Book Review: Ten Shades of Life edited by Nethra .A

Title: Ten shades of life
Author: various authors edited by Nethra.A
Publisher: Mahaveer Publication
Page: 240
Price: Rs 139
ISBN: 9789350880418
Genre: Fiction/Short stories
Rating: 4 out of 5
Source: Editor
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Nethra has worked her way to bring together ten stories of different genre into one book...For that reason this anthology stays different and an enjoyable read..Though I started systematically after first story, I chose the story randomly..

The Incarnadines by Miss Cheyenne Mitchell: Teenager Liane is a lonely girl, she has no friends and is ignored by her alcoholic parents..She is an expert living a life of being invisible to everyone around..Deeply disturbed by her abusive parents her life starts to change, when Dinga Mason the class topper befriends her, she introduces the subject of Incarnadines witchcraft and so on.. Slowly she discovers lot of secrets about them and surprisingly many family links that changes her life and her mother's forever..The book started well for me with an emotionally deprived girl in the story the story went a step ahead when the secret of Incarnadines started unfolding, but thereafter I lost it,..Mitchell somehow couldn't pull off well after that for me...Still an enjoyable one,I felt Mitchell could have done it better...

Red and Gold by Monika Pant: The story brings alive the true flavor of Indian spices with all its grandeur from the by gone days...Set in 18th century Lucknow it is a story of  Love struck couple Kishan and Shagufta ..The rich Muslim culture and the inter religious battle a love struck couple from different religion and socio-economic background status face..In spite of  a dash of gloom with pensive aura, the love carries a spark ...Can they unite in the name of love for the years to come as a family..Read to find out..Pant has painted the wonderful period of history every beautifully..

Harry's Bluff by Dr.Roshan Radhakrishnan: This was my personal favorite with its racy pace and assailant's assignment gone haywire, worse the group trying hard to put things on track...Radhakrishnan has incorporated every element to make the suspense thriller a total hit ..The story also tells how a person carry their own burden of cross which they live...I thoroughly enjoyed it and kudos to Nethra to have included this one in the collection..

Something Like That by Shankar Raman A: This is a kind of story that we could come across anytime around our working space.An elderly Mr. V and Chetan are the examples of people we stumble upon any day..How some people very cunningly take advantage of other's weakness and make a dig at them at every possible moment...I loved the end where the hunter becomes the bait...Raman's writing is simple and very enjoyable..If you expect it to humor you it might disappoint you but works well on satire..

Weekend in The Country by Bruce Memblatt: In the beautiful English land on a wonderful weekend when two friends go camping, you expect fun and happiness but murder and betrayal lingers in the air..It is a horror story that really didn't work for me.. Nevertheless a good read..

A Nootropric Eggress by Karthik. L: A very good attempt on the extra terrestrial story..Rohit the extra brilliant curious brain that been working right from his childhood with n number or things..He is even selected to pursue his higher education in exchange program and that is when his encounter with the E.T happens..With his narrow escape and his subsequent behavior makes up an entertaining read...

The secret of Ahiraah by Reshmy Pillai: This is an historic fiction, I loved the way the story unfolded.Reading this novel one gets a gist on the general history of India too..The Oswals',  Seths'  all stay bright throughout the story and this was one among my personal favorite, many Urdu, Hindi, and old style of Indian language has added to authenticity of the era..

Where did you go by Deepa Duraisamy:This one is a contemporary story with a old prevalent society stigma attached to having a baby boy..The pressure on the couple especially the daughter-in law is too much...The pressure even make people to travel along the track of destruction, breaking relationship..This story explores one instance with suspense and drama..Motherly love, care and parental care is effectively delivered...

Barren Harvest by Vinaya Swapnil Bhagat: Again a genre which is not the kind for me..It has the metaphysical elements with deep logical thoughts in them..Reaching out to reach with the likes of authors  like H.G Wells..

