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Tales from the Dawn-Lit Mountains
This book is an alluring escape to the land of dawn-lit mountains, Arunachal Pradesh. It features stories that are products of visceral observation and a delicate understanding of the ethnic communities living under intervening shadows of magic and realism in the isolated hinterlands of the state. A village is haunted by an insidious spirit tiger. A bee sting reminds a Nocte boy of his brother’s beheading and transforms him into a deadly headhunter. A Donyi-Polo priest must continue practising his animistic rituals to preserve the fading vestiges of his indigenous religion. The curse of a high priest follows the thief who stole the forbidden sacred ornaments . . . Such evocative and poignant tales make this debut collection a must-read.
- GenresFiction
235 pages, Paperback
Published March 1, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 16, 2025
3.25/5
May 21, 2025
Tales from the Dawn Lit Mountains is an anthology of short stories, as the title says, from the heartland of Arunachal Pradesh. I have always been fascinated by the north east, the Seven Sisters states and my two trips to Sikkim and Meghalaya have only further fuelled this curiosity of mine.
One of my recent favourite authors is Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih, whose stories are coloured by the folklores from this land. Subi Taba quickly rose up to take up another place on this pantheon after this fascinating collection of short stories. As with any anthology, the stories were a mix of downright brilliant and mediocre, but mostly good ones that tug at your heart strings long after you are done with the book. A slim book at a little over 250 pages, the stories transport you to the beautiful dawn-lit mountains deep in the heart of this state. The stories are set across time and space, a dizzying mix that transports you from war-torn days where head-hunting tribes warred over hills to current times in a poignant heart-wrenching story of a lost immigrant. It's a unique blend of stories about man, nature, and the supernatural. Which is what appealed to me, an unabashed approach to storytelling that mashes together genres and throws any boundaries or rules right outta the window.
Subi's style of writing is beautifully evocative, almost physically transporting you deep inside the green canopies, across the sunlit hills. You can hear the Mithuns groan in the background, the pigs and dogs fighting with each other, the snakes slither and leaves rustle in the background. Drenched in authentic atmosphere, these are tales that deal with multiple emotions, all heartfelt and moving.
My favourite ones were the Man from China (this is the last story and packs an emotional whallop!) and A Night with the Tiger ( the first one). A night with the tiger is a nuanced examination of guilt and the human-animal conflict ( in fact, this one's a running theme across all her stories about how the balance of nature is being continuously tested, broken or repaired) while the Man from China is a heart wrenching story about how a man gets lost across the borders, in the land of Tibet and proceeds to find love, and family in this strange land, only to lose it all in the face of right-wing extremist policies in a cruel twist of fate. It's a fabulously constructed story, spun as a reminiscence of an old man trying gather his fractured memories and pieces of his broken heart all at once. The story of the Lost village is another brilliant one, about the human versus nature conflict and an endearing friendship that transcends all of that.
Ultimately, Tales from the Dawn-Lit Mountains is a unique window into a land, that has been a shuttered secret for most of us. It's a peek into the beautiful practices and stories that make up a set of people, who are still close to Mother Nature. Subi's experiences possibly mingle seamlessly into the stories but they all ring true and is essential reading for anyone who loves stories about nature - tinged with raw emotions and elevated by an ineffable touch of supernatural, rooted in folk stories from the heart of Arunachal Pradesh. Highly recommended!
One of my recent favourite authors is Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih, whose stories are coloured by the folklores from this land. Subi Taba quickly rose up to take up another place on this pantheon after this fascinating collection of short stories. As with any anthology, the stories were a mix of downright brilliant and mediocre, but mostly good ones that tug at your heart strings long after you are done with the book. A slim book at a little over 250 pages, the stories transport you to the beautiful dawn-lit mountains deep in the heart of this state. The stories are set across time and space, a dizzying mix that transports you from war-torn days where head-hunting tribes warred over hills to current times in a poignant heart-wrenching story of a lost immigrant. It's a unique blend of stories about man, nature, and the supernatural. Which is what appealed to me, an unabashed approach to storytelling that mashes together genres and throws any boundaries or rules right outta the window.
