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MWSA Review
Life on the Dark Side by George J. Bryjak is a compilation of short stories and plays that forces readers to question classic notions of good and evil, right and wrong. Covering a wide variety of themes, the author blurs lines between protagonist and antagonist, exploring questions of morality, tragedy, malice, victimization, and predicaments without solutions.
Each of Bryjak's accounts presents its own well-developed and nuanced characters. Despite a few editing opportunities with typos and punctuation, the format and familiar language make for a fast and thought-provoking read. Strong-stomached readers looking for a stimulating account challenging how we view mankind and the world will find this hard to put down. Sensitive readers may find some scenes overwhelming, and those expecting happy, feel-good endings will be disappointed. The themes and characters blur ethnic, gender, geographical, and historical boundaries: an elderly couple and their assailant, a jealous husband, a girl posing as a Union soldier, a trapped teenager, a young lieutenant in Vietnam faced with a moral dilemma, a young priest in Peru, a black police officer, Nazis, and vengeful survivors, to name a few.
Does the end justify the means? Can we transcend human nature? When all options are bad, which is best? Is it evil to punish evil? Life on the Dark Side lets the reader ponder these questions, and many others.
Review by Ingo Kaufman (March 2023)
Author's Synopsis
To fully experience the brightness of life one must know its darkness. The fear, hate, rage and despair of that ever-lurking shadow world is exposed with a Hitchcock twist in this collection of short stories and plays.
* A homeless Afghanistan combat veteran finds the streets as unhinged as a war zone.
* An unhappily married man discovers a travel agency offering a once-in-a-lifetime trip.
* A petty thief targets an elderly couple who have their own aims.
* A priest can neither face nor outrun his worst demon.
* A bickering couple visit a fortune teller and learn of a future they could never have imagined.
* A retiring police officer recounts the ominous side of being a black cop.
* Two Nazi concentration camp survivors capture one of their tormentors and give him a choice.
Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle
Review Genre: Fiction—Literary Fiction
Number of Pages: 285
Word Count: 55,651