Short Stories: Dedicated to the Writer’s 85th Anniversary

This is a collection of three short stories by Aitmatov. The first story Camel Eye is good but the ending feels rushed and there are many unanswered questions. The juxtaposition of the order of natural world with imposed human order could have been made just as clearly while still resolving some of the character plot lines. The second story is The Boy Solider and it is a beautiful piece that reflects on the cost of war, especially for children. The third story The Monkey Girl and The Satchel is a children’s fairytale along the lines of something from Hans Christian Andersen. It’s cute, but is definitely meant for children, not adults.