Sonal Singh On Sonal's Table
‘Hawk’s Return’, the third series of books by ArtoonsInn Room9 Publications, is an anthology of twelve short stories centred on the theme of ‘return/returning’. The 155 pages book explores the concept of returning in the literal, metaphorical and other manners.
The stories chronicle journeys, incidents, rediscovery, introspection, reconnection to one’s roots, revisiting places/people, and much more. It’s difficult to review a book in totality when it encompasses stories from twelve different writers. Each brings their own unique style, vocabulary, and storytelling techniques. I found each story well-written and beautifully unique. They are all interesting tales that beautifully capture the emotions of ‘returning’. My top favourites from the book are –
1. Ruth’s patties and pies by Shankar Hosagoudar. I loved this story for its brilliantly simple narration. It’s a heartwarming tale and captures the concept of ‘return’ in all its essence. The colloquial language highlights the emotions.
2. O Captain! My Captain! By Sheerin Shahab. I loved this story for the beautiful epistolary style of narration. Each entry carries the story forward. It felt like peeling off the protective covers to reach the core of the truth.
3. Home by Kruti Bharadva. A tender tale heralded by an almost wistful longing for ‘home’. The story’s setting, characters and the beginning was the perfect hook. //It was a place of dappled sunlight and drowsy shades// (sic)
4. The Ghosts of Lidice by Narayani Manapadam. Based on the Lidice massacre, the crisp, surgical narration left me awash with sadness initially. The ‘return’ explored in this story encompasses a deep-seated sense of loss, and yet there is also hope.
5. The ascension by Lalitha Ramanathan. A tender tale of fulfilling one’s dreams, returning to what one loves the most, presented as a smorgasbord of emotions.
6. The village that could not sleep by Dr Pallavi Sawant Uttekar. A moralistic, fairytale like story that makes one believe in the power of good over evil. It makes one believe in hope.
The book in totality is a beautiful compilation. The other stories are equally noteworthy. Some are mythological, others a little more influenced by drama. But they each propel the concept of ‘return’ beautifully. The book makes for a quick read although, it may not always be an easy read (for young children) because of the graphic descriptions in some stories. What I missed in the book was the inclusion of an index. As a reviewer, going back and forth was vexing.
I recommend this book to everyone. Pick it up and take it with you on a journey. As you travel, let the book take you on its own travels and through a plethora of emotions.
