Afsaane - A Collection of Short Stories By Ameya Bondre

The Blurb: 

A sky-blue paper bird glued to a mirror. A handmade book on music to be gifted. A pair of mud-brown tea cups without handles. A shelf to hoard dying memories. A little home tucked away in a remote village. A haunting voice after boarding an empty bus... The images on the cover belong to people whose stories are packed in this book: A man who meets his lost friend in a new world. A seeker who resists everyone to reach an unwanted place. Lovers that separate, only to find some hope. A failed artist who finds another voice. A new entrant in a home who creates turmoil. A cheated girl who makes a desperate call. A shattered man who pegs on a sudden dreamy trip. With eleven stories of unrequited love, hope, acceptance, heart breaks or just needs, ‘Afsaane’ will tug at your heartstrings and open windows to people that experience unusual situations in far too usual lives.

The Story: 

Afsaane has a collection of 11 stories, and each one differs from the other! Every story is interesting on its own, and a pleasant read. The first story, ‘Distances' is about a couple that wants to 'find themselves' in their relationship, closing towards a moment they both seem to want, and yet want to avoid. The second story, ‘Dreams’ is about passion and struggle, showing that one needs just a little push to achieve what they want in life, just that one push... to break the wall that stops them to chase their dream. The third story, ‘Blinkers on’, is about a couple Nisha & Ankit battling prejudice and acceptance viz. a new member in the family. Similarly, eight more heart touching stories are told with a hint of happiness, in spite of deep conflicts; hope in spite of real struggles; and love, not without the friendship! These are: ‘Chaos’, ‘A Regular Date’, ‘Trapped’, ‘A Healthy home’, ‘Not in the Dark’, ‘A Frantic call’, ‘Deaf’, & the last story, ‘Long Lost’ which is about two childhood friends with their cherished history, that awkwardly meet after several years in a foreign land.

My Take: 

The author has said that this book is filled with eleven stories of unrequited love, hope, acceptance and heartbreaks, and he has been true to his words! I found the stories relatable, and we can all find ourselves or others in similar situations, or we have heard the same experiences. The author has done a remarkable job in writing these stories. I liked the writing style, the characters, the feelings, and each situation that is described perfectly, with a smooth flow. I also liked how at the end of each story... it left me thinking about what happened next?

Overall, Afsaane is a wonderful book filled with realistic stories, so I would highly recommend it! So click on the link and read now the Afsaane - A Collection of Short Stories By Ameya Bondre: https://amzn.to/2SQS8Ue