It is accurately said that love has no language, no gender barriers, or any strict definitions that would restrict two people from being in love with each other. This idea has been propagated time and again with a number of people who not only fight odds and battle odd times to be together but also face tough circumstances, but their desire to not give up on each other becomes the idea of inspiration for the ones who hear their stories. A similar experience is felt by the readers when they read Shaheen Kazi’s short story collection, “Sizzling with… She 2 She.” While the book may for once be perceived as the portrayal of women in love and may be for once frowned upon, but on reading the stories closely, the readers will understand at which the author explores themes beyond merely sexual or limited to the bodies.
At the beginning of “Sizzling with… She 2 She,” the author Shaheen Kazi clarifies that this collection is a lot more than it may seem to be on the surface level. It goes far beyond the ordinary and shows a world through the eyes of women who look for a person, irrespective of their gender who would give them the desired affection, care, attention and love. At times, women in “Sizzling with… She 2 She” seem to be searching for these qualities in their male counterparts but due to one incident or the other, they feel aloof and distant in connecting with the opposite gender and hence, the connection with other women gives them the required sense of completion and fulfilling of the search that had been prolonged and going on for a long time. This forms a significant part of the book and overall runs throughout the narrative of the stories that follow.
“Sizzling with… She 2 She” explores the world through the eyes of women who are not restricted by the boundaries of gender and social constructs or stereotypes that put women into a specific frame and show the courage to explore their desires and themselves on the whole with a person who would understand them, connect with them emotionally and satisfy their needs beyond the body. In that sense, Kazi’s work also spearheads the writings written in the direction of exploring not just same sex relationships sexually but going beyond to understand the complexities and intricacies involved in it. It is interesting to note how Kazi places different characters at different junctures to explore these ideas and hence, share a similar language that the other characters communicate in, the language of love.
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After writing bestsellers like “Age… was just a number,” and poetry collections like “Cupid’s Arrow,” Shaheen Kazi explores the concept of love from yet another perspective that is unique but relatable for many. She goes beyond conventions to understand human psychology and their thought processes and hence, builds a whole different universe which also makes the readers think on a different level and understand the language of love. The exploring of love as an emotion irrespective of age, time, or gender is what distinguishes Kazi’s work and artistic style in experimenting with the different forms that she undertakes to express her views while giving the words to her characters instead. “Sizzling with… She 2 She” is another effort in the same direction. Her work in the short story collection is also distinguishable because she makes a mark as a writer with the second short story collection after “13 Nights of Tricks.” In addition, the children’s book, “Baabubrown and His School Holidays,” takes the readers into yet another universe that Kazi creates for children. Every work is distinct, unique, and versatile and enhances the artistic capabilities of the author further.
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“Sizzling with… She 2 She” is a book that can be read by grown-up readers who understand the delicacy of the emotion of love and the fact that it can go beyond the demarcations of body or gender to express or even to find itself. The women in the short story collection are from different parts of the world, true to themselves, and embrace their identities the way they are. Even though they face resistance and get their desired acceptance, there are circumstances that make them choose their desire to be respected, wanted, and accepted with all their flaws. When they find that happening with women themselves, they happily accept it and adapt to it without any strings attached. This gives “Sizzling with… She 2 She” published by Evincepub Publishing, a unique beauty and places the collection among the few books written in the same direction in order to give a voice to the many who still fight for acceptance or yearn to be accepted in their true selves. This book is recommended to all readers who have an open mindset and an attitude to embrace things the way they are.
