Woman to Woman: Stories

by Madhulika Liddle

A young girl finds herself looking on as her mother listens to the woes of the world, always offering a sympathetic ear and a shoulder to cry on—while harbouring a bitter secret few know of. A woman and her brother try to come to terms with the knowledge of their mother’s infidelity. In a flood in Assam, a family is ruined and their daughter finds herself sent off to an unseen bride¬groom in faraway Delhi. In a colonial bungalow in the heart of rural India, a lonely old woman notices the stark difference between her privileged life and that of the poor around her. But who, really, is more privileged? In the span of a bus journey, a prostitute and a nun find they have more in common than they had imagined. And in the snowfields of Kashmir, a young widow takes her revenge on the man who killed her husband in the only way she knows… Written with sensitivity but unafraid to explore the hidden secrets and dark corners in ordinary lives, 'Woman to Woman' is a collection of twelve beautifully crafted short stories by award-winning writer Madhulika Liddle.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

147 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 10, 2017

About the author

Madhulika Liddle is best known for her books featuring the 17th century Mughal detective Muzaffar Jang, although she is also a prolific writer of short fiction, travel writing, and writing related to classic cinema.

The Muzaffar Jang Series: Madhulika’s best-known series of works are historical whodunnits featuring the 17th century Mughal detective, Muzaffar Jang. Till now, four books in the series have been published:
The Englishman’s Cameo (2009)
The Eighth Guest & Other Muzaffar Jang Mysteries (2011),
Engraved in Stone (2012), and
Crimson City (2015).

In October 2021, Madhulika Liddle published The Garden of Heaven, the first novel of a four-novel series called the Delhi Quartet. This is a series of historical novels that will span 800 years of Delhi's history. The Garden of Heaven was long-listed for the Book of the Year (Fiction) Award of the annual Tata Literature Live! literature festival.

In March 2023, Madhulika's The Pledge: Adventures to Sada was released. A fantasy adventure novel, this is the first part of a two-part series called The Mandala Purana, written in collaboration with film-maker Kannan Iyer.

Short stories: Madhulika has written a range of short stories in different genres, including black humour, humour, crime and detection, and social awareness. Several of these have won awards (including the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association’s (CBA) Short Story Competition, for A Morning Swim, in 2003) or have been selected for anthologies. Her story, Poppies in the Snow, was longlisted for the 2015 Sunday Times EFG Short Story Prize.

Short story collections:
My Lawfully Wedded Husband & Other Stories. Black humour shorts, all of which have a twist in the tale.
Woman to Woman: Stories. A collection of twelve women-centric stories.

Madhulika is also known for her travel writing, which has been published in Rough Guides, National Geographic Traveller (India), Lounge (Mint), and other periodicals.

In addition, she is a cinema buff and blogs (mostly about classic cinema) at www.madhulikaliddle.com.

Awards and Recognition:

CBA Short Story Competition – Honourable Mention (2002) for Love and the Papaya Man
CBA Short Story Competition – Overall Winner (2003) for A Morning Swim
Winner of Oxfordbookstore e-Author version 4.0
Sunday Times EFG Short Story Prize (2015) - Longlisted for Poppies in the Snow
Book of the Year Award, Tata Literature Live! (2023) - Longlisted for The Garden of Heaven
Starting 2022, Crimson City (Muzaffar Jang #4) is being taught as an elective to Delhi University students majoring in English

Reviews

[Pankaj Giri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Madhulika ma'am and I go back a long way. I met her on Goodreads three years back, when I had sent my first book to her for review. Soon, she posted her critical review on Goodreads. Initially, I must admit—I felt bad, terrible, in fact. But when I re-read the review and the associated comments after a few days, an important realization dawned on me. I realized how inferior my writing was, and I understood what I needed to do to improve myself. After that, I worked hard on my writing skills, read critically acclaimed books as suggested by ma'am, and slowly, I did feel as if I was making my way up the mountain of progress. And after several years of effort, I managed to publish my second book three months back. I got it professionally edited, too—again, it was a strong suggestion by ma'am to go for an editor—and I know it really helped enhance the quality of my book. I know it might still have a lot of flaws, but I hope ma'am reads it soon (I have sent it to her for review again) and hopefully finds some improvements in my writing. Her honest feedback will help me improve further.

