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Żifna f’xifer irdum
“Hemm tfajliet oħra li jista’ joħroġ magħhom kieku jrid. Telefonata kulma tmur fin-nofs. Imma kull darba li jinzertaha, jinnota dettall fiha jew mossa minn tagħha li jispiċċa jġorr miegħu ġurnata sħiħa. Jogħġbu kif tilbes, kif tikkombina l-kuluri. Ftit naf nies li jilbsu l-kuluri li tilbes hi. Jogħġbu kif tinżel it-taraġ, kif il-fwieħa tagħha tibqa' bħal imdendla fl-arja, kważi bi nkejja, qisha ħaġa moħġaġa, qisha sigriet li jixtieq jista’ jħaddan.
Ismaïl rieqed raqda fonda, bil-maħbuba tiegħu maġenbu ma tiflaħx taqla’ għajnejha minn fuqu. Salvu u Rita reġgħu qed ipejpu sigarett fil-gallarija, ipespsu u jidħqu daqslikieku għadhom namrati. Fis-sodda nru 11 tal-kamra nru 10 fl-Infectious Disease Unit, Tessie Tabone daqt tiġbed l-aħħar nifs. Se tħalli warajha żewġ ulied, miġġildin. Denise tixtieq li għandha ritratt sura tan-nanna, liebsa l-gejxa …
F’din in-nisġa ta’ rakkonti, mhux il-karattri kollha għandhom isem. Forsi għax jistgħu jkunu int jew jien. Jew dik il-mara li ċċumbajt tiċċaċċra ma’ sħabha, liebsa kowt vjola jgħajjat. Jew dik l-omm żagħżugħa li lmaħt tiġri barra fix-xita, bil-papoċċ roża, b’tarbija tixher f’dirgħajha. Tgħid fejn kienet sejra? Jew il-ġuvni li nzertajt m’ilux ġo ħanut, idur indeċiż il-fwejjaħ tan-nisa, flixkun flixkun …
Ismaïl rieqed raqda fonda, bil-maħbuba tiegħu maġenbu ma tiflaħx taqla’ għajnejha minn fuqu. Salvu u Rita reġgħu qed ipejpu sigarett fil-gallarija, ipespsu u jidħqu daqslikieku għadhom namrati. Fis-sodda nru 11 tal-kamra nru 10 fl-Infectious Disease Unit, Tessie Tabone daqt tiġbed l-aħħar nifs. Se tħalli warajha żewġ ulied, miġġildin. Denise tixtieq li għandha ritratt sura tan-nanna, liebsa l-gejxa …
F’din in-nisġa ta’ rakkonti, mhux il-karattri kollha għandhom isem. Forsi għax jistgħu jkunu int jew jien. Jew dik il-mara li ċċumbajt tiċċaċċra ma’ sħabha, liebsa kowt vjola jgħajjat. Jew dik l-omm żagħżugħa li lmaħt tiġri barra fix-xita, bil-papoċċ roża, b’tarbija tixher f’dirgħajha. Tgħid fejn kienet sejra? Jew il-ġuvni li nzertajt m’ilux ġo ħanut, idur indeċiż il-fwejjaħ tan-nisa, flixkun flixkun …
224 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 23, 2021
I’ve always felt that the Maltese language is a rough one. When spoken it’s has a guttural feel and no less better when written, even when using the more polite forms there still an underlying brutality. However Nadia Mifsud has proved me wrong. All the stories in Żifna f’xifer irdum ( literal translation: Dancing on a Cliff Edge) are beautifully written; this is prose which envelopes you in it’s beauty, each word, expression has it’s own special place. The sentences just flow and coil around the reader like a boa constrictor. Nadia Mifsud is a poet and that rhythm is present here.
Thankfully these stories support the writing. As the title suggest the majority of these characters are women who are living dangerously or are prepared to take risks: There are a lot of highlights, opener Xorta! ( a word that has many meanings but in this case it’s doesn’t matter) is about a male who dumps potential girlfriends who are indecisive, only to fall into the same trap , Tixqiq (Fissures) is a sordid tale of physical and psychological abuse, Requiem is about someone remembering anecdotes about her dead mother, while experiencing a funny situation and at a loss who to tell it to. Teddy refers to a teddy bear, which ends up being a metaphor for a child who is gone.
