Book Review: Panorama (A collection of short stories)

Book: Panorama ( A collection of short stories)

Author: Shilpi Chaklanobis

Publisher: Notion Press

Genre: Fiction | Relationships

Pages: 134

Price: 150 INR

Blurb:

A turbulent relationship between a mother and a daughter takes a sudden turn when the daughter stumbles across a past that she never knew.....

The golden period of a professor’s life is tainted by questions about his purpose until one night gives him all the answers he needs........

Desperate times test us all but when hunger drives a girl to do the unthinkable, her life changes forever..........

Woven around the lives of the people around us – the shy girl on the metro, your domestic help, your neighbors and perhaps even you – this collection of short stories will take you on a bittersweet journey that explores the spectrum that is part of any human relationship and all the complexity and chaos that secretly dwell within the homes and hearts of India.

Often laced with an element of introspection, the stories are sure to change the way you see the world around you… 

My Rating

Plot: 3.5/5

Narration: 4.5/5

Writing Style: 4/5

My Review

Panorama is a wonderful collection of 15 short stories penned by Shilpi Chaklanobis. The stories are about people we see around us every day. The author has captured human emotions like vulnerability, anxiety, love, fear and hope in a perfect way. 

The first story of the book "Wok" is a beautiful story of a mother-daughter relationship where the mother who works as a domestic help gives the excuse of not having a wok to her little daughter as she cannot afford to make potato curry every day. This story captures the innocence of a little girl who is oblivious to the difficult circumstances of her life and the love of a mother who is trying hard to protect her daughter from facing the harsh realities of life.

The second story "Peanut" moved me to tears. If you ever had a pet, this story will make you extremely emotional. 

The third story "The Thirst" is about how love can blind us from seeing the dangerous intentions of the people we love the most. It is about a daughter who thirsted for her mother's love all her life. 

Each and every story of the collection is rich in emotions. The way the author has delicately captured the nuances of human emotions are praiseworthy. One of the stories of the book "The Second Tsunami" shows how hunger can overpower love at times. Realistic and extremely hard hitting, this story made me think for hours after reading it.

In the story "The Example", we see how the success of a student made a retired professor believe in the success of his career. 

The only constant in life is change. When you see your best friend and soul sister completely changed in the flow of time, it can break your heart, especially if you have held on to the memories of your bond. The story "Meeting" is about one such meeting of two best friends after more than two decades. 

In the story "Before It's too late", the author beautifully shows the importance of living in the present moment. Here are some lines from the story:

In the process of winning the race of life, he had forgotten the basic rule of living. You have to catch the spring before it's too late. You cannot expect the freshness and aroma from a flower after it has dried. A dried flower ceases to spread fragrance.

I savored each and every story of this collection. The plot of the stories might be simple and ordinary, but the narration is definitely extraordinary. Panorama captures the various slices of life and leaves the reader with an array of thoughts. 

I would like to congratulate the author for doing a great job in Panorama. For me, it is a 4 out of 5.

Recommended to anyone who loves reading stories on human emotions and relationships.