Boo is a collection of well-crafted spooky stories about a he-ghoul, a departed son's soul, whispers and visitations from beyond, night howls, unearthly claws that erupt from bellies and the very first ghost in the world, among others. Penned by Shashi Deshpande, Kanishk Tharoor, K.R. Meera, Jerry Pinto, Usha K.R., Jahnavi Barua, Manabendra Bandyopadhyay, Ipsita Roy Chakraverti, Jaishree Misra, Kiran Manral, Madhavi S. Mahadevan, Durjoy Datta and Shinie Antony, the tales in Boo are sure to send a chill down your spine.
Flinging away stereotypes, first-time author Shinie Antony has listed uterine woes with a dark and biting humour. She won a Commonwealth Broadcasting Association story writing prize in 2001 for the surreal Somewhere in Gujarat, a translated version of which appeared in the Malayala Manorama on Oct 18, 2001, and is in the present collection as Munnu. This is her first book of short stories. She worked in Kochi, Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai with The Indian Skeptic, Mid-Day, The Economic Times and The Financial Express.
Decent spooky stories. A couple stand out. 1. Claws, by Durjoy Dutta - a cursed family indulges in sordid deeds to keep its secrets. A macabre ending makes this a highlight of this book. 2. Birth Night, by Kiran Manral - mother and child reunite!
Well, I really liked the stories. Especially the last three. Definitely recommended. I won't be elaborating much as the book consists of more than one story and I ain't talking about it all. So, better pick it up and go through it. Really an amazing read.