In “Screens and The Ego,” Jane-Marie Auret delivers a searing collection of interconnected stories that unflinchingly examines the fractured identities of those caught between worlds. From the visceral account of a young Tatar girl navigating American adolescence while reckoning with her father's violent death, to a cancer survivor's poignant reflection on isolation and resilience, these narratives illuminate the complex interplay between cultural heritage and personal autonomy.
Auret's protagonists grapple with the fundamental question of who they are beneath the personas they present to the world. A daughter observes her brother's religious fanaticism with both compassion and disdain. A college student confronts the psychological warfare of campus politics. A grandfather finds unexpected redemption in raising his granddaughter. Each character struggles to reconcile their authentic selves with the expectations imposed upon them by family, society, and technology.
With unflinching honesty and remarkable emotional precision, Auret explores how screens—both metaphorical and literal—mediate our experiences and shape our understanding of ourselves. This collection reveals how the digital age has transformed adolescence, relationships, and mental health, while simultaneously addressing timeless questions of belonging, trauma, and redemption.
Bold, provocative, and deeply empathetic, “Screens and The Ego” announces Auret as a fearless new voice in contemporary fiction. If you enjoyed “The Interpreter of Maladies,” “What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky,” and “Her Body and Other Parties,” you'll love “Screens and The Ego.”
