Skip to main content

Rustic Tales, Raw Emotions: My Take on The Owl, The River and the Valley


Is it just me, or is there really a sudden deluge of translated books around? Honestly, I am loving it! Getting to read stories from faraway regions, raw, unfiltered, and often from an era untouched by the internet, feels like pure bliss.

One such book I picked up recently is The Owl, The River and the Valley by Arupa Patangia Kalita, translated from Assamese by Mitra Phukan and published by Penguin Random House. It’s a beautiful collection of 12 short stories.

These stories capture the essence of everyday struggles, the rhythm of mundane domestic life, and the harsh divide between privilege and poverty. My absolute favourite was Yellow Flip Flops, a story that shocks you with its ending while laying bare the depths of poverty.



What struck me most was the rustic flavour of the narration, rooted in the villages of Assam. All the stories are told through women protagonists and touch on themes like surrogacy, migration, employment, and historical legacies.

Reading this book felt like a fresh breeze of storytelling. And yes, I am definitely diving into more translations now. 🌿📚


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Of Personal Space And Accepting Oneself (Book Review)

Image Source Book: My Space My Body – starring Taka Dimi Author: Roopa Pai Illustrator: Archana Sreenivasan Publisher: Fitkids Education and Training Pvt Ltd For: Children above 3 years Books for children is an important responsibility; not just for the publishers and authors, but also for the parents and teachers. It is essential that the books we share with our children should not just be informative and engaging but also educational. My Space My Body (MSMB) is an interesting blend of all the above elements.
Post a Comment
Read more

The Drowning: Dark and Distrubing

The Drowning , authored by Nidhi Upadhyay published by Penguin Random House , is a dark psychological thriller that subverts expectations.  What starts as a seemingly straightforward story soon spirals into something far more sinister—so dark that it may not be for the faint-hearted. The story follows Viji, a grieving mother who loses her twins under mysterious circumstances. As she desperately searches for answers, she finds herself accused of causing the death of her friend’s toddler.  Enter Inspector Kanika, the determined protagonist, who is not only investigating the case but also grappling with her own personal loss after losing her unborn.  As the investigation unfolds, what seemed like a tragic accident takes a chilling turn, leading to an unexpected and unsettling conclusion.
Post a Comment
Read more

Love Nuggets

"Our eyes met, making our hearts melt... It happened then.. and it happens even today... after 9 years of togetherness and two years of our marriage... and it will happen forever." "Dull, sad, and grey my life would have been without you. You bring the much-needed light, enthusiasm, excitement, and fun to me every day. With you, I know I will live my life and not just survive. Love U."
Post a Comment
Read more