Review- A Perfect Murder and Other Stories by S.R. Nair

A Perfect Murder and Other Stories on Goodreads

 BOOK SUMMARY:

A naïve man and a divorcee, a wronged woman’s fight for justice, a poor woman’s desire for an iPad, a charming young man plots to seduce a beautiful, blonde tourist, a staunchly orthodox immigrant’s struggle to assimilate in the U.S. … These are some of the captivating stories in this book which heralds a distinct voice and is a “seriously good read”.

Release date: August 17th 2016

Published by: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Page numbers: 170

REVIEW: 

Collections of short stories are irresistible because in one book itself, there are so many stories, with different plots and different themes, making them absolutely enjoyable to read. It's almost like having the world in your hands because of everything they cover up. Author S.R. Nair's collection of fourteen absolutely beautiful short stories titled A Perfect Murder and Other Stories is no exception. This collection is so good that it wouldn't have hurt to have a few more stories in there.

The stories in A Perfect Murder and Other Stories are so well-written and plotted that it kept me on the edge of my seat because I just wanted to know everything at once. To add to it, the author's writing is wonderful and simple, and I don't mean simple in a demeaning way. Simple is good because with short stories, authors just tend to complicate the writing which makes the stories incomprehensible. Contrary to that, however, the writing of this collection was so simple that it made the book as a whole and the reading process very smooth and neat, which I truly admire.

A perfect mix of various themes from NRIs to a typical Indian middle class family to homosexuality to bonding between Hindus and Muslims, the best part about this collection was that it focused more on people rather than on themes, and that made it very relatable and raw in a certain way. Every character was well developed and people from practically all spheres were covered up, especially in a country like India, where we have so many different people in general and that's what makes us so incredible; it was a pleasure to read every story. The subtle way in which the author portrays the mindset of people was meticulous.

Additionally, the book also covers up themes that are super important in today's day and age like feminism, homosexuality, politics and what not. Every theme was incorporated in the stories in an almost steamy way because it just flowed so smoothly and in a lovely manner. For someone who is unfamiliar with India, this read is the best way to get to know about the contemporary people in a fictitious way. I do not have enough good things to say about it, honestly.

Of the fourteen very beautiful and wonderful stories, some of the most amazing ones for me were: Salma's Fate, Seema, The Grandson, The Missing Wife, The Stolen Child, Seduced, Visa for America and The Lost Son. These stories were slightly more appealing to me than the others, but the most exceptional story that the author managed to write in barely three pages but that was packed with emotion is iPad, which was the best one. Having said that, the other stories were just as good, thoroughly enjoyable and an absolute pleasure to read. I highly, highly recommend this read.

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by S.R. Nair in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.

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