Water Exhibition

My favorite aspect of Serdar Amin's creative work is his fairytale-like narrative style. As with his novel “Blackbird Song“, in “Water Exhibition” the author preserves his charming narrative voice, ensuring we are not bored even as he delves into various problems. Many of the matters discussed in the novel are related to a person's inner turmoil and suffering, yet you read these heavy subjects with genuine pleasure. On every page, it is often impossible to predict what the next scene will be. The unexpected elements, in turn, are handled with such mastery that you become convinced the events could not have unfolded otherwise; consequently, you are left admiring the author's imaginative power.

The book is not voluminous—a mere ninety-five pages in total—but it is, nonetheless, a full novel. The author could have extracted a much larger work from this material had he wished, but it appears he remained true to the principle of “quality over quantity.” As such, the novel does not weary the reader with any excess material untethered to its main narrative spine. In its place, the themes explored and the ideas conveyed are not so simple or easily digestible. In its plot, its dialogue, and its subject matter, “Water Exhibition” is not a standard novel. Much like its author, it is distinctive, contemporary, and innovative. The novel presents a new perspective, an alternative approach, to themes such as friendship, love, family, society, and the inner world and anxieties of the individual.

The novel is narrated from the perspective of the main character—that is, in the first-person singular. In the work, you read of our protagonist's hallucinations, which arise from his illness; his dreams; and, at times, his psychological flickerings—a mixture of dream-hallucination-reality. At times, it transports the reader far away—to their childhood, their inner world, their subconscious—and manages to return them safe and sound to the present. In my opinion, the author has skillfully overcome this difficult challenge.

I do not wish to spoil your interest by quoting passages from the novel; I would simply like everyone to read this slim, witty and delightful novel.

I thank Serdar Amin for his contribution to our literature and wish him continued creative success.