The short story collection "I Flee From My Shadow" (Ahrubu min Zillī) by Jordanian author Musa Ibrahim Abu Riyash was recently published by "Now Publishers and Distributors" in Amman, with support from the Jordanian Ministry of Culture.
اضافة اعلان
Spanning 128 pages, the collection comprises 15 short stories that explore a diverse array of human themes, tackling alienation, isolation, existential anxiety, fear, memory, aging, illness, death, identity, the fragmentation of the self, justice, family relations, and bureaucracy. It also approaches the issues of contemporary society without losing its human depth or its concern for individual human fate.
The stories in "I Flee From My Shadow" are not built upon traditional narratives that progress linearly from a starting point to an end. Instead, they rely on a narrative structure where ideas serve as the primary catalyst for events. Each story appears as an existential question embodied in the form of a tale, or a psychological experience seeking its artistic framework. Consequently, reading the collection becomes a journey into the depths of the characters rather than a mere tracking of events.
The collection reveals a clear tendency toward employing irony and the surreal, alongside a striking presence of nightmarish elements, dreams, fantasy, and psychological realism. The boundaries between reality and the imaginary blur, inviting the reader to reinterpret the events and characters long after finishing the text.
Symbolism is employed as a structural technique rather than a mere decorative device. Objects such as the shadow, the mirror, the window, the city, the road, the collapse, the labyrinth, the stairs, the dumpster, and the clock are far from neutral; they function as signs transcending their physical existence to denote identity, memory, fear, loss, and the split self. Thus, the stories demand more than a realistic reading, inviting psychological, symbolic, and philosophical interpretations.
The collection is characterized by concise language relying on economy of expression, surprise endings, and a calm rhythm that gradually builds toward a semantic climax. It favors suggestion over explicit declaration, leaving ample room for interpretation and reader engagement.
Abu Riyash relies heavily on internal monologues, to the extent that the true dialogue within the collection occurs not between characters, but between the individual and the self. The characters think far more than they speak, continuously judging themselves and reinterpreting the world around them; thus, most events seem to occur within consciousness before manifesting externally. This imparts a clear psychological dimension to the texts, inviting the reader to actively participate in constructing meaning rather than being a passive recipient.
The cover of the collection was designed by artist Eid Banat. This marks the author's fourth short story collection, following "The Butterfly" (Al-Farasha, 2017), "The Hidden Camera" (Al-Kamira Al-Khafiyya, 2021), and "The Final Call" (Al-Nida' Al-Akheer, 2025), alongside his critical work "On the Banks of Narrative: Readings in Short Stories and Novels" ('Ala Dfaf Al-Sard, 2021).
Excerpt from the Title Story, "I Flee From My Shadow":
"A few days ago, an angry man stopped me and shouted fiercely: 'You! Why did you step on my shadow? This is an unforgivable insult; stepping on my shadow is like stepping on me! Are you blind, or did you do this clumsy act on purpose?' I apologized to him, assuring him that I was walking preoccupied and troubled, without noticing the presence of his honorable shadow. I asked for his forgiveness, explaining that I meant no offense, as there was no enmity between us—nor even prior acquaintance. The man's rage subsided, and sensing my sincerity, he said: 'I have forgiven you. Go on your way and watch your steps; you escaped my wrath today, but you might not be so lucky with someone else.'"
