Book Review : Unlikely Tails

Short stories seem to have a charm of their own.And they delight in so many ways that leaves one  wanting for more !

And so, it is, with this "Unlikely Tails" by Mani Padma ! This collection of 17 short tales is her sole debut. And yet, as one goes through her stories, one gets the feel that she is  a seasoned writer !

Its one of the hard cover books, that, I received for review ! And it is a signed copy at that ! The book begins with dedication to Colonel Maheep , her dad. Next, the author thanks all the women for having met them which made the stories possible.



The book is published by Creative Crows Publishers LLP. The book has 125 pages. The longest story is just ten pages long. I relished the stories over three days.I wanted to enjoy the subtlety of each of the tales & I did.

In the preface, the author says that women have fascinated her always & she has tried to narrate her take on women. The introduction of Mani Padma is by another author Kanchan Bhattacharya, who has penned, "Opus; Arrival; Enchantment."Kanchan Bhattacharya says that Mani Padma's stories  have a twist .And they shock us .I agree completely.

There are seventeen short stories & each one is  different & yet, similar as all the ends are unexpected !

One of the stories is about the various emotions of love, hatred, fear, courage etc. The same action leads to various emotions.It is as if the dancer is depicting the numerous emotions through the postures & facial expressions.

Another tale is about the eternal triangle .Who loses & who wins ? And, does the winner get what he or she wants ?

Another story is about a super natural  being. Do they exist or are they just figments of our imagination ?

One of the tales is about  depression , a current topic of much debate. And it narrates how ,depression can exist in our midst ,without us having any inkling about it.And it can lead to grave results !

Another tale is about matchmaking .And it has a lot of  sarcasm, about the girl meeting the boy among a deluge of relatives .And the picture is  so apt that one can visualize it ,as it is so commonplace .And it is narrated with tongue in cheek humour !

Yet, another story, is about an escort service .And  an unusual one at that .What a climax ! It leaves you feeling amused !

I can go on & on ,And yet, that would be revealing it all.It is a superb read for one & all ! Whoever reads it, will find the book immensely enjoyable !

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!