Anyway, coming back to the book review. As I follow ma'am on Facebook, I recently got to know that she had published another book—Woman to Woman, a collection of short stories. Although I'm not the biggest fan of short stories, I wanted to read it as the genre—literary fiction—was the one most similar to my taste (she generally writes historical fiction, a genre I don't prefer to read). So when my eyes fell on this book during a recent visit to Rachna Books, Sikkim's award-winning bookstore, I couldn't keep myself from getting a copy.

As I went through the first few pages, I understood one thing very clearly—ma'am definitely practices what she preaches. I have read her articles on writing tips, and she has followed all of them religiously in her book. The editing is flawless, there are no grammatical or punctuation errors, and the prose flows like wine. The writing exudes a rare class. Almost every sentence is crafted with elegance and skill, which makes you want to re-read them, absorb their beauty, and marvel at the author's creativity, before moving on. Yet, despite the grace, her language is still so simple, a lesson in writing for all aspiring authors. Moreover, the dialogues are exceptional, to the point, and hard-hitting. Not even a single dialogue seems out of place or unnecessary. Without telling too much, Madhulika ma'am uses dialogues to paint shades of a character and move the plot further—a perfect illustration of the show-don't-tell rule. Her experience shines in every aspect of her writing, and it is a treat for new and avid readers alike.

The descriptions are beautiful and vivid, and she has managed to maintain a perfect balance between excessive and insufficient description. She uses metaphors, she uses similes, she plays with words, but she knows where to draw the line and keep it simple too. Young writers like me tend to struggle in both these aspects, and ma'am once again leads by example.

There is so much variety in the stories as well as the characters—characters from all walks of life, characters facing diverse challenges, characters fighting their way through the maze of their lives, characters navigating complex relationships. I loved every story and felt for all the protagonists and even some side characters. Almost every twist and turn left me surprised, and I enjoyed the subtle message embedded in each story. The lessons are never preached, though—another mistake amateur writers tend to make.

I felt strong emotions in every story—hatred, despair, sympathy, admiration, disgust, helplessness, hope. Another aspect of this book I loved was that despite being a book about women, there is no forced attempt to portray feminism anywhere. It highlights every aspect of women—their strength, their fragility, their courage, and their helplessness—in equal measure. The emotions are raw and admirably real, and thus powerful enough to move the reader.

All in all, I think this book is a must-read for all. I would be surprised if it doesn't win awards or at least gets nominated for several awards. This book deserves nothing less than 5 stars. A literary masterpiece in every way.

[Amit Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the rare books that will stay with you long after you have turned the last page.
Each of the short stories is a gem and as you finish them one by one, you will pause and reflect before starting the next one. I cannot pick a favorite as there are so many that stand out, but if I have to, then Woman to Woman (because of the wonderful premise and the poised conversation between the nun and the prostitute), Maplewood (because I felt as if I could smell that old house when I read the story), Captive Spirit (because I fell in love with the protagonist and the description of pre-independence era India) and Poppies in the Snow (Because it made me very angry and I had to read the ending thrice and then shake my head with sadness).
A book that must be read and shared. One of my absolute favorites of 2017.

[Farah Ghuznavi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this latest book of short stories from Madhulika Liddle. Thematically different from her more varied first collection, she has managed to more than compensate for that by examining with great compassion and clarity specific aspects of a woman's life, and has come up with impressive new insights, in the process. For those of us who are very familiar with gender issues in the South Asian context, this is no mean feat.

Thematically different from her more varied first collection of short stories, she has managed to more than compensate for that by examining with great compassion and clarity specific aspects of a woman's life, and has come up with new insights in the process. For those of us who are very familiar with the South Asian context, this is no mean feat.

Liddle has the gift of infusing unexpected complexities into stories that can seem (deceptively!) simple, often adding or unpacking an unexpected element. After reading the majority of these stories, I invariably came away with something new to muse over. In this case, as with her earlier collection, "My Lawfully Wedded Husband", I suspect several of the stories will stay with me for some time to come.

Particular favourites from the book included Paro, which gave an added dimension and depth to an otherwise familiar story. I also liked Ambika the Mother Goddess and Two Doors, both of which touched my heart in very different ways, the stories touching on the subject of motherhood from two perspectives that could hardly be less like each other. The evocative "Maplewood" is oddly haunting, although I didn't expect to like it. And the dark humour of Sari Satyagraha will remind you that this is a writer with *many* strings to her bow.

All in all, highly recommended, and I am waiting eagerly for Liddle's next collection!

[Kasturi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The very title of Madhulika Liddle’s recent short story collection, ‘Woman to Woman: Stories‘, caught my attention and then when I read the blurb, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.

