Il-Pultruna li Titbandal u Stejjer Oħra
by Maria Camilleri
Horizons Publications, 2020
Writing a short story is admittedly easier than writing a full-length novel; but when an author opts for a collection of short stories, then the comparison dwindles dramatically.
A novel is built on a plot with several stable characters who evolve together, with variations, on one stage according to a fixed theme. A short story is relatively similar in structure, but its briefness makes it more urgent – and sometimes more difficult – for the author to make the most of what he or she has in mind in the construction of the story itself, particularly so if, as is very often the case, a message or a moral is intended.
The much-loved rumanzi (novels) still top the charts for the average Maltese reader, but for several years now, collected short stories have been growing stronger in quantity and popularity. This is all thanks to a number of authors who have excelled, and are still excelling, in the art of short-story writing, such as Charles Casha, Lina Brockdorff and Anton Grasso, to name a few.
From time to time, a new name, such as that of Maria Camilleri, appears in this form of literary art, which immediately draws attention.
Five years ago, she published her first collection of short stories: Id-Dar f’Tarf ir-Raħal u Stejjer Oħra, which immediately displayed all her abilities in form, expression and, particularly, imagination. Indeed, two of the main requisites of any author are experience and imagination. And Camilleri is the proud owner of both.
All the stories in this collection touch on humanity
Every author and poet will include in his works his own characteristics, his life experiences and his own particular flair of writing. And Camilleri is no exception. In her first collection, she immediately drew attention to her very own style of writing.
In the meantime, she apparently was working ever harder to attain an even more rich and pleasurable way of presenting her short stories, as found in this very recent collection, neatly and elegantly printed by Horizons Publications.
In Il-Pultruna li titbandal u Stejjer Oħra, which contains 23 short stories, Camilleri has done away with the usual preface and went straight into the narrative and right into a series of delightful and pleasurable tales. They are all painted with the rich tones of experience and further enhanced with the artistic gift of an almost theatrical expression that many short-story writers sadly lack.
All the stories in this collection touch on humanity in all its different and notorious aspects: happiness; sorrow; maternal, paternal and parental love; disappointments; shortcomings; greed; insensitivity; ingratitude...
Sporadic humorous asides further embellish each story; indeed, a highly enjoyable and colourful read.
The story that lent its title to the book is particularly beautiful; it is deliciously ghostly and hugely emotional. Others, such as Id-Dar tax-Xiħa, L-Ingwanti ta’ Ħafna Kuluri, Memorja ta’ Kittieb, Il-Bully, Dak li Ħallieli Missieri, Hemm Post għal Michael and Id-Di u d-Do, are vast, multi-coloured canvases of life in its crude reality. Indeed, all the stories contain a moral.
However, what matters most is the smooth narrative that makes the whole book a real joy to read.
Thanks to this collection, Camilleri has indubitably established herself as another excellent short-story writer, another valuable contributor to Maltese literature.