Book Review: Bhumi

Genre: Short Stories Collection

Bhumi is a collection of short stories skillfully woven around the everyday lives of varied fictional women. Interestingly, it doesn’t fall into the trap of showcasing all the protagonists in the collection as upright and heroic but rather chooses to spotlight them as flawed humans whose actions are fueled by hope, dreams, sheer survival and everyday selfishness not without a dash of humour.

What worked for the book:

1. Tina, the author, has made the protagonists of her story relatable, which is an art unto itself. While great fiction like Harry Potter or Eragon transport us to a magical world, it’s something of a relief to read about flawed, albeit fictional women who confront the challenges and look to future with hope, just like the rest of us do. The stories seem authentic, almost as if the protagonists are just some women you would find next door, just like Leila and Mila who seem to portray rather accurately, the infamous MIL and DIL relationship that Indian soaps have bandied about for decades.
2. The book has run almost the entire gamut of women issues ranging from body shaming, eve-teasing, gender discrimination, blackmail and physical assault. Mirror Mirror on the Wall is unfortunately a horrifying reality in today’s India where we often come across news stories of acid attacks on women by jilted lovers or vengeful relatives.
3. The book doesn’t shy away from espousing the darker aspects of the protagonists. Just when you wonder at the generosity of Munni in Stark Illusions, the real reason for the stated kindness takes you aback and makes you despair, of the much acclaimed missing humanity from the society’s darkest annals.
4. The simplistic narration is enjoyable, the book cover is a delight to behold.

What could have been better:

1. This isn’t a book for the faint-hearted, by design. It is also not your typical one- sitting read through book. But perhaps that is what the author intended with the visceral emotions that the stories evoke.

About the author:

Tina Sequeira is a marketer, mentor and moonlighting writer. She is an award-winning author, poet, and online content creator and writes at https://thetinaedit.com/. You can buy a copy of the book here.