Book Review: A Naked Woman in the Snow

Reviewed by Erin Britton

A collection that illuminates the differences and similarities among people from vastly different cultures

A Naked Woman in the Snow, Dariush Beritan’s debut collection of short stories, offers a poignant and thoughtful exploration of the human condition, particularly in the face of conflict and exile. To accomplish this, Beritan draws from personal experience of voluntary exile and enforced censorship to craft stories that resonate with authenticity and emotional depth. 

As Beritan explains in the blurb, the five collected stories are written in parataxis—that is, with clauses or phrases situated one after another, without words to indicate coordination or subordination—and a visual poetic style, which allows them to evoke more feeling and atmosphere than straightforward narratives. Moreover, given their form and subject matter, the stories prompt reflection, inviting consideration the complexities of everyday life in extraordinary circumstances.

The opening and title story in the collection, “A Naked Woman in the Snow,” relates the tragic love story of Rashid, a Kurdish fighter, and Delbar, a blue-eyed village girl with honey hair. “She and Rashid set their dates most mornings before the sun rose, on horseback, out of sight, next to the only spring in the village, and flirted there.” Although their armed opposition to the government results in their untimely deaths, the legend of Rashid and Delbar means that subsequent generations bear their names… and their complex fates.

In addition to the romanticism and magical realism of the story, Beritan uses the relationships between the various Rashids and Delbars to show the unequal position of women in Kurdistan during the 1930s. He also emotively portrays the political turmoil   of the time, illuminating a little discussed country and period.

Taking readers into the heart of women’s struggles during times of conflict and oppression, Beritan explores the double lives they can be forced to live and the complexities of unrequited love. He skillfully intertwines the personal with the political here, creating a compelling and timeless story that elucidates the multifaceted challenges faced by people, especially the vulnerable, during wartime. 

“Doughy Granny,” the second story, which again takes place in Kurdistan during the 1930s, follows the elderly Mahtab as she attempts to comfort her lonely granddaughter. As she explains, “Loneliness means having something deep in your heart and there is no one to tell it to. Loneliness means you want to be seen, but there’s no one to see you. Loneliness means the absence of those who could have been there but aren’t!” To explain further, Mahtab tells the story of Gypsy, an itinerant trader.

“Since wanderers are like the wind, everywhere and nowhere, Gypsy spent only a few nights a month with his wife. Then, at dawn, he would set off again for the far-flung villages.” His wife occupies herself with household duties while he’s away and remains as beautiful as ever, but Gypsy can’t believe that she remains faithful to him. His sense of misgiving drives him to tell a terrible lie, which allows Beritan to explore the thorny issues of domestic abuse, gaslighting, and manipulation. Revealing the myriad ways people must grapple with their vulnerabilities, he manages to incorporate homespun wisdom in amid the abuse: “If you are not a cure, don’t be a poison, Gypsy!”

Next in the collection is “The Ring,” which takes place following a storm that brings “a new life to the island.” As creatures emerge from their nests and seagulls soar in the sky, human life springs anew, with people of every tribe and nationality represented. “Occupation, status, wealth, and social position were seen through their gestures and body movements.” While all this is going on, a middle-aged woman sits alone on the beach and ponders the ring on the second finger of her left hand.

This story is more abstract and philosophical that the preceding two, seemingly concerning the evolution of life and society but being open to interpretation. Beritan’s descriptions of the animal life and the environment—both the natural world and the man-made aspects of the island—are particularly effective and affecting. The sense of time in the story is fleeting and quite disorientating, and it seems that the systems organizing human life, such as marriage, are causing a disconnect with regard to nature.

“The Half Forgotten Dream,” the fourth story, uses the experiences of an individual woman to offer a broader perspective on living during times of global conflict and all the resilience that requires. As she gazes into a mirror, she considers her unmet goals and unfinished journeys. “It was during one of these journeys that she saw John again after many years, on a grey cloudy day in the mid-70s, a decade when music and literature danced hand in hand.” What is the significance of a lost love once found again?

The concept of connection, whether successful or missed, features prominently in this story, with Beritan once again combining personal issues with universal themes and examining how the mundanity of daily life can be contrasted with the possibility of life on other planets and the horrors of war. In so doing, he questions the nature of reality and the worlds that people make for themselves. The setting of London is very different from both Kurdistan and the island, adding interest and variety to the story and extending its appeal to different audiences. 

The collection concludes with “Christmas,” the shortest of the included stories, which sees a young man prepare for Christmas in the year 2000 and reflect on those who will be absent from the celebration: his father and his sister. He remarks to his mother that someone is missing from the family photos and she replies that “Absence is the presence of memories, my son!” As the decades pass, he muses of loss and the nature of memory, and it seems that someone else may be present after all.

Beritan juxtaposes the joy and festivity associated with Christmas with the narrator’s feeling of nostalgia and sense of loss. It’s never quite clear what has occurred, although it’s certain that a great tragedy has happened. There’s scope for more to have been made of this story, but it still has a surprisingly profound impact and triggers contemplation of the nature of bereavement and survival.

Beritan adds an additional and unique perspective to his work through enriching the stories with cultural nuances and a deep understanding of the human spirit. As such, A Naked Woman in the Snow is not merely a collection of short stories, it is a testament to the power of storytelling to bridge gaps, foster understanding, and illuminate the shared humanity that binds people together.

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