Author: Gayatri Gill
Publisher: Speaking Tiger Books
Do you think
lockdown has given us a lot of stories to tell?
The Day Before
Today by Gayatri Gill is a collection of 10 short
stories around the theme of the lockdown imposed in India and the Covid-19
Pandemic. From a girl obsessed with a person she meets while buying groceries,
a midnight feast, a ghost who falls in love and how a murder can be committed,
and the person can easily escape. The book is a collection of such dark and
thrilling stories that will engage you.
The stories in
the book are told in an interesting manner that are engaging and keep a reader
hooked till the last word of the story. The plots are taken from quite common
situations, but Gayatri adds her own flavor to them to make them her own story.
each of the stories have an interesting twist at the end that is sure to surprise
the reader. I loved the way the tone was set in Day One with its last line.
Positive is a story of hope and how the silver lining emerged from this
cloud of the pandemic. Siya, circa 2020 and Siya, circa 2023 are
2 stories in continuation that take a thrilling twist to an all new level. Infection
took my fancy because it highlights a grim reality that we saw and how a social
divide exists, even in these testing times.
The characters
of the book are quite commonplace, and that is what makes the book so
interesting. The characters are relatable to the people we see around us daily.
We can always see a Siya when we go out for shopping, or our parents when we
try our hands at cooking and end up creating a mess. The romantic Ghost might
not be a reality, but I would like to believe that it is a metaphor for a
romantic liaison that arose in these times.
The sketches before
each chapter by Niyati Singh are quite interesting and add a new dimension to
the book.
Overall, a good read that scores a 4/5 for me.
Get your copies here.
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