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Book title – A Fallen Leaf
Publisher – Penmancy Writers Pages – 163 pages Language – English
Author – an anthology
Price – ₹ 225 for the paperback and ₹0/- on kindle unlimited
Available on – Amazon
Penmancy team – ‘fall’ can mean many things to many people because we’re all leaves, hanging on a tree, and like leaves we grow in time and change colours through seasons revealing the true nature of ourselves.
All of us, at least once in our lives, have faced a situation wherein we felt like a fallen leaf. We felt like a rudderless raft in the sea, propelled solely by the wind. The wind took us in directions that were unchartered or maybe unintended. But, in the process of discovering that direction, we changed, we grew and we evolved. And, these are the directions that have taught us the most about life, are they not?
A fallen leaf is an anthology of fifteen short stories that revolve around the above theme. These are stories of normal human beings living their mundane, boring lives. The characters are real life people whom you can relate to for they are the ones that we meet in our everyday lives and yet tend to ignore. Tell me, how often is it that we stop and give a second thought to the stories of the people around us? Almost never, right? And, we never think from the perspective of an abandoned house or even a fallen leaf. If they could speak then would they have a story to tell?
I warrant that if we ever paused to look at the life around us then we would find stories of fortitude, strength of character, true grit and unconditional love. That is exactly what the book is about. Without meaning to, it still teaches you the true meaning of always ‘rising above your circumstances’.
Although, this is an anthology by fifteen wonderful writers, yet the language of the book is pretty even toned and easy to understand. It’s a well edited book and it is evident that care has been taken to present stories that capture the essence of life even though they remain individually unique. The deep emotional connect that you feel as you read the book, gives you hope. It reinstates your belief in the fact that there is something better out there even in the most inclement of circumstances.
Another beautiful part that I loved about the book is the brilliant poems written by Olinda Briganza to introduce each story. They set the tone of the story and orient a reader about what to expect. To me, they were instrumental in connecting the multiple stories together. The poems, strung the stories up for me like different flowers bound in a wreath by a common wire. That gave the book a more novel like appeal.
The book is a short compilation and is perfect for some weekend reading or to carry with you during your travels. My favourite stories in the book are – A mosaic on the garden floor by Sharanya Mishra and a Tryst with a twist by Olinda Briganza.