This is what the blurb says,

‘A young girl finds herself looking on as her mother listens to the woes of the world, always offering a sympathetic ear and a shoulder to cry on—while harbouring a bitter secret few know of. A woman and her brother try to come to terms with the knowledge of their mother’s infidelity. In a flood in Assam, a family is ruined and their daughter finds herself sent off to an unseen bride¬groom in faraway Delhi. In a colonial bungalow in the heart of rural India, a lonely old woman notices the stark difference between her privileged life and that of the poor around her. But who, really, is more privileged? In the span of a bus journey, a prostitute and a nun find they have more in common than they had imagined. And in the snowfields of Kashmir, a young widow takes her revenge on the man who killed her husband in the only way she knows…’

Yes, you might have guessed by now, the short stories portray the lives of women from various strata of the Indian society. As is evident from the blurb, each story deals with themes that are poignant and important to women in this country if not worldwide. These are stories we hear around us, or stories where we might have been one of the characters, as well. These are stories of ordinary women, however, it is Madhulika’s sensitive treatment that makes these stand out as important enough to be heard, felt, and reflected upon. Perhaps, that is what I enjoyed most about the book, the skillful way in which the author had created the worlds where we interact with the characters with all our five senses. In ‘Mala’, you experience your childhood school vacations filled with mouthwatering buttery paranthas, juicy mangoes, and a visit to the grandparents sprawling house in the suburbs. In ‘Collector of Junk’, you can almost smell the onion that Amma is chopping while listening to Kallu’s sad tales, in ‘Wronged’ you feel the pulsating and annoying Delhi traffic around you as you’re trapped inside your car listening to disturbing revelations about your parents. This book is filled with many such images that engage the senses and hence the stories seem to be playing out like a movie in front of you or sometimes, you even seem to be making the journey with the characters.

These stories might make you uncomfortable with their realities, some might break your heart, while some might simply fascinate you with the realization that how different we women are from each other. However, each story will remind you how we as women are still connected by our gender and by the way in which society might look upon us or treat us due to the same. The best thing about these stories are that most of them give you some sense of hope and reconciliation.

The book is a short read but a gripping one. I simply couldn’t stop myself from finishing it in the midst of a very hectic month. In fact, I left another novel midway to just finish this one first as from the first story itself, the book captured my attention and wouldn’t let me go till I was done with it.

‘Woman to Woman’ is an important read, especially for Indian women (and men who believe in the concept of equality of both the genders). It not only opens your eyes to women belonging to the different segments of the Indian society but gives you a glimpse of their lives and how everyone is fighting a battle to make sense of their lives or whatever lives they’ve been doled out by their circumstances or by the patriarchal society.

Without giving away too much of the stories, all I can tell you is that Madhulika has this brilliant ability to not only make you see things from her characters view points but to also live those few moments in the story with the characters and follow them in their journeys. Not a single story fails to stir something within you. Some of my favorites from the collection were: ‘Two Doors’, ‘Maplewood’, ‘Ambika, Mother Goddess’, ‘Captive Spirit’, ‘Wronged’, and of course, the final story, ‘Poppies in the Snow’ that stirred me to such a great extent that I even made my husband read it.

This is a book that is definitely worth a read and I’d surely look out for more such works from the writer in the future. Kudos to Madhulika for addressing some very important themes with such panache without being over the top dramatic. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in women’s fiction and short stories.

The review has also been published here: Viakat

[Nithya K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The prose flows so naturally and so beautifully that it feels like you are in a smooth, calm river, with the water gently lapping against your face. Instant connect with the author and what she wishes to convey. If I could, I would have given few more stars. Alas, there are only 5 here.

I recommend it highly.

[Anu Warrier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Women to Women, her latest collection of short stories is Madhulika Liddle's darkest work yet. These stories are centred on women – the men appear on the periphery – who each bear the burden of their own crosses, whether it be prostitution, sex slavery, old age, loneliness, childlessness, the abuse of privilege, loss, death. They are women from different regions, social milieus, and age groups.

In a world dominated by patriarchal rules, these women are not happy; cannot be happy. Their victories, if there are any, are small and, in many ways, unexpected. A couple of them manage to outrun the realities of their lives – whether by death, vengeance or, as in one case, a delightful turning of the tables.

