State of the Heart - Review

AUTHOR: Nelton D'Souza
FIRST PUBLISHED: 2013
ISBN: 978-93-83271-32-0
GENRE: Anthology of Short Stories

EXCERPT:

This collection celebrates the 3 aspects every human being enjoys - relationships, love and life. You may see them in different lights but they're as interconnected as can get. These stories are about people, not the ones you see and meet often but the ones who are connected more to life, the ones you didn't think could be so interesting. In short, it could be a story about you or someone like you. 

These stories are recommended across all ages and sections of society. They're long enough to be a good company when you need it the most and short enough not to bore you.

REVIEW:

This book came as a surprise to me, not because the author himself gave me the copy of the book but because the author is a friend of mine. Having read his blogs and loved them. My anticipation for the book began, when roughly six months ago Nelton started campaigning for it. I started imagining what kind of stories might be in store, would they be different to the writer I know et al. I don't think I've ever waited so anxiously for a book ever before. And it gives me immense happiness to his efforts, dreams and hard work paying off, it reflects in the pages of the book.

Love and relationships is the central theme of this books and it is clearly reflected in the cover of the book. The cover image and the name made me smile instantly, how could it not? A big heart with several small emotions that bind everything together.   

This book is made up of several short stories, stories that have a long lasting impact. They touch the heart leaving an imprint. There is happiness, there is grief and umpteen untold emotions. Some stories made me imagine, some made me connect to them. The book is a fresh and unconventional, each painting a different sentiment like watercolor on canvas. 

They say, every story is common someone somewhere has lived it. What makes a difference is the way it is written. This book has that, the characters start forming in mind with each line and you get engrossed in it. It charms you completely as you are able to relate to it. The language used is not heavy and easy to understand.   

For a debut author, this is a very beautifully written novel. There are some instances where you feel maybe something could be modified a bit but maybe it is just a personal perspective. On the weaker end, there are some grammatical and typo errors that could have been avoiding while editing. Yet in some ways, this is a good book with lots of wisdom in store.    

RATING: 5.5/10

PRICE: Rs. 199

BINDING: Paperback

PAGES: 146

This is an author-requested review, given for a review copy of the book