Subi's style of writing is beautifully evocative, almost physically transporting you deep inside the green canopies, across the sunlit hills. You can hear the Mithuns groan in the background, the pigs and dogs fighting with each other, the snakes slither and leaves rustle in the background. Drenched in authentic atmosphere, these are tales that deal with multiple emotions, all heartfelt and moving.
My favourite ones were the Man from China (this is the last story and packs an emotional whallop!) and A Night with the Tiger ( the first one). A night with the tiger is a nuanced examination of guilt and the human-animal conflict ( in fact, this one's a running theme across all her stories about how the balance of nature is being continuously tested, broken or repaired) while the Man from China is a heart wrenching story about how a man gets lost across the borders, in the land of Tibet and proceeds to find love, and family in this strange land, only to lose it all in the face of right-wing extremist policies in a cruel twist of fate. It's a fabulously constructed story, spun as a reminiscence of an old man trying gather his fractured memories and pieces of his broken heart all at once. The story of the Lost village is another brilliant one, about the human versus nature conflict and an endearing friendship that transcends all of that.
Ultimately, Tales from the Dawn-Lit Mountains is a unique window into a land, that has been a shuttered secret for most of us. It's a peek into the beautiful practices and stories that make up a set of people, who are still close to Mother Nature. Subi's experiences possibly mingle seamlessly into the stories but they all ring true and is essential reading for anyone who loves stories about nature - tinged with raw emotions and elevated by an ineffable touch of supernatural, rooted in folk stories from the heart of Arunachal Pradesh. Highly recommended!
June 23, 2025
-Forests, Hills, Men and Monsters-
Review of 'Tales from the Dawn-Lit Mountains'
Quote Alert
'𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐍𝐲𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢 𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬; 𝐰𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐦. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬
𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞, 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐰𝐬 𝐧𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐤. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬'𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫,'𝐀𝐲𝐞, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬! 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐊𝐚𝐝𝐚 𝐓𝐚𝐛𝐚, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐧."
In Taba's stories from Arunachal Pradesh, nature looks large upon humankind. The ravage men have cast upon the forests and mountains, the destruction they have wrought, it now comes back to take revenge. Although the people living in the mountains don't have any other means to feed them, the nature still looks ways to take its revenge.
The first story that kick starts this collection, 'A night with the tiger', although it's said that a tiger's soul haunts the hunter but the hunter in question has no other option but survival. Nature however doesn't acknowledge survival. The tiger's soul, a representative of the guilt, devours its devourer.
Taba is from Arunachal Pradesh, the land of the rising sun. She roots her stories in nature and the nature's revenge for the ravages exceuted upon her body and soul. The stories involve animals and snakes, hills and mountains, forests and caves, rivers and waterfalls, the hunter and the hunted. The stories have an oral touch: it feels as if you are sitting by the fireside and someone is narrating them into your ears, complete with the roar of a tiger and the swish of an arrow, the whisper of wind and the flow of the river.
Cli-fi or the climate-fiction is the new sub-genre rapidly taking root in the fiction space. Taba does justice to not only the land she hails from, but also the ancient art of storytelling.
Review of 'Tales from the Dawn-Lit Mountains'
Quote Alert
'𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐍𝐲𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢 𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬; 𝐰𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐦. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬
𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞, 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐰𝐬 𝐧𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐤. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬'𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫,'𝐀𝐲𝐞, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬! 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐊𝐚𝐝𝐚 𝐓𝐚𝐛𝐚, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐧."
In Taba's stories from Arunachal Pradesh, nature looks large upon humankind. The ravage men have cast upon the forests and mountains, the destruction they have wrought, it now comes back to take revenge. Although the people living in the mountains don't have any other means to feed them, the nature still looks ways to take its revenge.
The first story that kick starts this collection, 'A night with the tiger', although it's said that a tiger's soul haunts the hunter but the hunter in question has no other option but survival. Nature however doesn't acknowledge survival. The tiger's soul, a representative of the guilt, devours its devourer.
Taba is from Arunachal Pradesh, the land of the rising sun. She roots her stories in nature and the nature's revenge for the ravages exceuted upon her body and soul. The stories involve animals and snakes, hills and mountains, forests and caves, rivers and waterfalls, the hunter and the hunted. The stories have an oral touch: it feels as if you are sitting by the fireside and someone is narrating them into your ears, complete with the roar of a tiger and the swish of an arrow, the whisper of wind and the flow of the river.