Each story in this collection comes with Liddle's trademark twist – most are satisfying, some even a sucker punch to the jaw. For instance, I was totally hooked by the narrative in Poppies in the Snow that I didn’t see that ending come at all. It was thoroughly satisfying. Sometimes, however, the twist appears to have been shoe-horned in, not risen organically from the narrative (as in Maplewood). Like in real life, stories can remain unresolved – they need not always be tied up in neat bows.

That’s a minor peeve, however, in a book that’s so beautifully crafted, and that provokes thoughtful discussion. The places feel authentic, the people real. One can empathise with their sorrows and their losses, with their struggles to take the ownership of their lives in their own little ways, can wonder at how life throws unexpected googlies that these women face unflinchingly; these are women whom we have heard of, or even know. They could be us. We could be them.

Curating the experience of 'every woman', across castes and classes and religions, is not a job for the faint-hearted. To do so, to disturb the status quo, however delicately and sensitively she does, and leave us with conflicting feelings of gratitude (that we are not ‘them’) and discomfort (that we are not them) was perhaps not Liddle’s stated intention – however, it is just what she does in this well-crafted collection.

And that is a good thing. Gender equality is still a distant dream as these stories attest. Gender violence is as much a current issue as it was generations ago. Much has changed; much remains the same. In the end, these stories remind you that we women are connected not just by gender but by experiences, and that, however different we are in our places in society, we are still sisters under the skin.

*A longer, more detailed review is available on my blog: Conversations over Chai

[Nila · Rating 5 out of 5]

A phenomenal assemblage of 12 short stories that unearth women’s lives inside out, intimate and intense, each one better than the last. Meticulous prose aided with captive narration holds elements of surprise and provides the world an honest look into the lives of Indian women across centuries, religions, social classes and social issues. Madhulika Liddle is a fascinating storyteller whose skilful narration keeps you hooked and directs, before you know it, to the core of the issue the story subtly underlines.

It is with great skill the author crafts characters whom you have heard of or probably know of but nevertheless stick with you long after the last page. The effortless blending of personal and the political helps enhance visibility to the otherwise overlooked, seemingly trivial things that need to be addressed in a patriarchal society.

Emotion dealt within the stories vary greatly just as much as the setting “Poppies in the snow” with its careful portrayal of a sensitive topic, The perspective shift in “Wronged,” and “Captive Spirit” stand out from the rest in no particular order. I might add a few more titles to this because, it’s quite hard to pick a favourite when each of them is just as good as the other one. Honestly, I’d love to read this aloud to anyone who wants to listen to a compelling story.

I can’t wait to read them again.

[Jyothi Vinod · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Woman to Woman' is a collection of poignant stories with many memorable characters. The author has crafted excellent situations, settings, and dialogues for the characters who range from a trafficked bride to a nun. While the haunting, 'Poppies in the Snow,' which deals with terrorism in Kashmir, remains my favorite, the other stories have stayed with me for various reasons. The first story, 'Paro' is a heart breaking ordeal of a child-woman, Sana, trafficked from Assam. The stories that we sigh over in the daily news, comes alive with the way her life shapes after she leaves home. 'Ambika, Mother Goddess' follows the journey of a innocent teen, Ambika, when a cruel incident vaults her into adulthood. The collection goes on to represent voices we so often hear, but fail to listen or respond to, like the voice of Mala, a maid. The silent pleas for help, cries of despair, and unvoiced meditations of women unravel as we read the title story, 'Woman to Woman,' where a nun meets an old friend unexpectedly on a bus ride. I especially liked the way two trash collectors bond over stories and a cup of tea in the, 'Collector of Junk.' Inimai longs for a visit from her son's family in this short but powerful story, "The Letter." Motherhood is elusive for Kamini who suffers the expectations of her family and society in "Two Doors." Will she buckle under it? Her unexpected reaction to a group of foraging monkeys reveals a larger agony many childless women face. Do read on to find out if Maplewood is haunted, in a story by that name. "Captive Spirit" and "Sari Satyagraha" are two stories that uplift the somewhat somber mood that steals over you as you arrive thus far into the collection. Both stories are extremely entertaining and so original in the dilemmas of the engaging characters that you'll smile despite yourself. "Wronged" is an interesting perspective of two grown siblings visiting their mother after the death of their father.
All the stories have an element of surprise woven into them. I recommend this to readers looking for a set of well-written short stories with strong female characters.