A Good day to die by Rahul Biswas: This is the highly dramatic story among the book were humane  fallacy that complicates life.The three character bring alive everyday turmoil of  fire fighters..Their friendship, their hatred mixes to form a highly striking story..The end I felt it to be too dramatic..Biswas has done justice in portraying the working class in Mumbai city with their naive language and style well..

The book sums up for an easy breezy read creating different mood, since all ten stories belong to different genre one may not enjoy all stories alike still a read worth it...This would be a treat to a reader who loves every kind of genre..Nethra has an impressive profile do go through them..

Short story: The Crocodile/ The dream of a ridiculous man by Fyodor Dostoevsky

Title:The crocodile/The dream of a ridiculous man
Author:Fyodor Dostoevsky
Rating: 5/5 nd 4/5
Genre: Parody
Source:online

I read two short stories by one of my favorite authors Fyodor Dostoevsky.I chose  The crocodile and  The dream of a ridiculous man..First one I chose because of the story line that really didn't sound like Dostoevsky, the later I chose for its title..


The Crocodile 
The story really came as a surprise for me in the beginning..It is about Ivan Matveich ( I have always had problem with getting the names right, I'm not even sure if i'm spelling them right till the end) who is swallowed by a crocodile live at a public exhibition in St. Petersburg..He teases his way to get to this trap...He is accompanied by his wife Elena Ivanovna and a friend Semyon Semyonitch to the exhibition..The crocodile is being is  touring all over the country run by a German couple...Ivan's wife make an appeal to the couple to cut the crocodile to rescue her husband while the couple demand a ransom in return...Elena is unable to make all that money while Ivan gets accustomed to his new environment comfortably , he even starts enjoying the attention he gathers by his new found place of life...On the contrary Elena begins to appreciate her freedom and life without Ivan...

Like I had mentioned earlier,  I was quite taken aback by the plot initially, but then it dawned to me that it was a parody..Through Ivan's situation Dostyovaesky points at various social issues...The story is amazingly engaging, and very much enjoyable with its strange story-line and pace..Only a master story teller like Dostoevsky can put a strong and powerful message wrapped in a soft touch...He makes dig at the writers, newspaper and every socially responsible authorities who publicize the man inside a crocodile.. I would say it can come under the contemporary writing with a classic feel...The humour and wit are just perfect for a wonderful reading  that makes you smile and think at the same time...
Loved this one and I would recommend to anyone who likes Russian writers and classic short stories..

The dream of a ridiculous man
The story is about a man who is questioning and debating upon his existence and life..I wouldn't that he is depressed  but he is totally taken away by disturbing thoughts that takes a plunge  to commit suicide..On his way he meets a gal in total tatters who comes for help for her dying mother..In spite of being aware of the complete state he shoos her away but then  is filled with remorse later with himself .. This instinct of self loath doesn't let him shoot himself and he  eventually falls asleep..The whole story is about the dream there after...A fantasy world something like an identical earth inhabited by  very innocent people contrary to people around him..They are kind and love without any expectations, they are not overcome by jealousy or anger yet.. There he learns what is love and what is it to be loved , yet he depreciate the standard of living by injecting practicality, dividing them in the name of self improvement and degrades them by vengeful ego and concepts of jealousy and intolerance...The paradise transforms into a wrathful hell with all filthy semblance... But he wakes up as a transformed man for good..

The story is on a philosophical note, on man and his behavior that has to be in check time and again for a balanced character and life...He points out how a self centered man destroys a whole group without actually doing vile things  to others around them...The right perception for life and social responsibility is the main theme of the story...I loved the theme and the inspiration it surrounds the reader with...This again will make up for  a wonderful read if you are looking for a meaningful short story...

