Afsaane | Closer to life than you think

Ameya Bondre has done a splendid job in bringing out these impactful set of short stories which not only prove that simple tales are the most expressive, but also take us a step closer to understand this bizarre concoction called life.

His stories stem out of the adversities in our uneven terrain of experiences, thereby giving us glimpses of characters which seem familiar to our senses, but distant to our recognitions. The author breaks free of conventional styles of storytelling--he doesn't devote much time in introducing the characters or setting up the scene of the drama. Rather, his stories always start amidst a sudden disclosure, and the backdrop of the storyline becomes clearer and clearer as we gradually make way to towards the climax. Bondre never forgets to include intense climatic situations--the kind which challenge earlier judgements of the story. The tales are weaved with a sense of forlornness and intricacy, which never lets even a bit of predictability invade the reading experience. Smoothly gliding over societal topics like infidelity, migration, divorce and effortlessly touching over themes like loneliness, desolation and addictions--the stories remain close to the reader's heart.

The constant tug of war between optimism and gloom that we associate with almost all of our daily chores, kind of emerges as a takeaway from this diverse collection. Each story is starkly different from the other--something that kept me hooked to the book throughout. I was often bewildered at the abrupt endings, but had to place them under the banner of 'open-endedness'. Nevertheless, I felt like this was one of the strongest attributes of the author's writing style, which is equipped with strong linkages to life and radiates an expertise in storytelling.

Willing to read more from the author. 

➦Want to grab a copy? Buy the book here!

Disclaimer: This review is in lieu of a review copy.

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