[Anu Warrier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woman to Woman: Stories, her latest collection of short stories, is Madhulika Liddle's darkest (and possibly, best) work yet. These stories are centred on women – the men may appear on the periphery, or not at all, yet are crucial to the women's narrative – who each bear the burden of their own crosses, whether it be prostitution, sex slavery, old age, loneliness, childlessness, the abuse of privilege, loss, death. They are women from different regions, social milieus, and age groups. In a world dominated by patriarchal rules, these women are not happy; cannot be happy. Their victories, if there any, are small and, in many ways, unexpected. A couple of them manage to outrun the realities of their lives – whether by death, vengeance or, as in one delightful case, an amusingly wicked turning of the tables.

Each story in this collection comes with Liddle’s trademark twist – most are satisfying, some even a sucker punch to the jaw. For instance, I was totally hooked by the narrative in Poppies in the Snow that I didn’t see that ending come at all. It was thoroughly satisfying. Sometimes, however, the twist appears to have been shoe-horned in, not risen organically from the narrative. (As in Maplewood.) Like in real life, stories can remain unresolved – they need not always be tied up in neat bows.

That’s a minor peeve, however, in a book that’s so beautifully crafted, and that provokes thoughtful discussion. The places feel authentic, the people real. One can empathise with their sorrows and their losses, with their struggles to take the ownership of their lives in their own little ways, can wonder at how life throws unexpected googlies that these women face unflinchingly; these are women whom we have heard of, or even know. They could be us. We could be them.

Curating the experience of 'everywoman', across castes and classes and religions, is not a job for the faint-hearted. To do so, to disturb the status quo, however delicately and sensitively she does, and leave us with conflicting feelings of gratitude (that we are not ‘them’) and discomfort (that we are not them) was perhaps not Liddle's stated intention – however, it is just she does in this well-crafted collection.

And that is a good thing. Gender equality is still a distant dream as these stories attest. Gender violence is as much a current issue as it was generations ago. Much has changed; much remains the same. In the end, these stories remind you that we women are connected not just by gender but by experiences, and that, however different we are in our places in society, we are still sisters under the skin.

*A more detailed review has been posted on my blog Conversations over Chai .

[Ruchi Das · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basking in the winter sun, I opened the pages to what I knew would be my last book of 2021. Woman to Woman was supposed to be a read to pass the time, something that would fill the rest of the days of this year. Imagine my delight when it surpassed my expectations by a ballpark.

Womanhood, as all women will agree, is a tightrope to walk upon. Nothing in our lives is black and white. Liddle seems to have captured the gray essence of womanhood in her stories. I love how she tells stories of women from all walks of life without pressing judgment or portrayal of the notions of right and wrong (cough Sudha Murthy cough, take a note). Hailing from the same country as the author, a lot of her conveyed sentiments touched my nerves. She knows her way with the words and uses them in beautiful arrangements to press on your emotions.

'Your Amma' said Sughra, caressing her beads like a rosary, was a kabaadi, a collector of junk. You know what kabaadis do, don't you? They gather junk. Pay for it. Take it home. Sort through it. Sell it'....'And ofcourse she didn't sell anything, What she collected was the refuse of other people's lives. Their sorrows, their shame. Our Sorrows,' she said, correcting herself, 'Our shame.'

Most stories in the book satiated my appetite. However, I enjoyed Poppies in the Snow and Mala the most. Both these stories encircled the themes of vengeance and delivered brilliant climaxes. In Wronged, Collector of Junk, and Captive Spirit, it was the protagonist characters, more than the stories, that touched my heart.

The only reason I hold back a star is the poor quality of proofreading. I came across a handful of grammatically incorrect sentences that were hard for me to overlook. I don't know whether this is the publishing house or the author herself. But what I can certainly say is that Liddle is one of the few people who know how to pull off good short stories.

I am not especially fond of a collection of short stories, but I adored this one. I thank the subscription box that was kind enough to introduce me to this gem of a book.

[Sowmya · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delectable read! I love reading short stories and I absolutely relished this one. What amazing characters and such great storytelling!

The injustices of the world towards women, tower high as a mountain - the plight of women and their problems weighing down on the reader, but along come rivulets of kindness, humor, revenge and mystery and make the experience full and satisfying.

Short stories can be hard and tricky in keeping the interest of the readers, mostly because the characters and stories are so different and discrete, the reader might lose interest for wont of getting to know more about one or more people or situations.

This book does a great job in not only keeping each story interesting but wanting to find out what other treats the author has in store and I just wanted to keep going.

P.S: 'Wronged' is the only story I found somewhat unconvincing in this collection. While the theme is great and it's refreshing that a grown-up daughter understands a mother's loneliness and reasons out her actions, it felt incomplete and not real.

