“Marina once told me that we only remember what never really happened.” (Carlos Ruiz Zafon)
Ahmad I. Alkhalel’s book, marketed as a psychological thriller, leans more toward the boundary between non-fiction and essay. The author touches on distinctly scientific topics such as chaos theory, perceptual illusions, the architecture of time, the nature of dreams, emotions, and memories—including memories of things that could have happened but never did. However, each of the short, sketch-like chapters merely outlines the direction of a theme, while its full exploration unfolds in a completely freeform manner through the author’s personal interpretation and vision.
Structurally, the book also closely resembles an essay. The work consists of fragments, as the author himself calls them, filled with rhetorical questions. This undoubtedly helps create the illusion of a dialogue with the readers, drawing them into reflections on the discussed themes of perceiving the world in all its manifestations. The author invites the reader to ponder what is truth and what is falsehood, how to distinguish between them, and whether it’s even possible, or what our mind truly is—ourselves or something within us capable of constructing a matrix that shields us from the world for the sake of survival. Most fragments conclude with a fitting excerpt from the author’s other works, intended to emphasize the idea and provide an overall impression of Ahmad I. Alkhalel’s creativity and style. This is an interesting approach, as it allows the author to connect with his ideal reader.
It’s clear that Ahmad I. Alkhalel has a solid scientific foundation, having consulted various articles and works aligned with his interests—references to these are included in the text, undoubtedly adding weight to his arguments. What Margins of Perception slightly lacks is depth, originality, and perhaps coherence. The author sought to cover many fascinating and complex topics, exploring them through the lens of his own experience and from his perspective as a thinker. Yet, the result is a somewhat scattered and occasionally repetitive text. Certain theses reappear multiple times across different fragments, presented from slightly different angles but ultimately remaining the same. Additionally, the brevity of each chapter-fragment prevents the author from delving deeply into a topic, leaving it only outlined. The thoughts—and not so much conclusions as the very process of reasoning leading to a certain level—are rather simple. I’m sure many who are interested in philosophy, psycholinguistics, or possess deep and diverse life experience with a tendency toward self-analysis (and analysis in general) would easily arrive at similar conclusions. Thus, I’d say this book could serve as an excellent starting point for exploring the author’s other works, as he knows how to pique interest. Alternatively, it might inspire readers to seek out literature on the subject or even prompt them to pause, close their eyes, and allow themselves to get lost for a moment in the endless labyrinth of illusions, boundaries, the illusion of boundaries, perception, and thought—ultimately leading them back to themselves.
So if you’re looking for a gripping psychological thriller, Margins of Perception is not it—the book isn’t fully a work of fiction. But it is a fascinating essay with an emphasis on the author’s personality, his vision, and his thought process, which doesn’t provide definitive answers but may serve as a springboard for any reader willing to ponder what lies beyond the familiar boundaries of perception.