Shorty story: U.F.O in Kushiro by Haruki Murakami

I received a copy of this from a friend who is a great fan of Murakami's works..With Murakami, either you love his work or you don't...
The story derives its thread from the Kobe earthquake in 1995..The country is hit by an earthquake  devastating lives, disrupting normality...Away from Kobe in a calm household of Komura, his wife is stuck to the television for five days straight watching the live telecasts of debris and ruins of the natural calamity..Komura is unsure if his voice reaches her, she seems to be frozen in that position, nor she eats...On the sixth she leavs him for good with a note ..She states that Komura might have been a handsome and a good husband but living with him is equivalent to live with "a chunk of air"....He is taken aback, he never expected such a thing in his wilder dreams,he was quite a charmer while his wife was plain..But her absence shatters him, he decides to take a break from his work.. Komura's friend suggests him to take a trip to Hokkaido to his sister Keiko so that he could deliver a small parcel in person..He takes up the journey as he doesn't know what else to do... At the airport of Hokkaido Keiko receives him along with her friend Shimao.. From there on its a story of self realization of that "chunk of air" in Komura..

Like all Murakami's works there are flakes of hypothetical, impalpable elements that has to be studied beyond the superficial converstaion and plot of U.FO in Kushiro...The conversations between Komura ,Keiko and Shimao carries the essence of the whole story...It is here he is told
"You need to lighten up and learn to enjoy life a little more. I mean, think about it: tomorrow there could be an earthquake; you could be kidnapped by aliens; you could be eaten by a bear. Nobody knows what's going to happen."
Murakami's work never appealed to me highly, though I liked them I have been a fan of his works..I tried reading Killing the mocking bird  few years back and gave it a try later because few of my friends were raving about it...But for me it never was a personal favorite..This short story is like a prologue to another work of Murakami called After the quake..If you love this one you would definitely go for it..

Book 4 on short story reading challenge

Book review: The cat cellar and other stories by Mayra Calvani

Title: The cat cellar and other stories
Author: Mayra Calvani
Pages: 71
ISBN:9781466050846
Genre: Short story
Rating: 4 out of 5
Source:Author

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Summary:
Its a collection of dark, short stories.
Déjà Vu
Déjà Vu (in Spanish)
The Gift
The Painting
Things to Do on a Hot Day
The Cat Cellar
Killing Writer’s Block
Little Hunting Games 

Review:
It is a collection of seven short stories...The book starts with "Déjà Vu" a story of Amanda and Felipto, Amanda belongs to an influential part of the society, during one of her visits from the market to home Felipto a young boy steals her purse and runs away, subsequently a bond develops between them, she invites him to her home for Christmas, but what I discovered surprised me ..."The gift" explores darker side of Gabriel a high school  graduate living with his mother, she gifts him two puppies and he can go beyond the normal world when he works with them even taking revenge on people who irritate him..."The painting" is another dark tale revolving around a guy living by himself in an apartment with a painting that has an ability to peep into his soul, he is often disturbed by the neighbor upstairs with her pointed heels and her argument with her husband and he had a way to deal with her, later he scribbles down his confession fast and furious yet carrying an air of calm around him...."Things to do on a hot day" is about Robert who makes a choice for an animal that has come to his door asking for it ...." The cellar" was my favorite , Steve takes a room at The Pension a two story room managed by lady with strange features..The place had cats with costly artifacts around its neck, he could even hear cats in the cellar, he is disoriented and disturbed yet takes a room in there but when he wakes up he is hit by the weirdest reality he is forced to live for the rest of his life..."Killing writer's block" ,Greta is a first year creative writing student at Tampa who is visiting her aunt Carla she is in her  sixties, she is introduced to Julio a guy in his twenties with heavy Spanish accent, Greta is shocked to learn that he is her aunt's lover.. Everything about the place and is weird and strange,Carla paints strangest paintings she has ever came across, her eyes are intriguing, Carla doesn't know what is she after, her innocence, youth or her idealist nature?? "Little Hunting Games" is about four people Elliot and his wife Marjorie, Frank and his girl  friend Evie, Evie is new in the world of corporate a world transcending between the grey part of life..Evie slowly transforms into the so called corporate world of dead enjoying the game of kill with seduaction...

The stories are for a breezy read completely dark and paranormal , disturbing and disorienting at times...Calvani has explored the satire with style....The characters are unique who appear disturbing and engaging..The plots are crafted like that in shades of secrets ,secrets that are awaiting to be unwrapped..Though few stories were too quick, I liked my share of this genre that caught me off guard...