[Munmun Mohanty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly a Story bringing out the pangs of being a woman. No matter how much we celebrate womanhood, there is always an unspoken angst that many of us face in our personal realms. This book explores stories that evokes numerous emotions. A lot of sensitivity coupled with little fear to explore what truly aches the heart of a woman, makes this collection of short story a great read.
Truly the stories span a multiverse in bringing out the pain, joy, victory and loss of being woman. The women that are the lime light of each story collectively form the protagonist of this book, belong to very diverse age group, milieus, circumstances and of course belong to diverse set of pathos

P.S - The Title of the book I actually the title of one of the short stories ( a brief rendezvous of a Nun and a prostitute) which also happens to be my second favourite. The first being two Doors.

[Manali · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories are really good. The plot twists to most of them are very fun to experience. Some pages got a little too unnecessarily descriptive at times, which I felt could have been done away with. And one of the stories was a bit too "inspired" by O.Henry's 'After Twenty Years'. But overall, it's a good collection, loyal to the theme it promises and manages to evolve beyond the usual tragedy porn which is common in stories about marginalized groups.

Favorites :
Poppies in the snow
Sari Satyagraha
Two doors
Paro
Mala

[Tarang Sinha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating edit: 4.5 stars!

It's a collection of twelve outstanding, heart-wrenching stories with striking endings (mostly). As the title of the book suggests, the stories are women-centric. The writing is excellent—so neat, crisp, and engaging. Madhulika is a superb storyteller. Every story is brilliant, mysterious, and unpredictable.
You will feel a sense of apprehension as you read, like something very odd and unexpected is going to happen.
Just one story, The Captive Spirit, didn't work for me. But it's okay.

It's a must-read. I can easily call it one of my favourite books.

[Pooja Soneja · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Woman to Woman" by Madhulika Liddle comprises of short stories revolving around women as the central character and how they are perceived in the Indian society. Regardless of age, profession and status, each woman was in turmoil, victimized by the people around them. Despite the melancholic theme of this book, Madhulika beautifully describes the womanhood without any censure as some protagonists turned from submission to being bold.

[Deepthi Nair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best short stories I HV read so far! Each story has an unexpected ending. Different backgrounds..yet a similarity in all..strength of character! Loved each of them. Some made me feel heavyhearted and some got me excited and happy due to the revenge part. Read and you will agree with me for sure!

[Piyusha Vir · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a power packed collection of women-oriented stories- inspiring, thought-provoking, poignant, ironical all in one book. Do pick it up of you haven't already.

[Anjali Ved · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible! Incredible!!
Words cannot suffice the kind of emotions and feelings this book has evoked. You cannot help but ponder upon the stories narrated.
A deep and thoughtful read.

[Preeti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poignant and effective...a little too much setting the scene in each story which was really needed only in kashmir story...all the stories are riveting and applause worthy

[Sejal Rangi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Abso-fucking-lutely-not!!!!!

[Anshika Jain · Rating 5 out of 5]

An impeccable collection of 12 stories, Woman to Woman portrays women belonging to all classes of the world walking, running, and paving through life.

After reading the first story 'Paro', you might find yourself in a dilemma of either gobbling up the stories in one sitting or taking your sweet time with it. Because each story leaves you with a bruised heart, and to add to that, a sinking feeling in the chest. The stories, lucidly written, hold in them a plethora of emotions: despair, hope, humour, love, kindness, compassion, passion. Seemingly straightforward at first, the plot always takes an unanticipated turn or makes a revelation that leaves you astonished, and in awe of Liddle's writing.

"Nobody is all good or all bad. The world is greys, not pitch-black or snowwhite."

The title story, 'Woman to Woman' is about two purportedly opposite women, a nun and a prostitute, who find out during a bus journey they have more in common than they thought. It makes you wonder about the boxes society creates to make its job easier to divide people. Also, how villainously funny it is that some life defined as "liberating" can just be another cage for "getting rid" of people from the mainstream.

"She lifted the flower up, raising her arm high so that the last rays of the sun shone down on the flower. 'Look how pretty it is, Vicky. Isn't it? When you see it from this far you can't see any flaws. Those little wilted ends, the bits gone brown- you don't see any of that. Just the pretty perfection."

This is a story collection that you could read if you are looking for something that will capture your attention in a few pages, and you love to read women portrayed as complex yet simple characters; who could really turn tables on you.