Manish Mahajan writes mostly fiction and "The Disappearance Of Tejas Sharma...and other hauntings" Ghost Stories from India is his first book. Read more about Manish Mahajan
This is Manish Mahajan's Review of 'Fly on the Wall & Other Stories' on Good reads
This is Manish Mahajan's Review of 'Fly on the Wall & Other Stories' on Good reads
What is common to the Emperor Penguins, Olive Ridley Turtles and rats?
This is definitely a review of the book "Fly on the Wall" and not a zoology quiz. You would figure out when I disclose the answer in the end. When I was 25/30% in to the book, the rating running in my mind was 5/5, however it is now what you see 4/5. Again, towards the end, I shall share the reason for this nominal downgrade.
I would write this review more as an author of a short story collection (which is rumored to be readable) rather than a book lover or reader; reason being from an author's point of view, this review would come out better.
Shubha Sarma's debut collection of stories has already received glowing encomiums from the likes of Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Namita Gokhale and K Satchitanandan. Let me also add my feeble voice in praising this book. Before going into the stories, I would first and foremost compliment the author's writing style. I absolutely loved her writing and command over language. (There is an admitted bias here as the writing resembles how I try to write as well). Throughout the 13 stories one would find beautiful descriptions and scene settings done using powerful vocabulary. Gurgling streams, verdant landscapes, sunsets and sunrises, sights and sounds from forests, decrepit village huts - long passages which describe the scene so beautifully that one can teleport oneself into the story.
Here are a few lines taken from the title story "Fly on the Wall" which, according to my aforementioned feeble voice, I found absolutely terrific writing.
"The large hall was half full, the half drawn curtains allowing the fading sunlight to stream in half heartedly. Just like Shishir Pande's half lived, too soon terminated life"
and err no half praises here:-)
I was also pleasantly surprised to find two spooky stories in this collection. Since that is part of my self attested forte, I shall spend a few minutes on these two stories. "A Chance Encounter" is written purrrrfectly, though I figured out the ending even before I was half way through. For an inveterate lover of the genre like me its predictable, but otherwise a lovely story with super buildup of atmosphere which is crucial in ghost stories. Then there is the last on "The Demons Within" which raises more questions than answers, and maybe that is what is its appeal. I felt the author should have tied up some loose ends in this one, to make this story less confusing for the non intellectual reader.
My favorite stories? I have two in mind which really stood out for me. "Dinner at Bukhara" and "Rain". The first one has a great plot and the suspense has been kept intact very well. I loved the way it was written. I am sure give the same plot to any other author and the effect would not come out like this. And then there is "Rain" which is an extremely tough concept for an author to write. It is essentially 5 separate stories with the rain as a leitmotif through all of them. Hats off to the author for starting 5 times, building up 5 times, and ending 5 times by way of newspaper reports. Incredible. Loved it.
I mentioned above about the plot, and that is where my 5 got downgraded to 4. Any story essentially needs to be well written, but the plot is crucial as well. If nothing is 'happening' or the reader keeps on waiting for a twist or turn or bend or meander in the story which never comes, then the plotting could have been better. Many of the stories in the middle half of the book had little storytelling in them.
Shubha is masterful in her use of similes and metaphors. That would be the answer to the question which I began the review with. All three animals are used as metaphors to describe human feelings in the story "Rain" that too, in a span of just 1 or 2 pages
Go, buy and read "Fly on the Wall" today!
This is definitely a review of the book "Fly on the Wall" and not a zoology quiz. You would figure out when I disclose the answer in the end. When I was 25/30% in to the book, the rating running in my mind was 5/5, however it is now what you see 4/5. Again, towards the end, I shall share the reason for this nominal downgrade.
I would write this review more as an author of a short story collection (which is rumored to be readable) rather than a book lover or reader; reason being from an author's point of view, this review would come out better.
Shubha Sarma's debut collection of stories has already received glowing encomiums from the likes of Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Namita Gokhale and K Satchitanandan. Let me also add my feeble voice in praising this book. Before going into the stories, I would first and foremost compliment the author's writing style. I absolutely loved her writing and command over language. (There is an admitted bias here as the writing resembles how I try to write as well). Throughout the 13 stories one would find beautiful descriptions and scene settings done using powerful vocabulary. Gurgling streams, verdant landscapes, sunsets and sunrises, sights and sounds from forests, decrepit village huts - long passages which describe the scene so beautifully that one can teleport oneself into the story.
Here are a few lines taken from the title story "Fly on the Wall" which, according to my aforementioned feeble voice, I found absolutely terrific writing.
"The large hall was half full, the half drawn curtains allowing the fading sunlight to stream in half heartedly. Just like Shishir Pande's half lived, too soon terminated life"
and err no half praises here:-)
I was also pleasantly surprised to find two spooky stories in this collection. Since that is part of my self attested forte, I shall spend a few minutes on these two stories. "A Chance Encounter" is written purrrrfectly, though I figured out the ending even before I was half way through. For an inveterate lover of the genre like me its predictable, but otherwise a lovely story with super buildup of atmosphere which is crucial in ghost stories. Then there is the last on "The Demons Within" which raises more questions than answers, and maybe that is what is its appeal. I felt the author should have tied up some loose ends in this one, to make this story less confusing for the non intellectual reader.
My favorite stories? I have two in mind which really stood out for me. "Dinner at Bukhara" and "Rain". The first one has a great plot and the suspense has been kept intact very well. I loved the way it was written. I am sure give the same plot to any other author and the effect would not come out like this. And then there is "Rain" which is an extremely tough concept for an author to write. It is essentially 5 separate stories with the rain as a leitmotif through all of them. Hats off to the author for starting 5 times, building up 5 times, and ending 5 times by way of newspaper reports. Incredible. Loved it.
I mentioned above about the plot, and that is where my 5 got downgraded to 4. Any story essentially needs to be well written, but the plot is crucial as well. If nothing is 'happening' or the reader keeps on waiting for a twist or turn or bend or meander in the story which never comes, then the plotting could have been better. Many of the stories in the middle half of the book had little storytelling in them.
Shubha is masterful in her use of similes and metaphors. That would be the answer to the question which I began the review with. All three animals are used as metaphors to describe human feelings in the story "Rain" that too, in a span of just 1 or 2 pages
Go, buy and read "Fly on the Wall" today!
