October 22, 2020

THE KIOSK

The Kiosk by Anete Melece is a visual and tactile delight.


Olga works in her kiosk, and she has worked there so long that she hasn't really ever left it. And though she reads about faraway places and dreams of distant seas, she cannot get out of her kiosk and therefore remains rooted to the same spot day after day. That is, until the day when she accidentally knocks the kiosk over and gets carried away on a journey that changes the way she sees things and make her dreams of traveling come true.


It's clear from the cover that this book is going to be charming and colorful. There is a giant, square die-cut on the cover so readers can see Olga trapped inside her kiosk from the get-go. But this book isn't about pity (or fat-shaming!), and it's clear that she takes pride in her job and enjoys her interactions with customers. Her size and kiosk represent the literal box Olga has been forced to live in because of her job, with only dreams of journeying beyond what most of her social class experiences. Therefore, Olga's ability to do things like pick herself back up after she's literally knocked down, to chase down the people who owe her money, and to entirely uproot her life and relocate her business (losing guaranteed customers and foot traffic) makes her even more relatable and sympathetic.


The Kiosk published in the United States earlier this month from Gecko Press, and you can also watch the short film here:




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