I first came across this author after reading her novel “A Quiet Dissonance“, and when I signed up for her newsletter I was directed to review other books she had written. I chose several short-story collections, this being the second one (I also reviewed “Parvathy’s Well & Other Stories“), because I was in the mood for something distinctly different from what I had read from her before, but still with the enticing flavour of the cultural Indian backdrop.

 

The Premise

Holi Moly!

The collection opens with a lighthearted love story — Preeti’s longtime friend and crush Giles returns in time for the apartment complex’s Holi celebration, but he’s always had eyes for Preeti’s sister Neeti. Partly to make Giles jealous, she invites her colleague and admirer Akhil. Among the colourful laughter and joyousness of the day, a love triangle unfolds.

An Unsuitable Boy

Told from the first person perspective, a husband’s recollection of a longstanding marriage is told: as an outsider, he recalls the difficulties they faced as an odd match: a Jewish American coming into his wife’s Indian territory to win her family over. The different perspectives of marriage between the two cultures are a vast divide, but their love triumphs above all.

Karma-Band

Still mourning her beloved sister-in-law who passed away five years ago, Rashmi accompanies her brother and his new wife Anita and their child on a business trip, where it seems that her purpose is solely to care for the young child. Anita’s conceited, snobbish ways grate against her every nerve as she struggles to reconcile this person with the one she lost, and she observes the change in her brother as well.

The Best Laid Plans

Grouchy old retiree Hiten has a nasty fall, and a kind couple Thomas and Lola take over his care. After they go out of their way to nurse him back to health, he realises the error of his reclusive ways. Then, he learns that their baby was born prematurely and is struggling to survive. As Lola sinks into post-natal depression, Hiten finds a way to help them in return.

The Return

In a remote Indian village, corruption caused education to stop after the money for it was repurposed and the teacher left. Yamuna takes it upon herself to nudge things back in that direction when Master Raju returns to the village with his pregnant wife, and she offers to care for their newborn child. Under the pretext of entertaining the baby, she slowly gets Raju to resume teaching, and the village flourishes with its newfound knowledge.

Top That

Four friends get together decades later, reminiscing about their glory days while they reflect on how each of their paths veered off into their separate lives. They play “Top That” — a game to recount their embarrassing moments. From amorous overtures to cringeworthy shame to incredulous true stories, they challenge each other to have a more and more shocking story as they take turns.

Funk

After a break-up, Gul is now staying with her Auntie JJ in London. Left in charge of the apartment and Auntie JJ’s flatulent poodle Chi-chi, she recalls her developing sexuality that came in between her and her boyfriend Farhan. She soon meets David, and as they get closer she decides to invite him over, determined to lose her virginity. A horrible yet hilarious comedy of errors ensues.

Lost and Found

After Dr. Seth is mugged near his home and robbed of the ring he treasured from his late wife, he later meets one of the thugs who attacked him. His mercy and forgiveness leave a lasting impression on Suhel, who changes his life to follow his passion in the steps of his mentor.

The Pros

This was an amazing collection of short stories, filled with joy and heartbreak and love. Having read “Parvathy’s Well & Other Stories” prior to this, I went in with an expectation of dark drama, and I was pleasantly and resplendently surprised with this collection that deviated sharply from that collection’s darkness. Though the writing was just as superb, here almost every story left me with an uplifting sensation and a smile on my face as it came to an end.

Told from the viewpoints of many characters in Indian society, these entirely separate stories weave a collection of tales that explore themes of love, marriage, forgiveness, redemption, and the humorous side of life. The writing style throughout the collection is captivating, and the stories themselves take you on a journey through the senses and into the lives of every character.

Of the eight stories, my favourite was “The Best Laid Plans”. The richness of life that blossoms in Hiten’s soul at this late stage of his life was such a beautiful story, showing how it is never too late to find love and purpose in life, and that family is more than blood. Similarly, “Lost and Found” has this uplifting theme of redemption that I thoroughly relished.

I also laughed at the dark humour of “Funk” — what a story! — and the lighter shade of humour in “An Unsuitable Boy” which made me feel as if I was right there listening to a grandfather tell his favourite story. Overall, I really appreciated the fact that there was so much depth in each story that it could easily have been an entire novel’s worth of a reader’s connection to the characters in these stories.

The Cons

My least favourite of the collection was “Top That” — despite every vignette being funny as the old friends reconnect, I didn’t feel quite as enamoured with the overall story as I did with the others. While every other story left a warm feeling and a lasting impression on me, that one didn’t as much.

Conclusion

Overall, the collection had many rich descriptions and a sprinkle of language snippets to whet the appetite for a taste of Indian culture. Though I had my favourites, I really enjoyed reading the entire collection, and feel as though some of these stories will forever stay with me. I love how the author used intergenerational discussions between characters to integrate some of the seemingly “backward” parts of Indian culture with modern life.

Again, the collection as a whole provided a brilliant tapestry of Indian culture. There is a universality to these stories that can touch anyone and everyone, so while it will please other readers who are looking for something to make them experience another culture, I also highly recommend to anyone in need of a beautiful story to uplift and inspire.

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