Publication Date: 23rd July 2023
Genre: Short Story Anthology (Single Author)
3 Stars
One Liner: A decent collection
The anthology starts with a crisp author’s note detailing how the stories have different twists. Of course, with the title and the note, my instinct was to guess the twist. However, I decided not to ruin the stories and shifted my focus to enjoying the stories and going with the flow.
I like how the collection is categorized into sections with headings that hint at the overall theme. While this can dampen the reading experience, it structures the book well and sets the right expectations. The stories deal with various themes, with Covid lockdown, neurodivergence, family & relationships, and war & peace recurring.
As with most anthologies, some stories are a hit, and some aren’t. The concepts, as such, are beautiful and thoughtful. They nudge the readers to contemplate the various emotions and ideas presented throughout the book. However, the writing doesn’t always do justice to the premise. In quite a few stories, the execution leaves a lot to be desired and even dilutes the impact.
Here’s a brief overview of the stories:
Out of this World
As the title suggests, these stories have a character that doesn’t belong to this world (aka ghosts/ apparitions/ etc.). Only one of them is mildly spooky. The others are more along the lines of social/ family drama.
• The Figure in the Charpoy – 3.5 Stars (short and sweet)
• Top of the World – 4 Stars (heartwarming)
• Masterpiece – 3 Stars (has potential but average execution)
• Till We Meet Again – 3 Stars (has potential but doesn’t stir the emotions)
• It Starts With Us – 3 Stars (the premise is great, but the second-person POV with dual narrators did not work)
Not too far into the Future
This set has stories set in the future or near future. They mostly deal with wars, weapons, and control. While the concepts are cool, the tone borders on preachy, reducing my reading experience.
• Throwback to History – 2 Stars (too short to make an impact)
• For a Better World – 3.5 Stars (intriguing premise with decent execution; the ‘lemon tea with honey’ in a future setting kinda stood out)
• Guided Missiles, Misguided Men – 3.5 Stars (artfully handled the use of real people and setting with an alien twist)
• Kaleidoscope – 4 Stars (mainly for the sensitive portrayal of neurodivergent people)
• Too Hot a Bot – 3.5 Stars (could have been a satirical and humorous piece but falls short in execution)
All Doesn't End Well
This set deals with stories that don’t have a happy ending and feel more realistic. The stories are shorter, which also affects their appeal.
• The Mask of Pretence – 2 Stars (reads like a TV drama)
• The Perfect Abode – 3.5 Stars (painful premise, but the emotions just don’t hit the way they should)
• My Knight in White – 3.5 Stars (needed better exploration; too much packed into a small word count)
• Great Things in Life – 2.5 Stars (packs too much, which dilutes the core point)
• The Nothingness of Being – 3.5 Stars (sensitive topic dealt with care, but needed a little more depth)
Love Comes in All Hues
In the final set, we have stories dealing with love as the central theme. Of course, these aren’t love stories but have love in various forms (or hues, as mentioned in the title). A couple of them are too short to inspire emotion, though they deal with heartwarming themes.
• The Consent – 4 Stars (regular family drama but well-presented and sensitive)
• The Wedding Dance – 2.5 Stars (could have been ‘aww’ but ends up ‘meh’)
• Purchased Love – 4 Stars (uses stereotypes but breaks them too; neatly done)
• Everything Different About Me – 3.5 Stars (needs a little more emotion though the intent is evident)
• A Matter of Her Identity – 3.5 Stars (self-love and identity; this could have been a wee bit longer)
As you can see, most stories fall into the 3.5 range, which sums up the book perfectly. It’s a decent collection but nothing spectacular. I can already feel them fading from my memory.
The stories were submissions for writing events hosted by different platforms. That could be one reason for the overall average feel, though they have been reworked before compilation. Another round of editing would have helped.
To summarize, Twisted Tales and Turns is an enjoyable collection if you want to finish a book in a day. It will work better for beginner readers who want something easy but with a touch of everything.
Thank you, Blogchatter and author Smith Das Jain, for the digital copy of the book. This review is powered by Blogchatter Book Review Program and contains my honest opinion about the book.
You can buy Twisted Tales and Turns: A Journey through the Unexpected on Amazon. It is available as a Kindle version and paperback.
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