Review by Anushka Mehta.
We live stories and then there are some authors who believes in putting it down on a paper. A paper that would last longer than for the time we lived that story. Manali Desai, has taken an inspiration from such lived stories of life. While adding a spice to them she took it to different genres being it romance, thriller, mystery, and inspirational.
Her book is divided into eight sections and counting to the most promising section. I still want to believe Aashna was dreaming about hearing her own voice asking for help on the phone call. When you are lying in the comfort of your bed and your phone rings with your own number can shake you to hell. The goose bumps didn’t fade even while reimaging it. Author has skilfully left us cliff hanged with this exhilarating thriller. While making you grab the hidden message to ask for your own help when everything is oddly suspicious.
Moving onto the next story, when it comes to fiction we expect more of narration rather dictation, while author has mingled her didactic tone of writing into her stories. Making you feel the gratitude around you, we are more of an oblivious to the monotony of our lives. It hardly matters to explore the reason behind waking up every morning and heading towards the work, taking care of the people we love or putting yourself into a new shoes every time we learn something. Offering you a reason rewind your life.
With more of a serious talk a light minded refreshing conversation becomes your need, so is the chronology of the Author as she welcomes you the romantic comedy that is absolutely not what happens in our movies.
As the stories continues you realise you haven’t left out any aspect whether loving your own self to finding yourself with your crush in an irksome journey. All the stories are short read written in simple language. Providing you with a lead to follow as they are a mix trail of emotions.
Author holds a strong grip when it comes to setting and character, while the plot was left loose. Stories don’t offer much scope for the twists and instead prefers a straight path depicting its high inspiration for true events of life.
Even the work towards the appearance of the book appreciable. The book cover offers an idea of some pastel reads. Along with some beautiful pictures inside the book before every story, that gives a subtle understanding of the story. Dark mysterious one relates to the thriller, couple holding hands is definitely romantic while Gateway of India is representing some mysterious background.
Author has generously being creative in giving links to her personal blog ‘A Rustic mind’. As each story takes you on a plunge ride to another similar story. Blessing the readers with more reading time through a single book.
The book is recommended for broader audience belonging to different age groups looking for a light and short read that could inspire you and with punches of positivity and self-love.
Manali Desai, has penned down The Untold Stories and A Rustic Mind along with this her stories were published with other authors in Ten Tales and Zista. The author’s story ‘The Walls Have Ears’ has won the Best Short Story Award. All her books are available in e-book on amazon along with her latest one.
Ratings: 3 out of 5
