Rakiya by Ellis Shurman - #bookreview

 From Mother and Daughter:

There was no need for words. Lyuba urged her daughter forward, indicating with a nod which person the young girl should approach...

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A mother pickpocketing tourists in order to support her daughter. An elderly war veteran ashamed of his actions during the Holocaust. Two brothers hunting a killer bear. A Syrian refugee working in a Sofia bakery. A femme fatale disappearing at an international writers’ conference. And two neighbors competing to see who makes the best alcoholic drink.

This collection of heartwarming and culturally illuminating stories introduces readers to Bulgaria—its majestic mountains; picturesque villages; and rich history and traditions—and leaves them wanting more.

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This was a fabulous collection of short stories which are set in Bulgaria. In fact, I am struggling to think of anything which I have previously read being set there. Neither can I even recall a book based in Bulgaria either. Do please comment if you know of any.

This collection of stories is commendable and there was so much I liked about them. The book begins with the titular, Rakiya story. It revolves around a regional competition regarding who can make the best drink. Two neighbours are rivals for the award and this was amusing to read.

What oozes from all of those stories is the essence of Bulgaria itself, and it is every bit as cruicial as the characters are. In some of the stories we find an element of cross over as we see the reappearance of some of the characters who were in previous stories. This gave great perspective to them and I enjoyed reading the various points of view.

If I had to choose a favourite story it would have to be Lockdown. This story really got under the skin of the main character and the author did a great job with it. 

Additionally, the author brought all of these stories to life really well. I felt immersed in the tales and even more so in Bulgaria itself. I enjoyed learning about the customs and culture through the people in these stories. 

This is well worth reading.

ISBN:  979 8324380014

Publisher:  Independently published

Formats:  e-book, hardback and paperback

No. of Pages:  192 (paperback)

About the Author:

Ellis Shuman is an American-born Israeli author, travel writer, and book reviewer. His writing has appeared in The Jerusalem Post, The Times of Israel, and The Huffington Post. His short fiction has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, and has appeared in Isele Magazine, Vagabond, The Write Launch, Esoterica, Jewish Literary Journal, San Antonio Review, and other literary publications. He is the author of The Virtual Kibbutz, Valley of Thracians, and The Burgas Affair.

(book and media courtesy of the author)

(all opinions are my own)