorcycle” tells of the travails of the poor during COVID times, simultaneously highlighting the heartlessness of the elite. Its end is heart-wrenching, but real. “Unlearning the Ropes” brings an unexpected end to the story of a couple with the wife bearing the burden of excessive domestic work as well as on-line professional duties while the husband tries, but fails to assist her. Violence at home is too familiar a topic in society, but the increased propensity during the lockdown is achingly described in “A Dead Daughter” and “The Show Must Not Go On” .

Not all stories are sad and painful. “Intruders” is a hilarious account of a rich family planning their daughter’s wedding during lockdown days, but even in this, the contradictions between the problems of the haves and have-nots are evident. The pandemic provided many of us time to remember and think of days gone by, including the time we spent as children. “Gulmohar House” tells of just a person who is reminiscing about the house she spent her carefree days in. The charm and beauty of the house has been multiplied by the vivid imagination and magic with which we often weave our memories.

An interesting fact about the anthology is that, of the 26 stories, 20 have been penned by women. None show that many of the writers are new to fiction writing and given the maturity of ideas and expression, readers may well look forward to more of their work.

The book has been well-edited and has an attractive cover, designed by one of the contributors. It is a valuable addition to English fiction of Pakistani origin.

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