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Reviewed by Heather Osborne for Readers' Favorite
Aria by Monica Joshi is a short story about a woman caught between fantasy and reality. Aria Johannes is a struggling artist trapped by her financial situation. She knows that she can rely on Will, the misogynistic, cheating boyfriend, for stability, but she secretly longs for the love of another man, Charles. Giving in to her basic needs, Aria agrees to marry Will after graduating from college. On her wedding day, she realizes she has made a mistake and travels to Charles’s home, only to be confronted by an unpleasant reality. Aria is left to cope with her unwanted marriage and the voice in her head that constantly replays doubts and uncertainties. Aria’s psychological state begins to spiral out of control and she contemplates if her life is really worth all this pain and unhappiness.
Miss Joshi does an admirable job of weaving together a deeply psychological tale. I felt that people could relate to Aria’s situation of wanting to have a secure life, but still yearning for the uncertain. Joshi takes us on a journey of questioning our desires. Too often people miss the chances that are right in front of them. I would take as the moral from this story not to let those moments slip by. Grab them or you may later live to regret those lost chances of happiness. There are perspective changes throughout as the author moves from first to third person. Although this is often a dangerous tactic for an author to use, Joshi pulls it off with elegance and poise. Aria is not an easy read, but it strikes you at the core.
