Love and Longing in Bombay: Stories
by Vikram Chandra

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Book Summary Information

• ISBN13: 9780316136778
• Condition: New
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Book Reviews of Love and Longing in Bombay: Stories

Book Review: A Superb Collection of Contemporary Tales
Summary: 5 Stars

The five tales in this collection are, at several levels, linked to one another and though the title of the collective work might suggest otherwise, they deal with nearly every aspect of contemporary life in India. If there is any one theme that stands out, I would submit that it is that age-old topic of literature: loss. These are "slice of life" stories that reflect upon the dazzling complexities, conflicts and vicissitudes inherent to life and they - like life itself - do not arrive at neatly packaged conclusions.

I found the prose to be at once simple, yet elegant and sophisticated. The storytelling prowess of Mr. Chandra is obvious from the get go, and though it is undoubtedly true that he has been endowed with a gift from the gods, it is also equaly true that the young author is a well-studied stylist. There are passages in this collection that I have committed to memory, simply for the joy of hearing the language in my mind. Mr. Chandra is an incredibly observant, psychologically-minded and sensitive author and his supremely well-rounded characters have stayed with me - shall I dare say? - for an entire year, such is the impact of his prose.

With the exception of the final tale ("Shanti"), they are all set in Bombay, the mega-metropolis of modern-day India. Each one is begun with the enigmatic storyteller, a retired civil servant named Subramaniam, uttering the enticing, "Listen," and each one may be considered a genre piece. So, for example, there is a ghost story ("Dharma"), a high-brow soap opera ("Shakti"), and a murder mystery detective story ("Kama"). If - as people have correctly pointed out to me - each one is a gem, then the two novellas, "Kama" and "Artha", I would argue, are very close to being nearly perfectly-cut diamonds.

Having given this collection as a gift to a number of people, I can state unabashedly that not one has uttered anything short of superlative to describe his time spent with this book. I, for one, started each story with a piping hot cup of chai masala and could hardly wait to come back to them after a long day's work. This one is a must read for anyone who enjoys that sublime pleasure of succumbing to the powers of a truly gifted and immensely talented storyteller.

Summary of Love and Longing in Bombay: Stories

Love and Longing in Bombay is a mesmerizing collection, filled with fully rounded characters and stories that resonate long after the book is back on the shelf. Chandra's prose is luminous, his tales satisfying. Scheherezade would be impressed.

Short Stories Books

• Subjects > Literature & Fiction > Short Stories