Sonal Singh On Sonal's Table
Aiyyo, What Will the Neighbours Say? – is not just time-pass humour. Aruna Nambiar delivers a sly, sparkling collection that made me laugh and then quietly examine my own hypocrisies.
This book brings together 13 short stories that focus in on the everyday chaos of Indian life: family politics, society gossip, social media madness, ageing insecurities, and that ever-present background score—log kya kahenge? The situations feel instantly familiar because its everyday life.
What makes this collection relatable the wit. The author has an eye for the small, telling detail that others mostly miss, but ones that are so vital for atmosphere creation. The humour is gentle but pointed. You laugh, and then you realise you’re also wincing.
Each story begins in comfortable territory and then quietly flips the script with its end, forcing the reader to reflect. The twists are not loud or gimmicky; they’re clever, sometimes ironic, sometimes tender. Just when you think you know where things are headed, the rug shifts slightly. It’s that “twist in the tail” style that makes the stories addictive.
Another delight is the way certain characters reappear, weaving the stories together into a larger portrait of contemporary Indian life. The result is not just a collection of funny anecdotes but a cohesive, witty commentary on human frailty, complete with our vanities, fears, social posturing, and secret vulnerabilities.
What worked for me was the balance because the satire wasn’t cruel. The warmth in the stories was layered, but not overwhelmingly so.
If you enjoy slice-of-life storytelling with humour and sharp cultural commentary, this book will charm you. It delivers laughs, insight, and surprise in equal measure.
