The Truth Was a Lie-Rahul Jain

Book: The Truth Was a Lie
Author: Rahul Jain
Publisher: Papertowns Publishers

I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

What if the world you were seeing was a lie?

The Truth Was a Lie is a collection of eleven short stories about characters living behind the versions of themselves the world has chosen to believe. They are lives shaped by love, loneliness, desire, shame, identity, greed, grief and the assumptions we make about one another. As you step into their worlds, you may recognise something of yourself and begin to question some of your own choices. Everyone is hiding something. Sometimes, even from themselves. Because sometimes, the person you thought you understood is the one you never really saw. And sometimes, the truth is just another lie we choose to believe.

The book is a collection of 11 short stories that explore the various facets of being a human and different emotions that we go through. What makes the book stand out is the fact that each of the story has a twist that you definitely see coming. Each story begins with a subtle premise that draws you into the story and into the mind of the character. As the story progresses, you realise that you have been presented with a deceptive idea of the events as they have occurred. Rahul’s storytelling is gripping and keeps you hooked right till the very end. What works for the book is that none of the stories are similar. Each story has a unique setting, unique characters and a unique perspective about the scene playing out. Another aspect that I loved about the book was that the stories are not just from the perspective of humans, but also inanimate things like a tray in a pub, a diamond ring and so on. The climax of the stories is well penned, and as a reader, you are served a wonderful dessert at the end of each course.

Coming to my favourites from the collection, The Wheelchair, which is the first story of the book stood out from me as the best one for the way it was executed. I had no inkling of the climax that plays out. Lottery Ticket was another one that I liked for it presented a picture of the current times. I also loved how the ending is left open ended and you wonder what actually happened to the characters. Bells as a story with a supernatural element felt interesting in this collection for its treatment of the entities and how they impact the living. Woman in the Ambulance is one that I would select just for the last line that changes how you look at the entire story.

Overall, the book was a wonderful experience and I would recommend it to anyone looking to pick up a collection of short stories with a twist. The book scores a 4.75/5 for me.

Grab a copy of the book at a bookstore near you or on Amazon India.