Book: One More Chapter
Author: Shalini Mullick
Publisher: Readomania
I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Who was the one person who has inspired you the most?
A homemaker mother challenges tradition and redefines her role. A young
scholar discovers the power of shared solidarity. An Air Force officer
overcomes her incapacitating fears. A goddess calls out patriarchy. A mother
battles the judicial system. A fashion designer rises above disability and
rejection. These are some of the characters you will meet in One More Chapter,
a powerful collection of stories featuring women who rise above challenges,
defy societal norms, and discover their inner strength. Each story in this
anthology is a testament to the resilience, courage, and grace of women who,
when faced with adversity, discover their greatest treasure: themselves. These
pages celebrate their journeys towards self-empowerment, showcasing how women
can transform challenges into triumphs, embrace their full potential, and
ultimately change the world around them.
Shalini presents 16 stories that are in inspiring and challenging in equal measure. The stories focus on the resilience of the women in daily life, and presents some seemingly normal daily events from a completely different perspective. The writing in the book is powerful, but presents the idea of the book in such a simple manner that after each story you take a pause to take in the events that transpired. Each of the story is short and crisp, but the essence of each of these stories is quite deep. Another aspect of the book that I loved was that each of the stories are distinct and you see a completely different character in each of the 16 stories. While the most of the book deals with breaking the moulds that the society has set for these characters and facing their fears, there are a couple of stories that fit the theme in a uniquely different manner. If I had to pick my favorites from the lot, “Diwali Rush” would be one making it to the list because of the simplicity with which the author highlights the theme of the story! Another story that makes the cut for me was “Kindling the Fire” for the theme, the inspiration, and the way Shalini adapts the story while keeping it contemporary. The third story to make it to the favorites list was that of “Mother’s Day.” The reason why this story stayed with me was not just because of the theme, but because of the mastery of writing that this story shows that the story is right in front of you, but the twist in the end stuns you are a reader, and given that this is in the initial part of the book, you start paying attention to small details in the book as well.
Coming to the characters, each of the story in the book features a set of
wonderfully sketched characters that are relatable, but at the same time show
resilience like no one else. The characters are not described in detail, by the
virtue of the stories being short, but somehow you are able to visualize them
very clearly while reading the book. The characters are the soul of this book,
and as a reader, each of these characters would inspire you to look at your
life from a completely different perspective with each page you turn.
The book is highly recommended for anyone who likes to read short stories with a message, and for anyone looking to read something beyond the usual fiction writing. The book scores a 4.94/5 for me.
Grab a copy of the book on Amazon India or your nearest bookstore!
Check out my review of the other books by Shalini here:
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