Interesting concept! I could sense something otherworldly going on, but couldn't quite put my finger on it. I would have loved to see more allusions to the truth of the matter.
As an artist, I really appreciated how you described the artistic process. 😊 It was appropriately sensory in all the right ways.
Very nicely written! You have a knack for economy of language -- stepping into your works is like slipping into a warm river. One minute you're reading and the next, you're *there.* Love it.
This story really had nothing otherworldly, other than the surrealism of the relationship between brother and sister. I was trying to capture what it feels like to interact with someone with a personality disorder who is trying to "help" you. How Fatima finished the work but destroyed its essence. How she infantilized Ahmed. How she did not even attempt to empathize with his artistic journey, but mostly treated him like a cardboard cutout of a person. A paper doll that she could form how she wanted.
But at the same time, Fatima isn't malicious. She really believes she's helping him, based on all the information she can process and handle. She's a great artist technically in her own right, and can't understand how her disordered thinking got in the way of her career. But if she can help Ahmed, they'll see _his_ genius! And it's not about her after all.
I also wanted to have some subtext there - notice how carefully Ahmed speaks to his sister. He knows he's walking on eggshells, and is willing to destroy himself and his dreams to keep her in a good mental place, even if just for a moment.
Yes, I could tell the relationship was a bit off. She came in, swept him aside, and took over his project. I’ve noticed a tendency in myself to “help” in this way. But now that I know it’s an issue, it’s something I’m careful to avoid.
Oof. I really feel for Ahmad here.
Interesting concept! I could sense something otherworldly going on, but couldn't quite put my finger on it. I would have loved to see more allusions to the truth of the matter.
As an artist, I really appreciated how you described the artistic process. 😊 It was appropriately sensory in all the right ways.
Very nicely written! You have a knack for economy of language -- stepping into your works is like slipping into a warm river. One minute you're reading and the next, you're *there.* Love it.
This story really had nothing otherworldly, other than the surrealism of the relationship between brother and sister. I was trying to capture what it feels like to interact with someone with a personality disorder who is trying to "help" you. How Fatima finished the work but destroyed its essence. How she infantilized Ahmed. How she did not even attempt to empathize with his artistic journey, but mostly treated him like a cardboard cutout of a person. A paper doll that she could form how she wanted.
But at the same time, Fatima isn't malicious. She really believes she's helping him, based on all the information she can process and handle. She's a great artist technically in her own right, and can't understand how her disordered thinking got in the way of her career. But if she can help Ahmed, they'll see _his_ genius! And it's not about her after all.
I also wanted to have some subtext there - notice how carefully Ahmed speaks to his sister. He knows he's walking on eggshells, and is willing to destroy himself and his dreams to keep her in a good mental place, even if just for a moment.
Yes, I could tell the relationship was a bit off. She came in, swept him aside, and took over his project. I’ve noticed a tendency in myself to “help” in this way. But now that I know it’s an issue, it’s something I’m careful to avoid.