Genres: Fiction
Pages: 166, Kindle Edition
Published: August, 2017
Cover Rating: 3/5
A collection of short stories is always hard to analyse for a reader since there is so much context switch in between the stories and the writing style might vary as the stories collected are written over a period of time of months or maybe years. On picking up Abhinav Kumar’s debut work I had similar feelings. I took my time to read them as I felt the urge to read carefully to understand better and enjoy a collection of short stories at the same time. Maybe you might not agree with this point on me, or maybe you do but this one works for me when it comes to short stories.
Titled rightly as Razor-Sharp is a collection of 13 stories, few of them quite short in length but will leave you amazed by being crisp and astonished by how the author plays with your imagination even with less amount of words. That’s a rare quality and this book emphasise on it. Each story consists of a world of its own, a relationship that might be already developed between the characters and you are a spectator to see what happens next. Just like in the story Lust.
In the story Razor Sharp, he explores a new heights of development that exist for a shorter period of time similar to real life when you share a moment with a stranger more than just few minutes. It had a drastic effect on me, this one, especially the climax of the story. It was unexpected, with humour and absolute pleasure to my imagination. Similar is the follow-up, Prejudice, but very opposite in the manner of plot, and complexity but share the exact concept of dwelling between two strangers and is astonishing.
The above stories and more in the book that you have to find for yourself displays the sign of a versatile writer who can maintain a consistent writing style playing with new characters and creating new worlds for them to breathe in. I was amazed by his consistency as I have seen that it is very hard for a writer to maintain his writing style for over a period of time in writing such short works. The reader also gets to feel the essence of the Indian culture in some of the stories.
I was hooked by this and I recommend you it if you are a fanatic for or looking for a short story collection or something that can astonish you but at the same time is pleasurable and these stories will stay with you for a long period of time.
4 out of 5!
About the Author
Abhinav Kumar is a corporate lawyer from New Delhi, India. He’s been writing for two years and regrets not having begun earlier. He likes to read general fiction, historical fiction and political non-fiction.
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Note: I received this book from the author but that doesn’t mean my review is breaking any reviewing rules and I thank them for their effort with all my heart.
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I will give it a look…I’m a big fan of short stories.
Thanks for the recommendation.
You’re welcome. You will definitely enjoy these crisp stories.
I love what you’re doing with books! I looked over your reading lists and was very inspired. Do you read/review any African-American literature? If so, do you have any recommendations?
Thanks! I am afraid I haven’t explored that writing community yet. Maybe I have read one or two but not much.