There is often a pessimist within all of us. In some, positivity can easily crash that character, but in others, myself included, the pessimist flourishes enough to define us. You could be such a person, and yet you still wouldn't predict the twists and turns Nyasha Chiyanike weaves together in Beneath This Thick Skin.
The anthology's cover is one of swirling patterns and bright hues that offer a false comfort that the stories you're about to read won't break your heart. Yet never has the proverb "Don't judge a book by its cover" been more true. It's 128 pages might be a short read in length but they weigh heavy, and submerge you beneath emotional depths.
From filicide, to regular murder, from adultery, to grief, from gender based violence, to human trafficking, Nyasha Chiyanike's writing focuses its lens on the heartbreaking. It is a constant stream of dreams interrupted and a graveyard of hope. Whether victims of circumstance or just characters facing the consequences of their actions, your heart goes out to the central figures in Nyasha's tales.
'This is not goodbye' captures the pain of loss cocooned in denial, 'The Housekeeper' places the moral question of whether the ends justify the means, while 'The witch must die' is a story of jealousy that ends in the most unintended of actions.
"A great silence befell the crowd when the cause of death was finally revealed. MaSibanda had been poisoned. The unfounded witchcraft allegations would now turn into a full-fledged murder investigation. I was the first to react. A horrified cry escaped from my mouth and the rest of the village echoed in turmoil." - an excerpt from 'The witch must die'
Nyasha's writing is easy to follow and has a pacing to match, however, although the storytelling is gripping, there sometimes feels like there is a lack of character development in the writing. Even though this is understandable in short writing, the desire for more remains. Yet she constantly manages to pull the rug from right under you, leaving you speechless.
Beneath This Thick Skin is rooted in reality, with characters you easily root for, and excels at the art of fiction. What Nyasha Chiyanike gets right is more than a counterweight for the anthology's few blemishes and that makes for an intriguing debut collection.
Title: Beneath This Thick Skin
Authors: Nyasha Melissa Chiyanike
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Carnelian Heart Publishing
Beneath This Thick Skin is available across all major book selling platforms and locally from Book Fantastics.