A lot of the stories in this collection are circular, by this I mean that they start at point A and end at Point A , Barmil tal-art (The Bucket) is a perfect example, Merry-go-round as well, although that one takes a dark turn and the aforementioned Xorta.
Nadia Mifsud, although has an elegant style, does not mince words and dark themes and twists populate these pieces. Another favourite is Il-MoMA, in which a man visits The famous titular museum and through some playful teasing finds himself sleeping with a beautiful woman. At first the language makes us think that this is a nebbish single man whose dreams have come true and then the twist hits and our feelings towards this character change immediately via one sentence. Males do not come off lightly in this collection but, honestly, who cares – these stories are absolutely brilliant and it’s easy to be immersed.
I can heap more praise but really just read these stories. Utter perfection.
Thankfully these stories support the writing. As the title suggest the majority of these characters are women who are living dangerously or are prepared to take risks: There are a lot of highlights, opener Xorta! ( a word that has many meanings but in this case it’s doesn’t matter) is about a male who dumps potential girlfriends who are indecisive, only to fall into the same trap , Tixqiq (Fissures) is a sordid tale of physical and psychological abuse, Requiem is about someone remembering anecdotes about her dead mother, while experiencing a funny situation and at a loss who to tell it to. Teddy refers to a teddy bear, which ends up being a metaphor for a child who is gone.
A lot of the stories in this collection are circular, by this I mean that they start at point A and end at Point A , Barmil tal-art (The Bucket) is a perfect example, Merry-go-round as well, although that one takes a dark turn and the aforementioned Xorta.
Nadia Mifsud, although has an elegant style, does not mince words and dark themes and twists populate these pieces. Another favourite is Il-MoMA, in which a man visits The famous titular museum and through some playful teasing finds himself sleeping with a beautiful woman. At first the language makes us think that this is a nebbish single man whose dreams have come true and then the twist hits and our feelings towards this character change immediately via one sentence. Males do not come off lightly in this collection but, honestly, who cares – these stories are absolutely brilliant and it’s easy to be immersed.
I can heap more praise but really just read these stories. Utter perfection.
November 16, 2021
Xi darba, daqs sitt snin ilu, Nadia Mifsud, inħbiet wara l-kantuniera u minflok tatna qatgħa qabditilna jdejna u daħħlitna ’l ġewwa. Dakinhar, għażlet il-forma tal-poeżija, b’versi ħielsa, u kultant ġinnastika ta’ kliem li sfidaw ir-riġidita orizzontali. Donnu riedet tgħidilna jien Bormliża, imdorrija bit-turġien u allura ħa nqabbiżkom ftit minn tarġa għal oħra, anki jekk għall-bżonn tistordu ftit u taqtgħu nifiskom.
Did-darba, ma stennitniex wara l-kantuniera, u m’użatx ġinnastika. Ħaditna minflok lejn xifer l-irdum, żeffnitna u waqt li kienet hemm, la fakkritna li għal uħud ifisser it-tmiem u lanqas li hemmhekk ix-xemx meta titla’ jew tinżel tagħti spettaklu. Minn hemmhekk, ippreżentat karattri bi stejjer li jiġru fl-ibliet, kważi dejjem lil hinn minn Malta imma bl-għeruq jibqgħu jiġru xi mkien hawn u qishom ma jistgħux jinqalgħu. Hemm studenti li nqatgħu għal ftit, oħrajn li kellhom jaħarbu mill-pajjiż għax minkejja l-ftuħ li joffri l-irdum ma felħux il-klawstrofibità tal-gżira. Oħrajn ħarbu ħarba ta’ malajr. In-narratur kważi dejjem fl-ewwel persuna, il-verbi jibdew bl-‘n’ bħal isimha. Forsi l-istint poetiku ta’ ġo fiha ma jafx ma jiktibx hekk, ma jinteressahiex li toffri aktar bilanċ. Hemm storja ta’ xi ħadd li trid twassal u lesta xxidd il-libsa tagħha. Kultant tilgħab bil-kliem iżżejjed, u tistaqsi fejn se tieħdok, imma umbgħad tagħlaq b’nofs sentenza li jaħfer il-logħob tal-kliem ftit żejjed.
Il-protagonisti kważi kollha nisa, kultant jiskappa l-element femminista li jinħass umiljat li ġie offrut barmil tal-ilma ġdid, drabi oħra toħroġ il-fraġiltà tal-omm li qisu l-ebda kittieb maskili m’azzarda jmiss is-sanktità tagħha, kellha tkun hi.
