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A review by _askthebookbug
His Father's Disease: Stories by Aruni Kashyap
4.0
| Book Review | His Father's Disease.
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This book of short stories was so easy to read. Aruni Kashyap is a renowned Assamese writer and translator who is famous for his work, The House With a Thousand Stories. Having read very less books from or about Northeast, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this particular book. I was a bit hesitant because I wasn't familiar with Kashyap's way of writing but soon all my doubts vanished. This book of short stories is clearly his homage to Assam and to say that it has been written beautifully would be an understatement. Unlike something that oozes comfort and warmth as one speaks about his/her homeland, this book might catch you off-guard while presenting few harsh facts about Assam.
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The very first story is written with finesse. A story which in turn narrates one, always sets a good start if written skillfully. It is this one, that has remained my absolute favourite. Skylark Girl speaks of the fate of a girl named Tejimola who faces unjust treatment from her stepmother but finds a way to seek revenge. When it's author, Sanjib, writes this story instead of focusing on the violence that has always been associated with Assam, others are left perplexed. As he tries to make his point that Assam is not only known for unfortunate events, no one seems to understand his point of view. In the next chapters, we come across characters who move to The US for studies but are either met with stereotyped comments or with subtle but persistent references to their 'culture'. It all seems very relatable even if one isn't from the Northeast.
•
There were few interesting facets to this book and one such aspect was the repeated portrayal of homosexuality. His Father's Disease, the chapter on which the book is named, talks about homosexuality without a hint of hesitation. While one such story takes place in a small Northeastern village, the other one unfurls in America. Although I enjoyed most of the stories, my least favorite was Bizi Colony. For some unfathomable reason, I couldn't find much substance in this chapter.
•
His Father's Disease is nevertheless a very important and unique read not only for the reason that it presents Assam in a different perspective but also for highlighting issues
that may seem common but are still in practice. Kashyap has this amusing manner of penning down stories that are both beautiful but also very eery. It's something that is rarely found in books and certainly the reason why I enjoyed my first book by Kashyap immensely. Skylark Girl reminded me of Kire's wonderful way of narrating folktales and now I'm going to look for more books written by writers from the Northeast region. Although this book includes short stories, it does feel a bit intense so I wouldn't suggest to pick this one up if you're looking for a light read. However, I do recommend it to those who are willing to learn about other regions and culture.
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Rating - 3.9/5.
•
This book of short stories was so easy to read. Aruni Kashyap is a renowned Assamese writer and translator who is famous for his work, The House With a Thousand Stories. Having read very less books from or about Northeast, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this particular book. I was a bit hesitant because I wasn't familiar with Kashyap's way of writing but soon all my doubts vanished. This book of short stories is clearly his homage to Assam and to say that it has been written beautifully would be an understatement. Unlike something that oozes comfort and warmth as one speaks about his/her homeland, this book might catch you off-guard while presenting few harsh facts about Assam.
•
The very first story is written with finesse. A story which in turn narrates one, always sets a good start if written skillfully. It is this one, that has remained my absolute favourite. Skylark Girl speaks of the fate of a girl named Tejimola who faces unjust treatment from her stepmother but finds a way to seek revenge. When it's author, Sanjib, writes this story instead of focusing on the violence that has always been associated with Assam, others are left perplexed. As he tries to make his point that Assam is not only known for unfortunate events, no one seems to understand his point of view. In the next chapters, we come across characters who move to The US for studies but are either met with stereotyped comments or with subtle but persistent references to their 'culture'. It all seems very relatable even if one isn't from the Northeast.
•
There were few interesting facets to this book and one such aspect was the repeated portrayal of homosexuality. His Father's Disease, the chapter on which the book is named, talks about homosexuality without a hint of hesitation. While one such story takes place in a small Northeastern village, the other one unfurls in America. Although I enjoyed most of the stories, my least favorite was Bizi Colony. For some unfathomable reason, I couldn't find much substance in this chapter.
•
His Father's Disease is nevertheless a very important and unique read not only for the reason that it presents Assam in a different perspective but also for highlighting issues
that may seem common but are still in practice. Kashyap has this amusing manner of penning down stories that are both beautiful but also very eery. It's something that is rarely found in books and certainly the reason why I enjoyed my first book by Kashyap immensely. Skylark Girl reminded me of Kire's wonderful way of narrating folktales and now I'm going to look for more books written by writers from the Northeast region. Although this book includes short stories, it does feel a bit intense so I wouldn't suggest to pick this one up if you're looking for a light read. However, I do recommend it to those who are willing to learn about other regions and culture.
•
Rating - 3.9/5.