Tales of You, Me and Them-Anju Darshini

Book: Tales of You, Me and Them
Author: Anju Darshini
Publisher: Leadstart Publishing

Hometowns have their own charm, own stories and no matter how far away you move, you’ll always have the memories.

Tales of You, Me and Them by Anju Darshini is a collection of 8 short stories based in Keeladi, in Tamil Nadu. The Train Journey is the story of Sithara and her lost love, and how sometimes journeys can be fulfilling and in the truest sense, move you. Her Revelations is a story set in time of the Mughals where Kalaivani falls in love with a married man, and despite being in love, the society casts her out but her love remains eternal. Megha Tells Her Story is a powerful commentary on the sexual exploitation of women at workplace, and how the strength of one woman can power another to raise her voice against the injustice. I Chase My Dreams introduces us to Majula, who marries in a family with all pleasures of the life provided to her, yet she dreams of finding her own voice, escaping from the claustrophobic feeling she endured for a long time, and how an offspring can be a big support. The Keeper of the Light is another story that tells us the power of sibling love and how it protects us, even if they are apart.  In Confessions of a Lost Soul, we meet Kumar and are exposed to the effects of parental dependency on their children for support to an extent, where the child loses its individuality. The Siren is the story of Sarah and Jason who met under very painful circumstances yet fell in love and as the years passed by, their love increased, but they never admitted to it but one day, something changes, and a journey ensues. The Paparazzi is another swing at the omnipresent paparazzi around film stars and their families, without any regard to their privacy. When Ayaan decides to take matters in his own hands, will the paparazzi walk away?

Tales of You, Me and Them by Anju Darshini is a collection of 8 wonderful stories that goes across themes. While some of the stories talk about romance and love between partners, some of them talk about sibling love and rivalry. Each of the story has its own flavor and it is a pleasure journeying through each of the stories. The language of the book is simple and compelling. The descriptions are vivid and engaging and you can imagine the scenes as they emerge. Each story has a small prologue that adds a different sense to the story as well. The plotline is interesting and the small twists along the road just add more amazement for the reader.

Coming to the characters, each of the 8 stories has a good mix of characters, some that you would see around you. Relating to the protagonists is easy and Anju makes sure that the reader does that. The journey of the characters is wonderful, and personally, I connected with the story of Sithara, Manjula and Jason.

A wonderful read, this book gets a 4.5/5 from me.

Get a copy here.