Hija ġabra ta’ sittax-il storja qasira, li timmaġina li se jkollok il-favoriti u inqas favoriti. Imma l-ispeċjalità ta’ din il-ġabra hi li mumenti u karattri minn storja jerġgħu jfiġġu fi stejjer differenti, u għalhekk ngħid li hawnhekk Mifsud offriet xi ħaġa li tmur oltre mill-ġabriet l-oħra mdorrijin bihom. Kienet Clare Azzopardi l-aħħar darba li għamlet l-istess permezz tal-ġabra Kulħadd Ħalla Isem Warajh. Hemm nisġa bejn storja u oħra, ħa tfakkrek f’karattri li ftit ilu kont qrajt fuqhom, ħa terġa’ tieħdok lura qabel tmexxik ’il quddiem. Il-karattri li tatek dewqa tagħhom qabel, ħa tiftaħlek tieqa oħra fuqhom fi stejjer oħra, u waqt li tkun hemm tfakkrek kemm taf tilgħab bil-kliem. U bik.
Imma fil-letteratura aktar minn sempliċiment tajba anki jekk ikun hemm min żeffnek meta int ma tafx tiżfen ma jimportax.
Did-darba, ma stennitniex wara l-kantuniera, u m’użatx ġinnastika. Ħaditna minflok lejn xifer l-irdum, żeffnitna u waqt li kienet hemm, la fakkritna li għal uħud ifisser it-tmiem u lanqas li hemmhekk ix-xemx meta titla’ jew tinżel tagħti spettaklu. Minn hemmhekk, ippreżentat karattri bi stejjer li jiġru fl-ibliet, kważi dejjem lil hinn minn Malta imma bl-għeruq jibqgħu jiġru xi mkien hawn u qishom ma jistgħux jinqalgħu. Hemm studenti li nqatgħu għal ftit, oħrajn li kellhom jaħarbu mill-pajjiż għax minkejja l-ftuħ li joffri l-irdum ma felħux il-klawstrofibità tal-gżira. Oħrajn ħarbu ħarba ta’ malajr. In-narratur kważi dejjem fl-ewwel persuna, il-verbi jibdew bl-‘n’ bħal isimha. Forsi l-istint poetiku ta’ ġo fiha ma jafx ma jiktibx hekk, ma jinteressahiex li toffri aktar bilanċ. Hemm storja ta’ xi ħadd li trid twassal u lesta xxidd il-libsa tagħha. Kultant tilgħab bil-kliem iżżejjed, u tistaqsi fejn se tieħdok, imma umbgħad tagħlaq b’nofs sentenza li jaħfer il-logħob tal-kliem ftit żejjed.
Il-protagonisti kważi kollha nisa, kultant jiskappa l-element femminista li jinħass umiljat li ġie offrut barmil tal-ilma ġdid, drabi oħra toħroġ il-fraġiltà tal-omm li qisu l-ebda kittieb maskili m’azzarda jmiss is-sanktità tagħha, kellha tkun hi.
Hija ġabra ta’ sittax-il storja qasira, li timmaġina li se jkollok il-favoriti u inqas favoriti. Imma l-ispeċjalità ta’ din il-ġabra hi li mumenti u karattri minn storja jerġgħu jfiġġu fi stejjer differenti, u għalhekk ngħid li hawnhekk Mifsud offriet xi ħaġa li tmur oltre mill-ġabriet l-oħra mdorrijin bihom. Kienet Clare Azzopardi l-aħħar darba li għamlet l-istess permezz tal-ġabra Kulħadd Ħalla Isem Warajh. Hemm nisġa bejn storja u oħra, ħa tfakkrek f’karattri li ftit ilu kont qrajt fuqhom, ħa terġa’ tieħdok lura qabel tmexxik ’il quddiem. Il-karattri li tatek dewqa tagħhom qabel, ħa tiftaħlek tieqa oħra fuqhom fi stejjer oħra, u waqt li tkun hemm tfakkrek kemm taf tilgħab bil-kliem. U bik.
Imma fil-letteratura aktar minn sempliċiment tajba anki jekk ikun hemm min żeffnek meta int ma tafx tiżfen ma jimportax.
