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Book title – Pebbles in the grass (a collection of micro fiction)
Publisher – Amazon Pages – 78 Language – English
Author – Srivalli Rekha
Price – ₹ 0/- for the Kindle unlimited edition and ₹ 59/- for kindle edition
Available on – Amazon
Link – https://www.amazon.in/Pebbles-Grass-Srivalli-Rekha-ebook/dp/B0918L8QFK/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=pebbles+in+the+grass&qid=1618375297&sr=8-2
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If you have ever walked barefoot on lush grass then you must have, at some point, walked over loose pebbles. They aren’t all the same size or texture, are they? Some dent the soft skin and leave brief impressions/depressions while others cut and leave scars. There are some which are gentle and the feel of their smooth surface is ticklish while there are others that are so large that we skirt clear of them.
Now, isn’t that what stories are like? Are they not like these pebbles in the grass which titillate you, leave you with an ever lasting impression or even arouse other feelings?
The above is exactly what Srivalli’s book ‘Pebbles in the grass’ is about. It is a compilation of 38 micro fiction stories of various genres. In fact, it would be correct to say that Srivalli has explored almost all genres in this book. The highlight of the book for me is the language and the manner in which the book has been edited. The micro-fiction does not feel like abrupt fiction at all, as is mostly the case when writers tend to leave endings unsaid in the end. Instead, all the stories complete the arc of a short story and the denouement complements the story and plot line.
Now, I know that there would be many who would not attempt to publish in this format. It is a widely held belief that readers are not able to form an association with a very short story and hence, the story is forgotten as soon as it ends. I would like to debunk that myth. I believe that any story, be it a short story, a micro fiction or a full length novel, has the ability to hold a reader’s interest so long as the story and plot line has been deftly dealt with. That is the case with this book.
This is the kind of book you should pick up as a late night read when you are sleep deprived. You pick it up thinking – I am just going to read a few stories and then fall asleep – but, you end up staying up longer than intended to finish the book because your fingers are itching to turn over the page to see what the next sheet with unravel.
Wow. Great review. Putting in onTBR list.