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There's some sort of rustic charm that translated works truly possess. Translated works are an acquired taste, and one that only becomes refined with time. A Fistful of Mustard Seeds is one such brilliantly translated book which left no scope for complaints. Written originally in Malayalam by Santhosh Kumar and later translated to English by Venugopal, this book of short stories offered a unique reading experience. Through 12 stories, Kumar pushes the readers into an invisible bubble making it difficult for others to reach out to them while they sit engrossed with the book. Although the stories carried some essence of originality, it was the translation that took the trophy.
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The first story is undoubtedly my favourite. Something that starts off innocently involving a story of kids and their mischief, quickly escalates into a melancholic and heartbreaking story. The next one aptly titled as 'Three Fingers' focuses on an artist and his own struggles to be a successful one. Another story speaks of a blind woman who spends a day with her male lover, all the while thinking of her ex which even looms over them in bed. Most of the stories carry an undercurrent of darkness that creeps up on one's skin and stays there for a long time. Couple of stories embrace spirituality, philosophy and stresses on morality. It also uncovers true human nature behind the masks that we wear. These short stories were refreshing to read but not in the usual way one would expect them to be but in making the readers think about the platitudinous of basic human nature. I'm not sure if everyone who reads this book will come to like it or even understand the message it carries but the translation will definitely score brownie points.
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Rating - 3.9/5.
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Thank you for the copy @niyogibooks ☺️