Farewell Season

Swapna Peri

Mar 30

Book Title: Farewell Season
Author: Ashish Kalita
Published By: The Alcove Publishers

Review Headline
Discover the magic in everyday moments and inspiration in unexpected things.

Review:
Some stories remain with us for a while before fading away, but some stories have a lasting impact and continue to grow within us. These stories can bring out buried emotions and vulnerabilities we may not have been aware of. Reading such stories can be a powerful experience, as they provide an opportunity to confront and rewrite certain aspects of our lives that we may have been struggling with. This can lead to a sense of liberation and a strengthening of the mind. Hence, some stories can help us grow and develop profoundly by tapping into the deepest parts of our psyche and allowing us to confront and overcome our inner demons.

March 2023 has been a challenging month for me in many ways. I have had to say goodbye to some people in my life for good, including loved ones, close friends, and old acquaintances. These losses have left me feeling numb, and I have found it challenging to maintain my usual routine. Despite these difficult circumstances, I still believe in destiny and have found solace in reading "Farewell Season" by author Ashish Kalita. This book has reminded me of the positive aspects of saying goodbye and helped me find comfort in believing that everything happens for a reason. Despite receiving the book to read and review two months ago, fate intervened, and I only began reading it after experiencing personal loss. However, this experience has allowed me to fully connect with and appreciate every story and emotion within the book. As a result, I can now provide an honest and thoughtful review of the book based on my personal experience and feelings.

"Farewell Season" by author Ashish Kalita is a collection of nine stories that all revolve around the theme of saying goodbye. Considering the stories inside, the book can be described as emotional, gripping, propulsive, and unputdownable, which suggests that it's a compelling and engaging read. Each of the stories in the book is touching and filled with feelings, memories, twists, and turns. This implies that the author has crafted complex and nuanced narratives to keep readers invested in the characters and the plot. The author also empathises that the stories are linked by a common thread: the experience of saying goodbye. This could mean that each story features characters facing some separation or ending, whether a breakup, a departure, or a loss.

Among the nine stories in the book, my favourite is "The Beginning", which introduces Amar Kumar and follows his story from his time in prison until the day of his scheduled execution. I find it interesting that the central character's name is Amar, which means immortal in Sanskrit, yet he faces death by hanging.

Similarly, the first describing Bokul's peculiar encounters in school and subsequent chance meetings in adulthood evoked memories of my own school experiences. Also, being forced to sit next to the opposite gender was considered a punishment and embarrassing - how amusing! Another story in the book features a young couple on the brink of divorce during the Covid era, and the individual anecdotes within the story emphasise the significance of communication.

I appreciate the writer's skill in creating a story with such nuanced details and contradictions, which add depth and complexity to the characters and their experiences. It is clear that the author put a lot of thought and care into crafting each story in the book, and their writing skills should be acknowledged and celebrated.

Finally, 'Farewell Season' by Ashish Kalita can provoke deep thought and introspection about one's life choices and the paths not taken. It prompts contemplation about how seemingly insignificant moments can shape our perspectives and impact the trajectory of our lives. Through a cast of characters, the author portrays how small experiences can teach us valuable lessons. The stories feel authentic as if taken from our own lives, but with a touch of fictional embellishment.

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