Book 3 for short story reading challenge

 

Love, peace and happiness:what more can you want? by Rituraj Verma

Title: Love, peace and happiness: what more can you want?
Author: Rituraj Verma
Publisher: Leadstart publishing Pvt Ltd
Pages: 223
ISBN: 9381836345
Genre: short stories/ well being/psychology
Rating: 4 out of 5
Source: Publisher

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Summary:
It is a collection of short stories were in each story centers on the life of an urban middle class character caught in a set of circumstances beyond his or her control.Live -in relationships, Divorce, search for soul mate and true love, obsession, love, ego, government reservations for the minority community all forms the base of the stories becoming a well structured read..

Review:
Reading the introduction got me skeptical .,Verma claims that all the characters in the short stories are like real life characters.,I felt well ., that's what every contemporary author claims to write...Having felt that I started with High Heaven the first story and things just clicked on from then on....The initial skeptism helped me see through all aspects of the characters and stories and letting me enjoy the read...Each story carries its own underlying message apt for the day we live in without., and Verma cleverly chooses not to preach them rather let the reader dwell on them with unique perception..One interesting part of the book is readers can write their desired endings to each story on the website., if they don't like the author's say... The book is also about many conflict of interests.,such as money and happiness., love and lust.,duty and desire., I am sure every individual has to make his priorities at some point in life...Verma plays with the characters very interestingly., there are few characters who play a cameo in the other stories providing a continuity to the whole book, so in a way you feel that each story is interwoven beautifully with each thread playing its part... I loved all the female characters of Verma more than their male counterpart .,even if few appeared for a brief time..Be it Aparna a family's bread winner., Anamika a talented ,young, vivacious and independent girl, Paromita is forced to take up prostitution after her husband throws her out of home is quite a thought provoking lady, Payal a highly successful doctor who keep adjusting with her vantage and life just to give way for her husband's ego., okay I agree that male characters had high stuffs too but somehow female characters linger around..Verma's writing is easy and all the characters gets easily absorbed... Life's changing priorities., inability to cope up with stress, people craving for attention, love and affection are all woven throughout the Verma's work ...
Most stories explores the physical intimacy more than needed, or its just me who felt so....The stories also question the extend of moral benchmark of the Indian society and its relevance on the road we are travelling., and I know for sure that it is one point today's generation is struggling to fine tune....Most middle class of today's generation are born to a traditional family raised wrapped in it and all of a sudden find themselves at the midst of all modern era unable to fit the value they held on to, nor able to leave the life they are in due to career and education., and there begins a personal struggle to find a balance between the family's expectations and personal desire... Though we all agree that the one's ethics cannot be every bodys' way of life.,yet it is high time we rethink on the rusted system and believes, though Verma is quick to point out that traditions are to be preserved, but not blindly carried on...The book is a great companion for a relaxing read., especially for a travel....

From the back cover
Stories surround us. Stories about people like us who make difficult and often complex choices that sometimes astound us. You must have come across some people in your own life who closely resemble the characters in these stories. Maybe you have gone through trying moments in your life too. For instance, have you ever been bugged enough with your partner to want to leave? Have you ever had to choose between love and money? Have you ever had to compete with your partner? Have you ever felt that your family weighs you down when it comes to choosing your partner? At times like these, havent you wished that things happened differently and that you could change how they ended? Now you will control how the stories in this book end.

Each story centres on the life of an urban middle class character caught in a set of circumstances beyond his or her control. A Hindu girl living in with a Muslim boy is suddenly in the glare of global media in a reality TV show, a divorced cynical man faces the prospect of committing himself to a prostitute, a highly talented small town girl must choose between life and death. All must resolve the conflicts within their beliefs. Read the way the stories end in the book, but if you dont agree with the ending, visit the website riturajverma.com for alternate endings. If you dont like the way the stories end there either, write your own, and if your ending is selected, see it in print in the next print run with your name in the acknowledgements. Hoping to change the world, one story at a time

Book 18 for SAC