Cli-fi or the climate-fiction is the new sub-genre rapidly taking root in the fiction space. Taba does justice to not only the land she hails from, but also the ancient art of storytelling.
August 2, 2025
Tales from the Dawn-Lit Mountains is the debut novel by Ms. Subi Taba, based on the rarely explored land of Arunachal Pradesh. It is an interesting collection of short stories that offers a window into an exotic culture and people.
Upon reading the first few pages, I was amazed. Ms. Taba possesses an extensive, enviable vocabulary that could put even seasoned authors to shame. I was in awe as I perused the magnificent wordplay, the beautiful, languid narration, and the vivid, spectacular descriptions. I loved the first story, but couldn't quite relate to the twist at the end. Although it was an unexpected twist, it felt unrealistic, and even if one could term it as fantasy/lore, I think the physical transformation of the protagonist could have been described better.
The stories are unique and diverse. They also touch upon important social issues and themes like patriarchy, domestic abuse, slavery, and feminism, thus adding depth to the narrative. They are also imbued with the rich cultural tapestry of Arunachal Pradesh, lending a layer of richness and an exotic flavor to the stories.
However, despite the variety in the stories and the brilliant writing, unfortunately, none of the stories moved me as much as I had hoped. Perhaps that was because of the author's attempt to be unconventional and stand out, which led to the story being told from multiple perspectives, like animals, birds, and even plants. Although the experimentation is appreciable and this endeavor could have worked if the stories were longer (I have read and even loved an animal as a narrator in a recent read—an award-nominated novel—where the animal's voice was well-developed and poignant), I feel it resulted in a slight compromise in the character development. Even in the stories without animal narrators, a detached omniscient narrator is used, and there is still no emphasis on character development. I could find no characters to root for, no relationships to savor and follow, no confrontations or conflicts to look forward to, thus diluting my emotional connection with the stories.
The last story is a slight exception to the trend, where the character of the China Man is well-etched and worth rooting for. However, I didn't quite like how the story turned out in the latter half of the book, and although the twist at the end is surprising, it wasn't satisfying enough for me.
However, the writing, as mentioned earlier, is remarkable and flawless. I couldn't even locate one grammatical or punctuation error throughout the book. Ms. Taba and the editor deserve a round of applause for such impeccable editing, which I rarely find in books nowadays, even in award-winning books. Moreover, the illustrations accompanying the text are breathtaking. I loved them.
Thus, Tales from the Dawn-lit Mountains is a brilliant debut by a talented writer. Ms. Taba possesses exceptional writing skills and a wonderful gift of storytelling. If she works on her character development skills, she has the potential to become one of the leading writers in the country.
3.9 stars from my side.
Upon reading the first few pages, I was amazed. Ms. Taba possesses an extensive, enviable vocabulary that could put even seasoned authors to shame. I was in awe as I perused the magnificent wordplay, the beautiful, languid narration, and the vivid, spectacular descriptions. I loved the first story, but couldn't quite relate to the twist at the end. Although it was an unexpected twist, it felt unrealistic, and even if one could term it as fantasy/lore, I think the physical transformation of the protagonist could have been described better.
The stories are unique and diverse. They also touch upon important social issues and themes like patriarchy, domestic abuse, slavery, and feminism, thus adding depth to the narrative. They are also imbued with the rich cultural tapestry of Arunachal Pradesh, lending a layer of richness and an exotic flavor to the stories.
However, despite the variety in the stories and the brilliant writing, unfortunately, none of the stories moved me as much as I had hoped. Perhaps that was because of the author's attempt to be unconventional and stand out, which led to the story being told from multiple perspectives, like animals, birds, and even plants. Although the experimentation is appreciable and this endeavor could have worked if the stories were longer (I have read and even loved an animal as a narrator in a recent read—an award-nominated novel—where the animal's voice was well-developed and poignant), I feel it resulted in a slight compromise in the character development. Even in the stories without animal narrators, a detached omniscient narrator is used, and there is still no emphasis on character development. I could find no characters to root for, no relationships to savor and follow, no confrontations or conflicts to look forward to, thus diluting my emotional connection with the stories.