May 20, 2022
Nadia għandha xi ħaġa speċjali. L-iżjed mument sempliċi jsir l-iżjed mument poetiku permezz ta’ kitbitha. Taqbadlek esperjenzi universali u tittrasformahom f’esperjenzi intimament personali bid-dettalji partikolari tagħhom. Kitbitha tqanqlek, taffaxxinak, tissorprendik.
December 31, 2021
Din il-ġabra ta' novelli sseħħ f'dak li sirt nagħraf bħala l-univers ta' Nadia Mifsud, li huwa wieħed intimu u b'perspettiva femminili u impliċitament femminista, li fih is-sensi, il-ħsibijiet u l-memorji jieħdu l-akbar attenzjoni. Kulma qrajt s'issa ta' Nadia għoġobni, u fil-fehma tiegħi hija waħda mill-aqwa kittieba li għandu l-ilsien Malti bħalissa.
January 9, 2022
Ma kont naf xejn fuq dan il-ktieb meta qbadtu, u wara li qrajt l-ewwel storja, 'Xorta!', storja pjuttost quirky u ironika, ħadt l-impressjoni li l-kumplament tal-ktieb ħa jżomm l-istess ton. Ma kellix idea li kont dieħla għal stejjer daqshekk heavy li jixxukjawk u jġiegħluk tkompli taħseb fuqhom ħafna wara li l-istorja tkun spiċċat. Nadia Mifsud hija awtriċi eċċellenti u għanda opinjonijiet tajbin ħafna li taf twassalhom sew permezz tal-mod eċċezzjonali ta' kif tħaddem il-lingwa tagħna.
Ħadt pjaċir ninnota storja tinseġ f' oħra u ċerta li jekk nerġa naqrah, ninnota iktar dettalji li forsi ħarbuli din id-darba. Stejjer bħal 'Please do not disturb' u 'Il-MoMA' impressjonawni għal mod kif tkun mingħalik li qed iwassluk ximkien imma jieħduk ximkien kompletament differenti.
Waħda mill-favoriti tiegħi hija 'Métro, Boulot, Dodo' għax ħassejtni li stajt nirrelata sew mal-karattru prinċipali. Storja oħra għal qalbi hija l-aħħar waħda, 'Requiem', li emozzjonatni u naħseb li kienet l-isbaħ mod kif tikkonkludi din l-antoloġija.
Ħadt pjaċir ninnota storja tinseġ f' oħra u ċerta li jekk nerġa naqrah, ninnota iktar dettalji li forsi ħarbuli din id-darba. Stejjer bħal 'Please do not disturb' u 'Il-MoMA' impressjonawni għal mod kif tkun mingħalik li qed iwassluk ximkien imma jieħduk ximkien kompletament differenti.
Waħda mill-favoriti tiegħi hija 'Métro, Boulot, Dodo' għax ħassejtni li stajt nirrelata sew mal-karattru prinċipali. Storja oħra għal qalbi hija l-aħħar waħda, 'Requiem', li emozzjonatni u naħseb li kienet l-isbaħ mod kif tikkonkludi din l-antoloġija.
July 10, 2022
Ġabra ta' stejjer qosra interessanti immens. Ħsibijiet universali mirquma fi proża bellezza li iġġegħlek tibqa' taħseb. Stejjer u episodji separati u differenti iżda li wara ftit tinduna li hemm nisġa bejn ċertu minnhom - karattri li ġa ltqajt magħhom qabel, u li fi storja differenti mill-perspettiva ta' karattru ieħor, f'daqqa waħda jieħdu xeħta oħra u mingħajr ma trid mbagħad tkompli taqra forsi terġa' tiltaqa' ma' dak il-karattru moħbi f' xi storja oħra, u tipprova tifhem aktar dwaru u l-psyche tiegħu.
March 19, 2023
A master (mistress?) at work.
The first few stories are good, not exceptional but then, like a fly oblivious that it's being spun in a web by a spider until too late, I joined the dots and its intricate beauty was revealed to me. What a joy it was then to retrace my steps and pulling the threads linking the short stories all together
Seriously impressive.
The first few stories are good, not exceptional but then, like a fly oblivious that it's being spun in a web by a spider until too late, I joined the dots and its intricate beauty was revealed to me. What a joy it was then to retrace my steps and pulling the threads linking the short stories all together
Seriously impressive.
February 10, 2024
Sa’ qabel ma qrajt “MoMA” kont intih 4/5.
