REVIEW: The Love Song Of Maya K and Other Stories by Shuma Raha

A rumour that ends in calamity; a girl who is demonised because of her ‘evil’ horoscope; a man who preys upon young girls; a train journey that forces a woman to look at her marriage anew; the gorgeous inner life of a shop girl; a child overwhelmed by the wonder and terror of his world... Set in Kolkata and Delhi, the stories in this collection deal with love and betrayal, dogma and superstition, sexuality and thwarted desires.

The characters belong to the world of urban, aspirational India where snobbery and rat race go hand in hand with class and religious conflicts. Dark or funny, satirical or poignant, these stories are as much a snapshot of modern India as they are an intense crystallization of the unpredictable chaos of life.

TITLE- The Love Song Of Maya K and Other Stories

AUTHOR- Shuma Raha
PUBLISHERS- Niyogi Books
FORMAT- Paperback

*Thanks to the Publishers for a paperback review copy.*

Niyogi Books is well known for its collection of short stories. The song of Maya K and other stories is another powerful collection of stories by them. The author has done a wonderful job of compiling these 13 stories.

The book revolves around feminism and today's Indian women. It puts the readers in the situations that they can really be in. The book is set in Delhi and Kolkata, 2 major Indian cities.

Love, betrayal, sex, superstitions, and religion are some of the major components of the plot. Talking about the characters, they were quite relatable and well developed.

I loved how the author weaved the stories. Her storytelling was quite gripping. Each story started with a bang but I don't know what happened towards the end. The stories just lost its bang. I mean the ending was just sort of, I don't know what to say, maybe just bland. Also, the twists were not as developed as they would have been because I had to read certain parts again to get the hang of what was happening.

The best thing about each story was the hidden lessons which made it a productive read.
Recommend to everyone who loves that feminism vibe and short stories.

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