The last story is a slight exception to the trend, where the character of the China Man is well-etched and worth rooting for. However, I didn't quite like how the story turned out in the latter half of the book, and although the twist at the end is surprising, it wasn't satisfying enough for me.
However, the writing, as mentioned earlier, is remarkable and flawless. I couldn't even locate one grammatical or punctuation error throughout the book. Ms. Taba and the editor deserve a round of applause for such impeccable editing, which I rarely find in books nowadays, even in award-winning books. Moreover, the illustrations accompanying the text are breathtaking. I loved them.
Thus, Tales from the Dawn-lit Mountains is a brilliant debut by a talented writer. Ms. Taba possesses exceptional writing skills and a wonderful gift of storytelling. If she works on her character development skills, she has the potential to become one of the leading writers in the country.
3.9 stars from my side.
August 11, 2025
A compilation of short stories, all themed around the beautiful mountains of Arunachal. Some parts are mythical and magical, others inspired by reality and fact, these stories convey tales that were once confined to the region and come across as a novel collection with a theme I haven’t encountered much before.
The Northeast is an almost unexplored territory for me, and reading the stories here only leaves me longing for more. The beauty of the place and the charming writing pull you into the narratives. Talking about favourites, Spirit of the Forest was mine! I enjoyed its plot the most. The landscape descriptions throughout the book use unique phrases (like "white feathery blooms against the billowing river breeze"), which certainly place the book in my mind as a distinguished collection.
Another small thing I noticed was how the impact of the pandemic had been subtly woven into the lives of people in a few stories, adding a real-life touch to some otherwise mythical tales. Even after finishing the book, I find it difficult to place it in a specific genre. So, I recommend this to everyone who enjoys reading short tales.
P.S. The book contains beautiful illustrations that simply elevated my imagination even further.
The Northeast is an almost unexplored territory for me, and reading the stories here only leaves me longing for more. The beauty of the place and the charming writing pull you into the narratives. Talking about favourites, Spirit of the Forest was mine! I enjoyed its plot the most. The landscape descriptions throughout the book use unique phrases (like "white feathery blooms against the billowing river breeze"), which certainly place the book in my mind as a distinguished collection.
Another small thing I noticed was how the impact of the pandemic had been subtly woven into the lives of people in a few stories, adding a real-life touch to some otherwise mythical tales. Even after finishing the book, I find it difficult to place it in a specific genre. So, I recommend this to everyone who enjoys reading short tales.
P.S. The book contains beautiful illustrations that simply elevated my imagination even further.
September 28, 2025
Set in the misty mountains of Arunachal Pradesh, this collection pulls you into a world where folklore feels frighteningly real. One story follows a village haunted by the whispers of a spirit tiger, while another traces a boy who, after a bee sting, recalls his brother’s brutal beheading and begins his own transformation into a headhunter. Each tale is steeped in forests, rivers, and rituals, making the landscape feel like a character itself. The pacing is quiet and deliberate, but that’s what gives the book its eerie, lingering power. If you enjoy stories that sit between myth and memory, this is a haunting read you won’t forget.
April 9, 2025
I really like the story telling and art style in this book 🤗
April 9, 2025
What a fantastic read
April 9, 2025
A easy binge read! Completed my copy in just 2 days. Just couldn't stop turning the pages
April 9, 2025
This book took me to my childhood days.
very nice and cosy read.
very nice and cosy read.
May 30, 2025
A collection of 10 stories, a wonderful description of the forests and mountains of Arunachal Pradesh.
October 28, 2025
Wonderful and bittersweet, I am sure I will read this again.
December 29, 2025
Perfectly encapsulates and presents the myths and folk tales of Arunachal.
January 3, 2026
Beautiful storytelling. A peek into Arunachal's myriad corners.
July 15, 2025
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Tales from the Dawn-Lit Mountains isn’t one of those short story collections you finish in one sitting over a weekend. These are the kind of stories you sit with, soak in, and slowly savour. It took me almost a month to finish the book, not because it was slow or heavy, but because I didn’t want to rush it. Each story pulled me into this magical little part of the country, one that I haven’t read much about in mainstream fiction. (No, I haven’t read about Arunachal Pradesh at all in any book I’ve read so far. In the words of a great journalist, maybe the tyranny of distance?) Now, this book was the perfect one for me to armchair travel to Arunachal Pradesh.
