Gulnara Abikeyeva's new audiobook weaves travel tales with mystical realism

A new audiobook by Gulnara Abikeyeva, titled Twelve Grains at the Bottom of a Travel Bag, was recently presented in Almaty. The work blends scholarly essays with fairy tales inspired by her travels to international film festivals. The book contains twelve stories, each reflecting a different journey or cultural experience. Some tales, like The Bee Queen, are set in modern, high-tech locations such as India’s Silicon Valley. Others draw on history, like The Xi’an Tale, which explores the story of China’s Terracotta Army.

Abikeyeva’s writing is known for its rich detail, strong sense of place, and touches of 'mystical realism'. In Confession of a Temple Abbot, she incorporates the real-life story of the abbot of Kyoto’s Otagi Nenbutsu-ji temple. The audiobook version, narrated by Philipp Voloshin, follows its earlier print release at an Almaty children’s library.

Though Abikeyeva is better known for her academic work on cinema, this collection showcases her storytelling talent. If progress continues, a second volume of tales may be published by winter. The audiobook marks a new direction for Abikeyeva, combining travel, history, and imagination. Its twelve stories offer listeners a mix of factual depth and creative narrative. The presentation in Almaty highlights her growing influence beyond scholarly circles.