Title: The Fanfare of Life: A Collection of Short Stories
Author: Bakilinna Warjri
Publisher: PartridgeSingapore
ISBN: 978-1543765137
Pages: 108
Genre: Memoirs
Reviewed by: Aly Avina

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Throughout our lives, we accumulate a wide array of memories and stories from youth to adulthood which help tell others who we are as a person and how we came to be. This is illustrated perfectly all throughout The Fanfare of Life: A Collection of Short Stories by Bakilinna Warjri. In this book, we come to learn of the colorful and enthralling life of author Warjri, including the ups and downs that many of us similarly face over the course of our lives.

Starting with the beautiful short story, “Her Name Was Snooch,” we meet Warjri at age 4 as well as her beloved pup at the time, Snooch. The two were inseparable and she adored her beautiful Pomeranian fiercely. And while this tale shows us the beauty of having a loving dog like Snooch, we also are reminded of the loss we feel when they are no longer here. It evoked emotion while simultaneously making me smile at my own memories of pups from my life. Fast forward to “Cemetery Run” and we are immersed into a terrifying story with an urban legend that children between 12-16 are eager to disprove while stranded on a school bus. The fear-inducing tale was the perfect balance of intriguing and frightful.

It’s not often that I have seen a memoir in short story form and perfectly executed to boot. But that is precisely what I would say about this fantastic book. I learned of Warjri’s childhood and how that shaped them into the person and parent they are today. The biggest takeaway from her writings is that no matter what life throws at you or what situations you may find yourself in, they always happen for a reason. Furthermore, there is nothing thrown your way which you will not get through in your life, which I believe is a beautiful message we all need to be reminded of from time to time.

This memoir isn’t like any other I’ve read before and I say this as a compliment. The story-telling approach is unique yet relatable and it makes you feel as though you’ve known this author their entire life because you completely lose yourself in her own memories told through these short stories. This is also a wonderful and quick read perfect for a Sunday afternoon of relaxation. Don’t sleep on this one — pick up your copy of The Fanfare of Life: A Collection of Short Stories by Bakilinna Warjri today!