Review of Fresh Beginnings

[Ami Sanghavi]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Fresh Beginnings" by Leela Dutt.]

---

5 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Fresh Beginnings by Leela Dutt is a collection of 11 short stories, and to be honest, it surprised me (in a good way). I say surprised because the stories are all very different, and in their own small ways, these stories leave a powerful impact. The subjects of these stories vary from family to love to grief to starting over and much more.

My favorite story was 'The Ocarina.' The story is about Takao, a young engineering student who arrives in Wales and immediately gets into a car accident with Meg Davies. Meg’s father, Ted, a retired car mechanic, agrees to inspect Takao’s damaged car, and in this process, I liked the way in which Ted recounts his tough experience as a prisoner and how the humble ocarina, a small wind instrument, had become his lifeline amid chaos. This might sound straightforward, but the story really moved me.

I found the story titled 'Celebration' to be interesting as well. It is an easy story wherein Charlotte, the elderly woman in this story who is just approaching 90, reflects on her life and enjoys her time with friends and conversations. It was nice!

Some stories, like 'A Royal Wedding,' which involved time travel, or the title story, 'Fresh Beginnings,' which was funny and weird in a good way, were also nice to read. On the whole, I felt that all the stories were honest and human. The emotion that these stories brought out in me was the main highlight. I liked Leela's writing because it had a flair, and the illustrations by Kate Attfield were nice too. The book is simple and doesn’t have big twists or dramatic moments. So if that’s what you’re hoping for, this book might not be the best choice. Some stories may even feel a bit abrupt, but in my opinion, that is the beauty of these stories.

Considering my likes for this short story collection, I would rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. I seriously don't have anything negative to say about this book. The editing is superb as well. So if you want something calm, emotional, and easy to read, then this book is worth checking out.

******
Fresh Beginnings
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon