7 Reasons to Read ‘Parting of the Strangers and Other Stories’ by Sattam Dasgupta
For me, a collection of short stories is always a delight. I love the diversity and the chance to meet a set of unfamiliar characters in different settings and circumstances. Recently, I came across a collection that instantly became my favorite because it was based around my favourite word ‘strangers’. Well, that’s not the only reason that I read it thrice in couple of months. There is more to share about the book altogether.
1. Language:
Some first-time writers write with such panache and easiness that you think them as veterans in their fields. Same here! After reading the blurb and a couple of stories, I thought Sattam is a regular writer of fiction books. Well, when I checked online, I was nonplussed to know that this collection of short stories is his first book. To be honest, I will wait for his next book. I enjoyed his writing caliber. He seems to have good grasp of language usage. Whether the story is terrific or mediocre, language matters a lot in literature.
2. Climax:
Often paranormal or horror short stories throw us into unexpected loops, however this collection is famous for unexpected ‘endings’ — there are sixteen stories and each story has its own twists and turns. You may be expecting a simple ending but things turn out very differently. I admit that to understand the last part of some stories, I read those stories many a time. I feel because of the great climaxes these stories are captivating to readers.
3. Length of the Book:
Yes, this matters. I specially avoid books like ‘The Complete Works of this and that Great Writer’. Sorry, I am not doing any research. I love to read books that are easy to finish. This book contains sixteen stories and yet the author managed to finish all in just 146 pages…great work.
4. Pace:
The pace of the book is related with the length of the book. As I said in the above point, 146 pages, now you can imagine that the pace of the book was brilliant. No particular story looked too short or too lengthy…they just suited my mood.
5. Realism:
You believe it or not, short stories are more inclined towards realism. They originate from trifle experiences or observances an author makes in his life. Though this collection has a few ghost stories but their credibility is rock solid…you cannot doubt their veracity, the way they unfold in the end make it all worth.
6. Experience:
While reading this collection I personally gathered the pattern of life that goes in most of the urban cities, as I saw that many stories are placed against the urban background of Bangalore and Kolkata and author has brilliantly placed some stories around the increasing traffic of the cities, for instance, the title story — The Parting of the Strangers and No Time for A Joke. Though there are other factors as well, like corporate world intricacies, and how you can test your relationship with a simple experiment known as Gedanken.
7. Insight into Relationships:
From the blurb I picked up mind games and tricks, yes human relationship is the most consistent theme in the collection. How do human relationships come under the mettle of test is depicted quite well in many stories. If you read this book, you will get a chance to peep inside factors that make or break the spectrum of relationships.
I know there could be more points that we can discuss about this book, but for me the mentioned ones mattered most. Read this book for sheer delightful experience and share your thoughts on the same. Happy reading!!
