Book Review: Some of the Whole

All the stories have a common thread – a mix of flash-back and current situations – the blend pushing up the curiosity level and finally finishing it with a twist that undoes all that the reader thinks while reading the initial parts of the story. Contemporary set-up (each of the stories are based in the modern, Indian metros), real-life kind of characters and situations keep the story in the realm of being REAL.

Title: Some of the Whole by Abhijit Bhattacharya

Publisher: Cedar Books

Pages: Hardcover; 144

Source: Received from author for review.

Why I chose this:

I always like to take a step outside of what I normally read, especially when it involves reading about a place I haven’t been. Abhijit’s story sounded fantastic all on its own, but I was especially eager to take a look at India and its people.

My Thoughts:

As a collection of short stories, Some of the Whole, is definitely one of the most interesting and cohesive that I have had the pleasure to read in a long time. Each story is wholly different, and yet at its deepest part still seemingly the same. I was extremely impressed with the writing, in that the cities it described really came to life. Being that I have never had the pleasure to visit India, this glimpse into its inner workings and day to day goings on was fascinating.

The characters in these stories are also amazingly vivid. Each one of them has their own unique quirks and personalities, and they pop off the page. In fact, the characters are so well written that there were times I felt myself wishing I really knew these people. When it came to the sadder stories, where miscommunication lead to some awful ending, I wanted to be able to tell these people that I empathized with them. When you can become attached to a character like that in a mere 7 or 8 pages of writing, that is truly intense.

I’m sure it is apparent from what I’ve written above, but Some of the Whole truly impressed me! Had Abhijit Bhattacharya not approached me, I may never have known that this book existed which is truly saddening. The writing in the stories, the links between the characters, and the ultimate ending, all conspire to create a beautifully woven collection that I’m sure will impress you as well.