Author: Ammar Al Naaimi
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Format: E-Book
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Unoriginal tales is a collection of fantastical narratives of universal themes including societal, social, and economical subjects dipped in magic.
Unoriginal Tales comprises of a series of short stories based in the Sultanate of Oman. Each story unique in its delivery has a little bit of magic, literally. The main leads were a joy to discover, ranging from an underdog, a fan girl, a sage and even a dragon for God’s sake!
Magic here is used as an atmospheric catalyst rather than being in the forefront but let me break it to you: it does not compromise the quality of each story.
Without giving too much away, I really appreciate that the author didn’t shy away from profound universal subjects such as postpartum depression, relationship challenges and work troubles. The story lines were mapped out fantastically and kept me engaged from start to finish that I felt bummed out every time a chapter ended. Being a Middle Eastern myself, I found the landscape and the demographic representation relatable and great!
My favourite stories include the heartbreaking “I love you still”, the politically intriguing “Embezzle” and the cheeky “The Parking Lot” (which should just be adapted to a screenplay! I’m looking at you 5 Guys!)
I applaud Ammar for his first book publication and for giving me the honour to review his work. I only hope he deservingly goes up the ranks and receives accolades from publishing houses and readers here in the GCC and all over the world!
To find out more on where to pre-order the book, please click here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08175XRP6
BOUND BY WORDS 