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I have always been fond of stories that involves animals be it imaginative or nonfiction. But The Silence of the Hyena was perhaps the strangest book I have ever had to read. Written originally in Urdu by the award winning writer Syed Muhammad Ashraf, these stories are highly imaginary in nature. Known for penning down two novels and many short stories, this book includes few of his best works. The translation is done by Asaduddin and Musharraf Ali Farooqi who are again well known for their brilliant ability to keep the essence of the stories real. Although, this book includes the efforts of all the three mentioned writers, it was somehow a letdown to me.
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Split into nine stories, three of which are interlinked, this book speaks of animals that mostly live in the wild. My favourite was Death of an Antelope and The Vulture, probably because they were written in a manner that appeals to the readers. One of the stories speaks of the pain that haunted people at the time of partition, forcing them to flee their motherland, making it a touching experience to read it. While one story showcases the ego and stupidity that possesses animals at times, others portray the scenario where people are so affected by paranoia that they fail to distinguish between animals and humans. It goes without saying that Syed has a vivid imagination and although the translators have done their best, I can't help but wonder if the Urdu collection is better than the one in English. I almost did not finish this book and it eventually sent me down a terrible slump. I would not recommend this to anyone but if at all you've already read this, drop in your thoughts in the comment section.
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Rating : 2.5/5.