Not a long story by Prabhat Poddar – Book Review

Author: Prabhat Poddar
Genre: Short Stories
Paperback: 122 pages
Publisher: Online Gatha (2019)
Language: English

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From gritty underworld tales to unorthodox love stories. From political dramas to murder mysteries. The only thing common is: You won’t see it coming.

Of late, I have been reading more short storybooks. Each book offered me a different taste with their out of the league stories and flow of words. And then came Not a long story by Prabhat Poddar to give me simple stories served with a punch of humor and twist.

Being a debut work of the author, the book has really come out well. It has its characteristic theme of “you’ll not see it coming” running through each story it contains. The stories are real and thus, they relate to the reader. There is no fancy vocabulary or pompous expressions ruining the game. The simplicity of the stories, their smooth flow, and their unexpected ends worked well in tandem. It is a kind of book you read when you fall in a reading slump, when reading seems like a heavy exercise, when you want to get rid of complexities of your lives, when you truly want an escape. This book is a breezy read which would be a gateway to the fresh experiences.

I liked how the author presented the stories. The candid writing style filled with humor delights you while the authentic plotlines keep you grounded. The title is perfectly in sync with the concept of short stories. Also, I would like to mention the wonderful work done at designing this minimalist, quirky but an impeccable cover.

What I disliked were the abrupt grammatical and editing errors I encountered while reading this book. Also, I felt that the narrative could have been finer. A round of editing would have resulted in a polished narration and taut expression. The book is an entertaining read but it should still be free of flaws which might mar any reader’s experience of reading it.

Overall, the book is a very good attempt and I look forward to reading more by the author.

MY RATING: 3/ 5

Buy your copy: Not a long story