The author does a beautiful job of bringing a whole new world to life where the mountains and forests and rivers and streams are as important as the human characters. There’s magic realism in almost every story, but there is the right amount of reality to perfectly balance it. There are universal themes of patriarchy, toxic masculinity, misogyny and class divide, all woven into the stories and spread across different periods. And of course, there is love and longing and some humour too. And a very subtle political undertone. These stories may be set in a quiet corner of India, but many of the base emotions and issues they explore are totally universal. I’m usually not a fan of animals being main characters, but in this book, every animal or bird that played any kind of role was fascinating. You’ll find everything from majestic tigers, pythons and cobras to chickens and boars and hornbills and cicadas. My favourite story in the collection was Plant, Pig and Woman. It stood out for its fairy-tale style, but it was laced with a raw emotional truth. It felt both otherworldly and startlingly real. The Macabre Memories of a Head Hunter had a mildly anticlimactic ending, but then that is probably just me. The Curse of the High Priest was so perfectly written, it gave me the chills. The book also gives you this lovely peek into the everyday life, beliefs, and stories that shape the people of the region. I ended up learning a lot about their culture, traditions, superstitions and even some of their slang (pikso-piktar kept rolling on my tongue). What I really liked is how the author writes about it all without exoticising anything.
And the illustrations! They’re absolutely gorgeous and really help bring the stories alive. Though I should give a fair warning that if you’re someone like me who flips through the pictures before reading, you might see a couple of spoilers in the illustrations. Especially the first story, A Night with the Tiger. The illustration gave away the twist that I wouldn’t have seen coming otherwise.
If you’re looking for something rich, lyrical, and just a little bit magical, give this book a shot. It’s the kind of collection that makes you slow down and just… feel.
Tales from the Dawn-Lit Mountains isn’t one of those short story collections you finish in one sitting over a weekend. These are the kind of stories you sit with, soak in, and slowly savour. It took me almost a month to finish the book, not because it was slow or heavy, but because I didn’t want to rush it. Each story pulled me into this magical little part of the country, one that I haven’t read much about in mainstream fiction. (No, I haven’t read about Arunachal Pradesh at all in any book I’ve read so far. In the words of a great journalist, maybe the tyranny of distance?) Now, this book was the perfect one for me to armchair travel to Arunachal Pradesh.
The author does a beautiful job of bringing a whole new world to life where the mountains and forests and rivers and streams are as important as the human characters. There’s magic realism in almost every story, but there is the right amount of reality to perfectly balance it. There are universal themes of patriarchy, toxic masculinity, misogyny and class divide, all woven into the stories and spread across different periods. And of course, there is love and longing and some humour too. And a very subtle political undertone. These stories may be set in a quiet corner of India, but many of the base emotions and issues they explore are totally universal. I’m usually not a fan of animals being main characters, but in this book, every animal or bird that played any kind of role was fascinating. You’ll find everything from majestic tigers, pythons and cobras to chickens and boars and hornbills and cicadas. My favourite story in the collection was Plant, Pig and Woman. It stood out for its fairy-tale style, but it was laced with a raw emotional truth. It felt both otherworldly and startlingly real. The Macabre Memories of a Head Hunter had a mildly anticlimactic ending, but then that is probably just me. The Curse of the High Priest was so perfectly written, it gave me the chills. The book also gives you this lovely peek into the everyday life, beliefs, and stories that shape the people of the region. I ended up learning a lot about their culture, traditions, superstitions and even some of their slang (pikso-piktar kept rolling on my tongue). What I really liked is how the author writes about it all without exoticising anything.
And the illustrations! They’re absolutely gorgeous and really help bring the stories alive. Though I should give a fair warning that if you’re someone like me who flips through the pictures before reading, you might see a couple of spoilers in the illustrations. Especially the first story, A Night with the Tiger. The illustration gave away the twist that I wouldn’t have seen coming otherwise.
If you’re looking for something rich, lyrical, and just a little bit magical, give this book a shot. It’s the kind of collection that makes you slow down and just… feel.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews