Title: A Pinch of HOPE in a Bowl of LIFE
Author: Veena Sethuraman
Publisher: Leadstart publishing
Genre: Short Stories
First Publication: 2021
Language: English
Book Summary: A Pinch of HOPE in a Bowl of LIFE by Veena Sethuraman
Love has many forms. Every seeker may have their own journey towards it, each one filled with its own set of obstacles and life lessons.
For Gayathri, a chance encounter with a Gynaecologic Oncologist reminds her of her own belief in a soulmate and helps her embrace self-love. For Charanjeet, love is about getting over his helplessness and working to strengthen his marriage, building his family. Joseph had to first encounter himself, deal with his own anger and shame to find his expression, before he could accept someone’s love. Ranganayaki’s journey is that of learning to stand up for herself in an unsupportive environment and yet viewing the world through the lens of humour along with her strong faith on her ‘Ranga’. Suraiya had to allow the churning in her to realize that self-care is not selfish, while facing up to her disappointing marriage and walking out of it.
They say Love Conquers All; here are stories of a few common people who had to break the shackles – sometimes of traditions, sometimes of societal norms and at times even their own expectations to reach their destinations. As they conquered, they embodied HOPE.
After all, LOVE is the source of HOPE.
Book Review: A Pinch of HOPE in a Bowl of LIFE by Veena Sethuraman
There are certain things in life that bewilder and baffle us with their staggering normality. Things so simple yet unmistakably captivating, common-place yet elegant, subtle yet profound. Veena Sethuraman’s collection of short stories is one of those things. She writes with a grace and an elegance that transforms her simple stories into a delicate myriad of words and feelings. Each story transforming you into a singularity bound to its harmonious beauty. The different stories somehow seem to be explicitly woven together in a book to make a fabric of the most beautiful kind.
Veena Sethuraman’s ‘A Pinch Of Hope In A Bowl Of Life’ comprises five short stories representing a variety of themes such as mental health, love, friendship, women empowerment, queer love, marriage and domestic violence. These and other themes feel far-reaching, however, and the reader may recognize and understand many of the feelings, battles and tensions quite personally. Author Veena Sethuraman conveys so pointedly the irony of life that even in painful moments, there’s a sort of joy in knowing you at least feel something. It’s this human experience, a sort of self-inflicted suffering, that author is encapsulate in words what so many authors try yet fail to do.
Her stories transcend the cultural & ethnic aspect of things, any person can relate to all these experiences. For me, ‘A Pinch Of Hope In A Bowl Of Life’ is a humanistic book that highlights the common experiences of all people while at the same time show-casing a rich culture that some people are not familiar with. She made me feel attached and connected to these characters that had few similarities with me. She made me feel the bond with these people, their experiences, their sadness, their joys, their pain.
These five short stories by Veena Sethuraman are quiet, penetrating, and meticulously written. The beauty of author Veena’s writing is in the ordinariness of it. She has an elegant style but does nothing to draw undue attention to the writing itself; she employs no tricks that distract from her narrative. The stories are also about ordinary topics, about regular people. It is in the simplicity of the scenarios that universal truths resound.
Author’s prose seems so clean and precise that it is very easy to turn page after page despite the fact that her stories are not really plot-driven. Rather, each story delves into the psyche of each character with such skill that the reader can’t help but feel extremely intimate with each one, whether male or female, likable or otherwise. Vivid characters live among these pages – characters you will recognize and characters you may even empathize with. They aren’t extraordinary in their lives by any means, but it’s the author’s projection of them that make them seem extraordinary.
The stories in this collection succeed in doing what good short stories should: they illuminate the little moments, the mundane traumas, the controlled anguishes that blink unspoken and unacknowledged into the everyday. There is a closeness and vulnerability to her characters that is genuine. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy short stories that have a wealth of depth despite their length, characters that are superbly drawn, and wonderful writing.
