Poonachi is a story of a black female goat. An old couple receives a barely alive, teeny day-old kid from a stranger. They name her Poonachi and care for her. The story follows the life of Poonachi, her human owners, and others in the small village in Tamil Nadu.

The story has a linear format and seems simple enough at the first glance. We see the layers it gathers over the course, that too, without becoming dramatic, loud, or overbearing. It isn't a story about a goat but about the life of the poor and the choices they are sometimes forced to make.

The book is also about human emotions- the good, bad, and everything in between. It is about the unspoken animal emotions we forget to consider when it doesn't suit our purposes. The Poonachi, the old man, and the old woman are the main characters, and through them, we see/ know all we need to know.

The translation is restrained and compact but lacks the native flavor. A few sentences are awkward and sound odd. Don't let that put you off, though. This is a book worth reading.