Fareeha Moussa : an Adolescent Budding Writer 

Books hold no secrets to her.  Young student Fareeha Moussa has launched her first book ‘The Lost Bond’ recently. Inspired by the world of fairy tales, the writer, however, decided to give a modern twist to her story. Fareeha reveals to News on Sunday her foray into the world of writing as well as her enthusiasm in bringing her humble contribution to this field.   

Just like Obelix who fell into the magic potion when he was a little boy, our young writer fell into the world of fairy tale stories at a very early stage in her life. Fareeha Moussa, student at Queen Elizabeth College, has launched her first book entitled ‘The Lost Bond’. Inspired by fairy tales, she shares with us the story behind the writing of her book.

Fareeha was born in Pakistan from a Pakistani mother and a Mauritian father. “My mother, Fatima Zehra Moussa, is an English teacher and my dad, Dr Fazil Moussa, is a specialist in cardiology.” She shares with us that she discovered the fantasy world of fairy tales through her mother. “I was introduced to this world of fairytales since a very young age and I remember pestering my mum to finish a whole tale each night, which ended up in me knowing every single one of them by heart and reciting them to her instead.”

I was introduced to this world of fairytales since a very young age and I remember pestering my mum to finish a whole tale each night, which ended up in me knowing every single one of them by heart and reciting them to her instead."

Keeping the enchanted and magical stories in mind since then, she started to jot down the first words when she was in Form 4 (Grade 10). “At the time I started writing, I used to publish it on Wattpad.” Fareeha confides that she is a fan of J. K. Rowling and Agatha Christie. When asked what ‘The Lost Bond’ is all about, she shares that it is “about the adventures of an ordinary girl like any of us, but then comes a twist in her life, where she is compared to various famous characters in the children’s tales like ‘Alice in Wonderland’, ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’, among others.”

Why did she decide to give an original twist to her story? “The idea behind this particular plot was first to overcome that clichéd perception of fairy tales being associated with little girls only. I felt that growing up didn’t necessarily mean that all the tales that we read as children had to be eventually forgotten. So I began thinking of a story line where I could use a modern plot and highlight it with the main ideas of the tales that marked me so much,” she shares.
The young writer says that she would encourage all readers, young and old alike, to read her story. “I would encourage them for the same reason mentioned before, to break the stereotypes that fairy tales are for little girls only. Also, there are quite a number of thoughts from the character that readers might relate to.”
She also believes that reading is very important for the youth. “Honestly, you could learn so much from reading. I would advise the youth to read books that they like, because there is no fun in reading a book that doesn’t suit us. That’s probably why some youngsters find books boring.” She also advises the budding writers to give way to their passion for writing. “I would tell them: ‘Just follow your dreams and write; express yourselves! Your talent should not stay hidden, let the world appreciate it’.”