Title: A to Z Stories of Life and Death
Author: D. Biswas
Format: eBook
Source: Author
Description: Twenty-six A to Z stories, based on the
twenty-six letters of the alphabet, question our moral compass: How do you
judge a teacher toying with the sexuality of her teenaged student? A boy who
decides to murder his mother? What thoughts rage inside a pedophile serial
killer before he shoots himself? They challenge the concepts of beauty, truth,
and morality, by revealing the face of the other side.
The stories
focus on a crucial juncture when a character's life changes, for the better or
worse, because of a choice or decision. Some of the characters in the stories
confront death, others talk about life with its quirks and whimsies. Each
voice, ranging in age from a six-year-old to a centenarian, has its own
riveting story to tell. Together, this collection of stories at over 12000
words attempts to prove that when it comes to stories, depth can sometimes
replace length and breadth.
Review: D. Biswas lures the reader into fascinating
and powerful glimpses of humanity in her A
to Z Stories of Life and Death.
From god-like
nature in "A for Aquarium" to orphans in India in "G for
Girls" to loss of a child in "N for Nothing" and more, these
flash fiction stories encompass the realm of human emotions and invoke philosophical
discussions on life and death.
Each piece
from A to Z needs to be savored. These are not flash fiction pieces read on a
whim. Biswas engages the reader through beautiful and dark imagery and a sense
of poetry in each word. This collection isn't only about life and death, but
human nature and emotions bloom in every piece. The reader tastes the
grittiness of life for orphans in India to vengeance for wrongs committed. Some
stories invoke the fantastical, nearly whimsical with touching undertones that
pull at the heart. Some of my favorite pieces included "C for
Commas," "G for Girls," "J for Jasoda's Children," and
"Y for Youth."
D. Biswas's literary
flash fiction collection is not for the faint of heart. A to Z Stories of Life and Death will linger in your mind through
their gritty, dark, and most of all beautiful tales long after you read them.
