A woman is reunited with her estranged father, a proud man whose outlook is shaped by one of history's forgotten tragedies, the Partition of India in 1947.
I like that the book covers a culture very seldom captured in NZ literature. It could use a stronger plot, but hey, flash fiction novels aren't the same as literary fiction novels. I like seeing the emerging genre of the flash fiction novel in NZ. I just like Nod - she is a hard worker, regularly publishing great quality creative writing and she does lots to support other writers, so ka pai.
An immersive, heartbreaking tale. The cartography of a family's life over spanning over decades. It's not only about the conflict between father and daughter, about expectations not being met. It's a gentle story unraveling well-guarded family secrets. It's a tale starting in a time when the death of young siblings is looked upon as a normal event, to times when the narrator has the freedom to move to the other side of the Globe in search of a better life. The writing (as expected from Nod Ghosh) is beautiful, peppered with hypnotic twists. It's a story to savour flash fiction by flash fiction, little gem by little gem.
I found this a very moving account of the writer's attempt to reconnect with her father. Beautiful imagery and the brilliant juxtaposition of ideas kept me turning the pages — a delightful read from start to finish.
The fireflies. When I think of this collection, I think of the mysterious fireflies and an old man sitting in a draughty room with a library of books and all the time in the world and yet not enough time at all. An impressive, complex story told in flashes of insight and dreamy ambiguity.
Marvellous and moving presentation of reconnection or trying to reconnect. I love Nod's writing it shifts from quiet understatement to passionate emotion in a hair's breath. Its so rich and full and all encompassing. Read this tale of familial progression then read it again because these stories have layers and layers and layers.
I’ve never read a flash novella before so this was an enjoyable, new experience for me. I loved the family tension as father and daughter tried to reconnect and the background wind and rain that was ever present throughout the stories. A reflective and emotional read, I look forward to reading more from this author.