Susp'ENDED
Not a great fan of thrillers and this is just the third or fourth book I’m reading in this genre. Then what made me pick this book? First and foremost, I fell for its title and second it said short stories, which I am learning to master as a debutant writer. And did both appeal to my senses? Yes certainly, I was thoroughly kept occupied by each story and never kept the book down till one story was done. To say, I must have barely blinked my eyelids once or twice during a story, too, isn’t an exaggeration. Each story has an ending which many of us might have not thought about. At least for me, I never struggle to find out what the end beholds. It’s inevitable so why waste energy on pondering over the end. I just enjoyed the way the stories meandered their ways through variety of characters, premises and the surprise elements in the end.
Susp’ENDED is a collection of ten short stories, the end of which amaze, thrill and astonish you. With stories like Rosie...Rosie... and Karma, I did shed a tear or two, too. The stories are based in Mumbai, Oooty, Lonavala and again to your surprise in Africa as well. You get a feel of Ooty tea estates, Coimbatore railway station, Mumbai’s Marine Drive and many more iconic places in every ion of the plot. Every story carries a whiff of human emotions and scent of the heart’s longing. Real characters, real plots with realistic endings. The narration varies from first person to third person pov without compromising on the art of storytelling. My favourite story was karma where a priest is accidentally invited to perform the last rites of his estranged lover. The way I write about it may make it sound bland but there is some great depth in the simple vocabulary of this author. Being a student of writing, such vocabulary helped me to focus on the nuances of writing than rushing to the dictionary and getting overwhelmed by the words. The reading is done in few seating yet the concept stays with you a little longer. Like again the muma from my favourite story Karma, took me back to my wedding days. How? Read to find out.
The author as the blurb says has experienced the real joy of living by juggling multiple personal and professional roles. This joy is clearly reflected in her writing and to warn you, it is definitely infective. But somewhere I was not satisfied with her short stories, for now I crave to read a whole novel from her and feel trapped in the settings. The stories felt too short for my ravenous reading appetite. Considering this to be a debut effort, the jump is just appropriate. Wise and witty, the stories do give you a peek into the author’s convoluted brain for nothing in the stories is direct and predictable. With that, the review ends. Not Susp’ENDED in air but on your platter to make a choice to read or not. I would suggest at least dig a fork and taste a morsel.
Buy the book here-