Book: Whispers in the Mist: Tales from a Himalayan Hamlet
Author: Prerna Dewan
Publisher: Readomania
I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Do you have stories in your hometown that have been prevalent since time
immemorial?
A haunting plagues a sleepy hamlet in the mist-covered hills of
Darjeeling. Gayatri's distraught spirit wanders about her husband and his new
wife until she discovers a secret that unknowingly alters the trajectory of the
nine lives she has touched. Whispers in the Mist weaves together ten
interconnected stories, with Gayatri’s love and grief as the thread binding
them all. From a grieving couple to a halfwit seeking meaning in life, from
friends reunited after tragedy to a little girl’s lament for her broken family,
each character faces profound struggles. An octogenarian caught between
colonial rule and tradition, a shopkeeper torn between love and duty, and a
rape victim fighting societal stigma—every life touched by fate. And Baini, a
stray cat, discovers her own fate alongside them all. With a blend of Himalayan
folklores, myths, and culture, Whispers in the Mist highlights the complexity
of the human spirit, the resilience and strength of ordinary people to overcome
life's adversities.
Prerna’s book is a book set in the mist-covered hills of Darjeeling, and the book gives you the feel as if you are reading something akin to Malgudi Days. The storytelling format of individual stories, set in the same town and connected by a common thread makes for a good setting. Prerna’s writing is engaging and you see the town and its stories through the eyes of different characters as you move along in the book, including non-human characters. The superstitions and the beliefs of the people have also been captured, as well as the rustic lives of the people in small towns. What works in the book is that the stories are short and descriptive, and you get to move to different perspectives in each story. Prerna’s writing is quite honest and that is evident in the manner she tells the story. What didn’t work for me in the book was the length and the number of stories. The charm of the town and the unearthly apparitions weans off after a few stories. Another aspect what could have been improved was reducing the number of characters and increasing the impact of the remaining characters. The last chapter was fresh, but till you reach that part, the complexity gets to you.
The characters in the book are well written, and the level of detailing,
specially when talking about almost an entire town is commendable. I loved how the
author introduces quirks in the characters, be it the English-obsessed Mr.
Thapa, or the infatuated shopkeeper. Prerna creates her characters with ease
and each of these characters become an important part of the storytelling.
Overall, the book is a good story of myths, folklore and culture of the hills.
The book scores a 4.44/5 for me.
Grab a copy of the book on Amazon India or a bookstore near you.
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