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SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS
NOVELS
BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
ADAPTATIONS
ANTHOLOGIES
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The new collection of short stories, Dak li l-Lejl Ihallik Tghid (what the night lets you say), takes Mejlak to the next level in his literary maturity, as the emotions explored go deeper, the characters more scarred, the locations more lived-in. Where 'Qed Nistenniek Niezla max-Xita' was carefree and imbued with the boundless freedom of a young life in big cities, 'Lejl' is occasionally dotted with the onset of regret. For every story like 'L-Ambaxxatrici' (the ambassador), where casual sex is practically worshipped as a religion, there is a mind-blowing counterpart like 'Rihitu' (his scent), with its claustrophobic intimacy and chiselled emotions, or 'Nixtieq nghajjat lil Samirah' (I want to call out to Samirah), possibly the most painful love story ever written in Maltese. One of the first things fans will notice, is that
the stories in 'Lejl' are considerably longer than those in 'Xita',
giving Mejlak scope to scour his characters' innermost feelings
and explore further the textures of the chosen background. Because
backgrounds are an integral part of Mejlak's stories: spanning from
Catalonia to Malawi, from Gozo to Beirut, they invariably steal
some of the limelight. There is no doubt that 'Dar ir-Rummien' (Pomegranate
House) is utterly dependent on its being set in Gozo; just as 'Mort
naraha, pa' (I went to see her, pa) would be a totally different
story had it been set in Germany instead of Spain. Fans who have
been waiting for 'Dak li l-Lejl Ihallik Tghid' will not be disappointed;
and a whole new league of readers who have yet to discover the sound,
texture and taste of Mejlak's writing are in for a very special
treat. 'Dak li l-Lejl Ihallik Tghid' will be launched at Malta's
most beautiful historic house, Palazzo Falson in Mdina, on June
22nd.
"Mejlak is the narrator par excellence, winning
you over effortlessly" "Mejlak manages to hit emotional pressure points
with remarkable skill." "Taking Maltese literature into new territories." "A simple, unputdownable text that transforms
the mundane into an attractive fun-fair. You willingly join the
Pied Piper for the ride and enjoy every single word of it. Two thumbs
up. Again." "Writing, like all art, is a craft, and there
is nothing better than reading a finely crafted book. But it takes
an artist to transform that craft into something more, and that
is what Mejlak has achieved once more." "I feel this is Mejlak at his best. The book
hit me deep down, with most of the stories striking a chord from
my own life and memories. There were moments when I swore he was
pulling my leg. I had to stop and reread the paragraph to see if
I had missed my name somewhere." "Another excellent collection of short stories.
You have to read it. If you don't read Maltese, hard luck, though
if you don't read Maltese even if you are Maltese, shame on you,
once, twice and a thousand times." "Darker, intense, emotion-laden work that explores
the power of memories and nostalgia." "A significant departure from his earlier work
- more sombre, more reflective." "His best, most assured and sophisticated book
yet." "Just brilliant. An excellent example of how
the Maltese language can be put to great use when a writer knows
what he's doing." "In his new book, Mejlak takes on the role
of an explorer. Readers are in for a treat." "Hurry up, Pierre Mejlak, and write another
one." "Beautiful" "Fresh and forward-looking" "A delight to read. Mejlak is definitely a
notable among the modern breed of Maltese writers who have put to
rest the ghost of stilted and unimaginative narration that used
to plague what seemed to be like the majority of Maltese literature
until fairly recently." "How on earth did Pierre J. Mejlak manage to
not only get us to read but also to - shock, horror - read books
in Maltese?!" "The work of a maturing voice" "Mejlak's writing shows the short story genre
at its best and puts paid to the myth that a short story cannot
have a strong plot and character exploration. Mejlak confirms his
reputation as an author with a penetrating eye into the psyche and
soul of fellow human beings, and does not shy away from exploring
the darker side of human nature." |
