Official Review: Betwixt twists and turns by Mona Mohanty
Posted: 16 Jul 2016, 12:46
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Betwixt twists and turns" by Mona Mohanty.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Betwixt Twists and Turns by Mona Mohanty is a collection of twenty-five short stories. Each of these stories is set in India and features a cast of Indian characters. Averaging about four pages long, they are incredibly brief, but within that brevity is quality, excitement, grief, and the essence of humanity.
Each of the stories in this book is unique. The narrators vary widely by age, sex, vocation, and socio-economic status. Some aren’t even human! Just as the narrator him/herself is unique, the narrator’s perspective is unique. One of the author’s greatest successes is making the reader believe that each narrator is in truth a different person rather than an extension of one author in different situations. The voice, if I may use the term, is special to each story. The reader is permitted to look at the world through a new lens twenty-five times and never feel a repetition.
Another common thread that runs through this collection of stories and differentiates it from other short story collections is the twist. The title of this book, Betwixt Twists and Turns, is very descriptive in this case. Every story has a twist. Now, in a poor collection, this can be negative if, after a few stories, the reader naturally begins to anticipate a twist and thereby loses the ability to be surprised and thrilled by the stories. In contrast, the beauty of Ms. Mohanty’s collection is that despite the reader’s anticipation of a twist, the author still manages to surprise him/her/them. Each story’s twist is different. Some will horrify the reader; some will sadden him/her/them. A few will leave the reader tickled pink. Without doubt, all will present a surprise. This makes each story exciting and also makes the book very difficult to put down.
I mentioned that some of the twists will horrify the reader. I would be remiss if I failed to warn potential readers about this. While the high degree of mystery and excitement makes this collection enjoyable and appealing, many of the stories have some extremely disturbing elements. It’s quick and never overly graphic. A sly phrase in the last sentences or a change in perspective reveals an uncomfortable truth. As a reader, your heart might race or your stomach might drop, but you’ll never be bored. On the contrary, many of these twists will cause the reader to think about the horror or tragedy revealed. Taken unprepared, the reader’s visceral reaction to the revelation will help him/her/them relate to the characters better. In this way, the sick and the sad can become a challenge that will benefit the reader.
As I considered the rating of this book, I had to weigh carefully the more sobering or sickening elements against the otherwise fabulous collection. In the end, I have decided to rate this book 4 out of 4 stars with a trigger/content warning. This collection was addicting, exciting, and unexpected. Readers need to be aware that some of the stories will contain less-than-palatable elements, but I concluded that these story elements were used with sufficient skill and caution to remain on the right side of tasteful. I hope many readers will enjoy Mona Mohanty’s Betwixt Twists and Turns as much as I did. For certain, any who read it will be both challenged and entertained – an excellent combination.
******
Betwixt twists and turns
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4 out of 4 stars
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Betwixt Twists and Turns by Mona Mohanty is a collection of twenty-five short stories. Each of these stories is set in India and features a cast of Indian characters. Averaging about four pages long, they are incredibly brief, but within that brevity is quality, excitement, grief, and the essence of humanity.
Each of the stories in this book is unique. The narrators vary widely by age, sex, vocation, and socio-economic status. Some aren’t even human! Just as the narrator him/herself is unique, the narrator’s perspective is unique. One of the author’s greatest successes is making the reader believe that each narrator is in truth a different person rather than an extension of one author in different situations. The voice, if I may use the term, is special to each story. The reader is permitted to look at the world through a new lens twenty-five times and never feel a repetition.
Another common thread that runs through this collection of stories and differentiates it from other short story collections is the twist. The title of this book, Betwixt Twists and Turns, is very descriptive in this case. Every story has a twist. Now, in a poor collection, this can be negative if, after a few stories, the reader naturally begins to anticipate a twist and thereby loses the ability to be surprised and thrilled by the stories. In contrast, the beauty of Ms. Mohanty’s collection is that despite the reader’s anticipation of a twist, the author still manages to surprise him/her/them. Each story’s twist is different. Some will horrify the reader; some will sadden him/her/them. A few will leave the reader tickled pink. Without doubt, all will present a surprise. This makes each story exciting and also makes the book very difficult to put down.
I mentioned that some of the twists will horrify the reader. I would be remiss if I failed to warn potential readers about this. While the high degree of mystery and excitement makes this collection enjoyable and appealing, many of the stories have some extremely disturbing elements. It’s quick and never overly graphic. A sly phrase in the last sentences or a change in perspective reveals an uncomfortable truth. As a reader, your heart might race or your stomach might drop, but you’ll never be bored. On the contrary, many of these twists will cause the reader to think about the horror or tragedy revealed. Taken unprepared, the reader’s visceral reaction to the revelation will help him/her/them relate to the characters better. In this way, the sick and the sad can become a challenge that will benefit the reader.
As I considered the rating of this book, I had to weigh carefully the more sobering or sickening elements against the otherwise fabulous collection. In the end, I have decided to rate this book 4 out of 4 stars with a trigger/content warning. This collection was addicting, exciting, and unexpected. Readers need to be aware that some of the stories will contain less-than-palatable elements, but I concluded that these story elements were used with sufficient skill and caution to remain on the right side of tasteful. I hope many readers will enjoy Mona Mohanty’s Betwixt Twists and Turns as much as I did. For certain, any who read it will be both challenged and entertained – an excellent combination.
******
Betwixt twists and turns
View: on Bookshelves
Like L_Therese's review? Post a comment saying so!