Jiġi s-suġġett ta’ Picasso u xi relazzjoni li kellu ma’ tfajla ta’ 17 meta hu kellu 45…u din is-sitwazzjoni tiġi deskritta fil-ktieb bħala li hu “ħabbha u ħabbha ta’ veru”.
E? Kif tista’ tiddeskrivi grooming u abbuż, minn persuna li kien magħruf ukoll li kien abbużiv, bħala mħabba?
Jiġi s-suġġett ta’ Picasso u xi relazzjoni li kellu ma’ tfajla ta’ 17 meta hu kellu 45…u din is-sitwazzjoni tiġi deskritta fil-ktieb bħala li hu “ħabbha u ħabbha ta’ veru”.
E? Kif tista’ tiddeskrivi grooming u abbuż, minn persuna li kien magħruf ukoll li kien abbużiv, bħala mħabba?
August 18, 2023
Żifna f’xifer irdum (literally “A Dance at the Edge of a Cliff”) is poet and novelist’s Nadia Mifsud first published collection of short stories. It includes revised versions of four works which had first appeared on Leħen il-Malti, the yearly literary journal of the Għaqda tal-Malti – Università, alongside other pieces.
These stories present us with an intimate look at the lives of ordinary people, most of them women – their loves, hates, desires and fears. Their protagonists and settings vary. "Teddy" is arrated by a young mother living in the UK whose daughters are taken by Social Services. "Togħma ta’ trab" (“A Taste of Dust”) features an Afghan bacha posh – a girl who is brought up as a boy. However, it is fair to say that many of the stories reflect the author’s own experience as a Maltese woman who has lived abroad, but who still feels the pull of her native country. This is particularly evident in "Requiem", the poignant final piece (divided into sections mirroring the movements of a musical work), in which the female narrator returns to Malta from abroad to spend some time with her mother on her deathbed. She revisits her native Cottonera (Triq Hanover is an actual street in Bormla) – an opportunity for the author to nostalgically portray the places where she grew up.
Interestingly, some of the stories turn out to be linked – there’s a thrill in realising that a story provides a different perspective to an earlier work in the book (e.g. Barmil tal-Art/Ix-Xatt tal-Isla/Il-MoMA).
As in the case of Ir-Rota Daret Dawra (Kważi) Sħiħa, I was impressed by the fact that even in writing prose, Mifsud remains a poet. She is a poet in her sense of observation and her capacity of evoking a feeling or a sense of place with just a few well-chosen words. She is a poet in the musicality and rhythm of the prose, which draws you on effortlessly. And yet, the stories are also written in an idiom which feels fresh, contemporary and authentic. There’s no denying that this is a refined, “literary” book, but it is also recognisably written in the language of the individuals who walk through its pages. A compelling and haunting read.
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/20...
These stories present us with an intimate look at the lives of ordinary people, most of them women – their loves, hates, desires and fears. Their protagonists and settings vary. "Teddy" is arrated by a young mother living in the UK whose daughters are taken by Social Services. "Togħma ta’ trab" (“A Taste of Dust”) features an Afghan bacha posh – a girl who is brought up as a boy. However, it is fair to say that many of the stories reflect the author’s own experience as a Maltese woman who has lived abroad, but who still feels the pull of her native country. This is particularly evident in "Requiem", the poignant final piece (divided into sections mirroring the movements of a musical work), in which the female narrator returns to Malta from abroad to spend some time with her mother on her deathbed. She revisits her native Cottonera (Triq Hanover is an actual street in Bormla) – an opportunity for the author to nostalgically portray the places where she grew up.
Interestingly, some of the stories turn out to be linked – there’s a thrill in realising that a story provides a different perspective to an earlier work in the book (e.g. Barmil tal-Art/Ix-Xatt tal-Isla/Il-MoMA).
As in the case of Ir-Rota Daret Dawra (Kważi) Sħiħa, I was impressed by the fact that even in writing prose, Mifsud remains a poet. She is a poet in her sense of observation and her capacity of evoking a feeling or a sense of place with just a few well-chosen words. She is a poet in the musicality and rhythm of the prose, which draws you on effortlessly. And yet, the stories are also written in an idiom which feels fresh, contemporary and authentic. There’s no denying that this is a refined, “literary” book, but it is also recognisably written in the language of the individuals who walk through its pages. A compelling and haunting read.
https://endsoftheword.blogspot.com/20...
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews