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Tales of You, Me and Them
About Tales of You, Me and Them, is a collection of eight short stories. A village flows through the heart of the main characters in these stories. The author remembers her childhood and holidays spent in Keeladi, a South Indian village, and lets her imagination flow as she connects her stories to this little village that fascinated her immensely. The stories carry the battles, triumphs and failures in everyday lives of everyday people. It transforms the lives of ordinary men and women, into very real and, yet, extraordinary tales. There is love, hatred, revenge, pain, desire, dreams, challenges, and then, there is hope. Hope that can light up many lives, including yours, mine and theirs. Each story will leave a lasting impression on you, making you realize how simple, and yet, how so complicated life happens to be.
About ANJU DARSHINI likes to capture everyday moments, everyday stories, and believes that life is much more vibrant and colourful than how we usually imagine it to be. Her characters are real, honest and fearless; they surprise her through their simple, yet complex lives. She weaves a pattern of darkness, desire, hope and light, but not necessarily in that order. Anju Darshini has over 15 years of corporate experience in Brand Management, and Internal & External Communications. She currently leads the Corporate Communications Department of a well-known Automotive IT - MNC in Chennai and she is also part of its Business Leadership Team.
About ANJU DARSHINI likes to capture everyday moments, everyday stories, and believes that life is much more vibrant and colourful than how we usually imagine it to be. Her characters are real, honest and fearless; they surprise her through their simple, yet complex lives. She weaves a pattern of darkness, desire, hope and light, but not necessarily in that order. Anju Darshini has over 15 years of corporate experience in Brand Management, and Internal & External Communications. She currently leads the Corporate Communications Department of a well-known Automotive IT - MNC in Chennai and she is also part of its Business Leadership Team.
148 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 25, 2019
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6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
December 25, 2019
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"Every minute was different for the caged."
It's a pity that the paperback edition of the book isn't on Goodreads because I would have loved to review that one. And yet, I can't help but review the kindle edition because of the kind of book Darshini has written. Tales of You, Me And Them is a small, yet beautiful book set in the small village of Keeladi in Tamil Nadu. The author herself has some pretty memories with the village and so she chose to set all these fictional stories in that world. The stories of the book are rather motivating as well. They talk about love in all different forms, and how women from various situations and backgrounds deal with that love. It shouldn't come as a surprise then, if two or three of these stories were almost tear-jerkers. At least to me. They were sad and I barely stopped myself from crying.
However, it is astonishing at how foolish the human mind can be. Right from the first story, "The Train Journey" to the last one, "The Paparazzi", the humans involved broke my heart. Some of them were so foolish, so impulsive, so...so... that all I wanted to do was hit them in the face for treating their women that way. However, I adored how each story ended. It wasn't a happy ending but it was an ending and that is what made these stories peaceful.
If I had to choose one story out of these amazing ones, then I guess I will go with "The Train Journey" which I found one of the saddest and yet, strongest stories of them all. How Sithara's boyfriend cheated her—not only was that heartbreaking but also a little upsetting. And yet, the ending of the story made me happier than ever. It is weird how men think they can still fool around with a girl after they have cheated on her and married someone else.
Suffice to say, the book was beautiful. My only objection was to some of its editing. I didn't see much of grammatical errors but there was a lot of misused punctuation which I believe could have been avoided upon better care.
"Every minute was different for the caged."
It's a pity that the paperback edition of the book isn't on Goodreads because I would have loved to review that one. And yet, I can't help but review the kindle edition because of the kind of book Darshini has written. Tales of You, Me And Them is a small, yet beautiful book set in the small village of Keeladi in Tamil Nadu. The author herself has some pretty memories with the village and so she chose to set all these fictional stories in that world. The stories of the book are rather motivating as well. They talk about love in all different forms, and how women from various situations and backgrounds deal with that love. It shouldn't come as a surprise then, if two or three of these stories were almost tear-jerkers. At least to me. They were sad and I barely stopped myself from crying.
However, it is astonishing at how foolish the human mind can be. Right from the first story, "The Train Journey" to the last one, "The Paparazzi", the humans involved broke my heart. Some of them were so foolish, so impulsive, so...so... that all I wanted to do was hit them in the face for treating their women that way. However, I adored how each story ended. It wasn't a happy ending but it was an ending and that is what made these stories peaceful.
If I had to choose one story out of these amazing ones, then I guess I will go with "The Train Journey" which I found one of the saddest and yet, strongest stories of them all. How Sithara's boyfriend cheated her—not only was that heartbreaking but also a little upsetting. And yet, the ending of the story made me happier than ever. It is weird how men think they can still fool around with a girl after they have cheated on her and married someone else.
Suffice to say, the book was beautiful. My only objection was to some of its editing. I didn't see much of grammatical errors but there was a lot of misused punctuation which I believe could have been avoided upon better care.
January 17, 2020
The stories carry the battles, triumphs and failures in everyday lives of everyday people. It transforms the lives of ordinary men and women, into very real and, yet, extraordinary tales.
This is a short story book of 149 pages and 8 short stories. The stories and plots are different but have the same setup, meaning all the stories are based at a South Indian village called Keeladi. The descriptions for the place and narration was pretty good. The entire book is written in her perspective and it was quite great in terms of detailing. Most stories were based on woman and others were diverse. There were some local terms used like Ammachi which we call our grannies or at times MIL. The topics were quite interesting and as I said the authors narration was simply great. So I'm gonna recommend it everyone's who likes short reads!
This is a short story book of 149 pages and 8 short stories. The stories and plots are different but have the same setup, meaning all the stories are based at a South Indian village called Keeladi. The descriptions for the place and narration was pretty good. The entire book is written in her perspective and it was quite great in terms of detailing. Most stories were based on woman and others were diverse. There were some local terms used like Ammachi which we call our grannies or at times MIL. The topics were quite interesting and as I said the authors narration was simply great. So I'm gonna recommend it everyone's who likes short reads!
April 17, 2020
Most people have dreams or aspirations they would love to achieve.
When it comes to Dreams and aspirations, females are always known to sacrifice them for the sake of their family, and when it comes to Village female folk, nobody even bothers what they want..
At the same time, village female folk doesn't even regret their decision for giving up on their dreams but they would happily lead their life and more peacefully as compared to people at town..
From this one can witness that the life in village is calm and beautiful.
Author Anju has drawn out a reference from a village called "Keeladi" where she has spent a beautiful part of her childhood and has narrated eight short stories which are influenced by real incidents and people with a fictional touch.
"Tales of You, Me and Them" is a beautiful collection of 8 Short stories that mainly concentrate on seeking the freedom and taking a stand for themselves.
When I was impressed with the boldness and strong will at Sitaara in the first story, I was equally impressed with the character Sarah too in another story.
Each story has brought out a different theme, a different battle and a different concept.
Stories such as "Her Revelations", "I chase my Dreams", "The Keeper of Light", "The Siren" are perfect example of Village life and it's unique tales.
Few stories which I loved the most are
1) The Train Journey
2) Her Revelations
3) The Siren
The stories have a strong concept with a sensitive touch.
The characters of this book have the potential to stay with readers for long time.
Not just the Protagonist, but the other characters too have built up strongly..
When Readers like Sitaara's boldness, one cannot ignore the helplessness of Diya and Love of Raj.
When I admired Sarah's boldness, I equally admired Priya's care taking nature and her question struck me at the end.
One must read this book to know why these stories are my favorite.
They are indeed worth reading.
The language of the book is easy to understand.
Even beginners can easily get connected to it's content.
The Book cover is designed perfectly.
From the Foreword, I felt the need to visit the village where we used to spend quality time as Children.
Overall it was a really nice read which brings out many memories.
When it comes to Dreams and aspirations, females are always known to sacrifice them for the sake of their family, and when it comes to Village female folk, nobody even bothers what they want..
At the same time, village female folk doesn't even regret their decision for giving up on their dreams but they would happily lead their life and more peacefully as compared to people at town..
From this one can witness that the life in village is calm and beautiful.
Author Anju has drawn out a reference from a village called "Keeladi" where she has spent a beautiful part of her childhood and has narrated eight short stories which are influenced by real incidents and people with a fictional touch.
"Tales of You, Me and Them" is a beautiful collection of 8 Short stories that mainly concentrate on seeking the freedom and taking a stand for themselves.
When I was impressed with the boldness and strong will at Sitaara in the first story, I was equally impressed with the character Sarah too in another story.
Each story has brought out a different theme, a different battle and a different concept.
Stories such as "Her Revelations", "I chase my Dreams", "The Keeper of Light", "The Siren" are perfect example of Village life and it's unique tales.
Few stories which I loved the most are
1) The Train Journey
2) Her Revelations
3) The Siren
The stories have a strong concept with a sensitive touch.
The characters of this book have the potential to stay with readers for long time.
Not just the Protagonist, but the other characters too have built up strongly..
When Readers like Sitaara's boldness, one cannot ignore the helplessness of Diya and Love of Raj.
When I admired Sarah's boldness, I equally admired Priya's care taking nature and her question struck me at the end.
One must read this book to know why these stories are my favorite.
They are indeed worth reading.
The language of the book is easy to understand.
Even beginners can easily get connected to it's content.
The Book cover is designed perfectly.
From the Foreword, I felt the need to visit the village where we used to spend quality time as Children.
Overall it was a really nice read which brings out many memories.
September 13, 2021
What piqued my interest in the Book is that it is set in Keezhadi - a village near Madurai, my hometown, currently in the news for archaeological excavations. I was also curious to see how the author had evolved as a storyteller. After all, it is not every day that your schoolmate publishes a book!
The book is an anthology of 8 short stories of people who you may meet in your everyday life. These women and few men are no different from the village they inhabit. Just as Keezhadi hides the secrets of a bygone era in its womb; the characters in these stories hide their dreams and desires to conform to the demands of a traditional society. It takes a dexterous archaeologist to unravel the mysteries of an ancient civilization. And it takes a sensitive writer to unmask the deepest emotions locked in the human heart.
The stories set in various social milieus from the medieval era to the current times explore myriad themes such as unrequited love, forbidden desire, unfulfilled ambition, search for identity, and escapism from reality. Each of these stories revolves around a protagonist who arrives at a crossroad in life. The deep emotions that the social predicament evokes and how it shapes the decision of the protagonist forms the narrative.
The language is lucid and makes the book a quick read. But the poignant stories stay with you long after you have closed the book!
It is heartening to witness Anju’s evolution as a storyteller – from a schoolgirl who spun tales to amuse her classmates to an author chronicling the travails of human lives. Congratulations to Anju on her first book and good luck for the many more to come!!
Visit https://www.sylviagrace.in/ to discover more such AMAZING books!!
The book is an anthology of 8 short stories of people who you may meet in your everyday life. These women and few men are no different from the village they inhabit. Just as Keezhadi hides the secrets of a bygone era in its womb; the characters in these stories hide their dreams and desires to conform to the demands of a traditional society. It takes a dexterous archaeologist to unravel the mysteries of an ancient civilization. And it takes a sensitive writer to unmask the deepest emotions locked in the human heart.
The stories set in various social milieus from the medieval era to the current times explore myriad themes such as unrequited love, forbidden desire, unfulfilled ambition, search for identity, and escapism from reality. Each of these stories revolves around a protagonist who arrives at a crossroad in life. The deep emotions that the social predicament evokes and how it shapes the decision of the protagonist forms the narrative.
The language is lucid and makes the book a quick read. But the poignant stories stay with you long after you have closed the book!
It is heartening to witness Anju’s evolution as a storyteller – from a schoolgirl who spun tales to amuse her classmates to an author chronicling the travails of human lives. Congratulations to Anju on her first book and good luck for the many more to come!!
Visit https://www.sylviagrace.in/ to discover more such AMAZING books!!
December 10, 2019
The book talks about the simple and the beautiful life of the people residing in a village. The village is the common factor in all the stories. The location being is common, but the emotions aren't the same. There are 8 stories and each covers a different emotion all together. The stories have been written in a simple manner and the book cover shows a scene from the village. The title too seems lucid and apt. There are stories on love, friendship and dreams and I liked how the author has weaved them in such a simple manner. She has also described her village Keeladi in the Foreword and it sounds like a really lovely place. The description made my imagination vivid. The author has also explained certain words that she has used in her stories in the beginning of the book so that the reader would understand better. At some points, the stories hit a notch of cliché. That was only downgrading point for me.
April 28, 2020
There are 8 stories in this book. Each story is good one and amazing . The author has narrated the story very well and in the foreword of the story author has told that she is more attached to her village and many stories are happening around it.
My favourite one among them are "Megha tells her story" . The story is of megha who is a psychologist who works in a hospital . The hospital owner Ashish harrases her during a meeting and he threatens her to cooperate with him, other wise he won't give appraisals . How Megha reacts is the highlight of this story and climax is exciting .
Also the other story which I like was of Sarah who is against the traditional culture of the village to marry a person
whom the family chooses. Sarah loves
Jason very much but he is afraid to love her in return , because Jason's education is taken care by Sarah father. The climax of the story is interesting and it satisfies the reader.
Other story is of Manjula. It inspires every one and remains me of a quote " Too late is far better than never ".
Other stories are also good. These 3 are my favourite one.
Overall my rating 4.5/5
My favourite one among them are "Megha tells her story" . The story is of megha who is a psychologist who works in a hospital . The hospital owner Ashish harrases her during a meeting and he threatens her to cooperate with him, other wise he won't give appraisals . How Megha reacts is the highlight of this story and climax is exciting .
Also the other story which I like was of Sarah who is against the traditional culture of the village to marry a person
whom the family chooses. Sarah loves
Jason very much but he is afraid to love her in return , because Jason's education is taken care by Sarah father. The climax of the story is interesting and it satisfies the reader.
Other story is of Manjula. It inspires every one and remains me of a quote " Too late is far better than never ".
Other stories are also good. These 3 are my favourite one.
Overall my rating 4.5/5
January 30, 2020
This was such a beautiful collection of stories. The stories had this rustic charm to it that I picked up from the first page. All of the 8 tales had my heart; all of them had an individual personality and stood out on their own. The writing style and the language have some room for improvement; I was invested in the stories but I kept losing touch with the stories at points. I feel like there is something about South India that makes everything beautiful. The stories are set in Tamil Nadu and my heart was full as I was reading about the village. The simplicity of life, the close-knit community and the naivety of it all. The characters, how do I put it, were human; they all had good and bad sides, they all made mistakes and usually the things didn’t work out I their favour. I was a little heartbroken when the stories did not have a happy ending but I guess that’s why I liked the collection so much, because it was so true and raw.
December 22, 2019
This book is ollection of 8 short stories. The most fascinating aspect is the common theme which runs through all of them, the same way how our veins are interconnected with each other from which blood flow. It carries the embodiment of life acting as vessels. Similarly, this book also comprises of a central theme as 'village' which acts as a central backbone of the main characters presented in all these individual stories. I believe that village forms the foundation of glory of any nation because if common people from mediocre backgrounds living in these rural areas & communities sustain a decent life. Then the interrelation of the prosperity is directly proportional to it likewise. It forms the basis of modernisation, urbanisation & globalisation of any country. It acts as an intricate framework connecting all ties with people across all sects.
This is the most interesting aspect which touched my heart. The author reminisces her childhood holidays she spent in Keeladi, a village in the southern part of the subcontinent India & pens her time spent over there via the medium of vivid imaginations.
Each story carries the day to day struggles, success, joy, happiness, battles, triumphs & failures of the common folklore. I found it relatable because I've been to villages & spend my childhood summer vacation holidays over my granny's abode in a remote village(like most of us Indians do whose parents work in other cities). Though the time spent with them was meagre, but the stories I grew up with which they used to share lingered with me even after I left my native place.
Theme also comprises of love, hatred, Hope that can light up many lives, including yours, mine and theirs. We grew up with many facilities of modern urban life. However, there're many still who aren't privileged with good access to education, hygienic livelihood conditions or aristocratic needs. So these stories are mostly relatable & very important as it lingers in our hearts for a very long time.
Cover is good. It has been designed well. Title is apt & well selected. Language is simple, easy to use & understand. It could’ve been better. Narration is okay. A good one-time read!
This is the most interesting aspect which touched my heart. The author reminisces her childhood holidays she spent in Keeladi, a village in the southern part of the subcontinent India & pens her time spent over there via the medium of vivid imaginations.
Each story carries the day to day struggles, success, joy, happiness, battles, triumphs & failures of the common folklore. I found it relatable because I've been to villages & spend my childhood summer vacation holidays over my granny's abode in a remote village(like most of us Indians do whose parents work in other cities). Though the time spent with them was meagre, but the stories I grew up with which they used to share lingered with me even after I left my native place.
Theme also comprises of love, hatred, Hope that can light up many lives, including yours, mine and theirs. We grew up with many facilities of modern urban life. However, there're many still who aren't privileged with good access to education, hygienic livelihood conditions or aristocratic needs. So these stories are mostly relatable & very important as it lingers in our hearts for a very long time.
Cover is good. It has been designed well. Title is apt & well selected. Language is simple, easy to use & understand. It could’ve been better. Narration is okay. A good one-time read!
December 20, 2019
There are tales that capture your heart, and this collection does exactly that. 'Tales of You, Me and Them' by Anju Darshini speaks about love, hatred, revenge, pain, desire, dreams, challenges and to bind it all together-hope. Through beautiful eight short stories, the author pens down her memories of Keeladi, a South-Indian village she spent her holidays in, the place that weaved the stories in her mind.
It's been a long time since I have read such beautiful, simple, short stories that touched my heart from the very first introduction. It's the kind of book that will bring you warmth and make you smile. The language is simple and lucid, and it flows amazingly. It has a very gentle and happy approach. Just as the author had said, it indeed reminded me of 'Malgudi Days' by R.K.Narayan. Even though it might not be your memory, the tales will take you down memory lane. And oh! It feels so real, so very real. The lives of the characters, as narrated, seems alive. My favourite story of all was 'The Train Journey'; it was heartfelt. While the story 'Her Revelations' was bold.
It is the kind of book that I would love to re-read again. The story 'The Siren' seemed to be a little stretched in places, but by no means deemed the overall glamour of the book.
I can't recommend this book enough. If you love Malgudi Days, you will love this too. Children and adults alike would enjoy this book. The tiny illustrations and the foreword by the author is cherry on top of this beautiful cake.
For more detailed reviews, check out my bookstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mystic_tale...
It's been a long time since I have read such beautiful, simple, short stories that touched my heart from the very first introduction. It's the kind of book that will bring you warmth and make you smile. The language is simple and lucid, and it flows amazingly. It has a very gentle and happy approach. Just as the author had said, it indeed reminded me of 'Malgudi Days' by R.K.Narayan. Even though it might not be your memory, the tales will take you down memory lane. And oh! It feels so real, so very real. The lives of the characters, as narrated, seems alive. My favourite story of all was 'The Train Journey'; it was heartfelt. While the story 'Her Revelations' was bold.
It is the kind of book that I would love to re-read again. The story 'The Siren' seemed to be a little stretched in places, but by no means deemed the overall glamour of the book.
I can't recommend this book enough. If you love Malgudi Days, you will love this too. Children and adults alike would enjoy this book. The tiny illustrations and the foreword by the author is cherry on top of this beautiful cake.
For more detailed reviews, check out my bookstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mystic_tale...
January 15, 2020
‘A collection of short stories dedicated by the author to her native village Keeladi that will take you to a journey of varied people’s life from the eyes of the writer.’
This is a book containing eight different stories with different characters and plot and most of them have the same backdrop that of the village Keeladi. The author first begins the book by giving some insights and view of her native village and her childhood days spent there. The vivid description of the houses, the streets, the people and the whole era that she had witnessed during her childhood days has somewhere remained within her and the description given by her is an intriguing invitation to read the book further.
Then comes the best part is the usage of the native terms that have been used to address various relationships like Ammachi for grandmother, Thaatha for grandfather and so on, it gives the essence of that rootedness of the writer with her culture that she has chosen to use the terms as they are instead of using the English version of them which has increased the traditional flavour much and you experience stories that are based with a modern backdrop somewhere and somewhere the village set up but the people are reflected the way they are addressed in those parts.
It can be clearly seen that Keeladi a small South Indian village in Madurai, remains the main inspiration for this book, but you find stories out of the place as well, as the characters have moved on to some other places but somewhere their connection of their lives have been again shown with this place. And we get the flavour of her place and the village bond of her soul in stories like ‘Her Revelations’, ‘The Keeper of Light’, ‘I Chase my Dreams and ‘The Siren’ more. However the stories have a blend of modern lifestyle and mannerisms with the cultural tradition of South India that can be experienced in all the stories.
Most of the stories are women centric and shows the different shades of their lives, their emotions of both being a rebel and silent at the same time, their dreams, their choices but most of all of their truthfulness. Somewhere there is a modern successful woman who bumps into her ex-lover who is travelling with his new wedded wife and makes the heroine revive in the past for some time and then again choosing the harshest path of letting him go and save his marriage, and somewhere we witness a submissive middle- aged woman who has all the fineries of the world, but is existing in a lonely and a loveless relationship, yet remaining agile for her dreams she keeps the desire burning inside of her and follows those after a long period of her life gone by in fulfilling homely chores and duties of being an unspeaking identity of her emotions besides being a dutiful wife. Then we see somewhere the rebellious Sarah who remains rock solid with her feelings for her love interest Jason and despite of myriad difficulties of what the people will say, or how the society will react she is able to find him as her husband in the end.
Thus the stories revolve around all kind of women from being blunt with their emotions, to being the most silent one who never uttered a word of insurgent but still acquired the courage to achieve what she wants, to witnessing a successful woman, a concubine, and even a luxury filled life of the most dutiful wife to a most ferocious lover who can go against her own society and people. There are few other themed stories too in this book which are also quite interesting to be read.
The language if has to be talked about, is quite lucid with simple narration that makes it an easy and enjoyable read. However the book has the attention catching element from the very first few pages that begins with the description given by Anju Darshini about the village Keeladi and it is the most enticing reason that will make one want to read this book further. The stories are simple with predictable ending, yet the simplicity of these is the beauty of this book. Then again the characterisation has been done wisely, by presenting them the way they had been in the author’s mind while writing the stories. She has chosen to let the characters speak for themselves, their way of thinking, talking and through their feelings and emotions we get the idea of who they are and are able to create the image of their appearances in our own mind.
Plethora’s Verdict: The book ‘Tales of You, Me and Them’ by Anju Darshini has stories that are quite easy to grab and feel resonated with. They sound more of realistic people and their both ordinary and extravagant lives, which is why one can easily feel connected to the characters while reading the book. It’s a book that can be read by all aged group people, with a simple backdrop, everyday people in different situations and I strongly feel this could be a good book to be kept as a companion while travelling or even for a lighter reading at home. Thus I would rate this book with a 4 star rating for its overall content, structure and writing style and would recommend it as a good and enjoyable read.
Review by Monalisa Joshi
Founder & Chief Editor
Plethora Blogazine
This is a book containing eight different stories with different characters and plot and most of them have the same backdrop that of the village Keeladi. The author first begins the book by giving some insights and view of her native village and her childhood days spent there. The vivid description of the houses, the streets, the people and the whole era that she had witnessed during her childhood days has somewhere remained within her and the description given by her is an intriguing invitation to read the book further.
Then comes the best part is the usage of the native terms that have been used to address various relationships like Ammachi for grandmother, Thaatha for grandfather and so on, it gives the essence of that rootedness of the writer with her culture that she has chosen to use the terms as they are instead of using the English version of them which has increased the traditional flavour much and you experience stories that are based with a modern backdrop somewhere and somewhere the village set up but the people are reflected the way they are addressed in those parts.
It can be clearly seen that Keeladi a small South Indian village in Madurai, remains the main inspiration for this book, but you find stories out of the place as well, as the characters have moved on to some other places but somewhere their connection of their lives have been again shown with this place. And we get the flavour of her place and the village bond of her soul in stories like ‘Her Revelations’, ‘The Keeper of Light’, ‘I Chase my Dreams and ‘The Siren’ more. However the stories have a blend of modern lifestyle and mannerisms with the cultural tradition of South India that can be experienced in all the stories.
Most of the stories are women centric and shows the different shades of their lives, their emotions of both being a rebel and silent at the same time, their dreams, their choices but most of all of their truthfulness. Somewhere there is a modern successful woman who bumps into her ex-lover who is travelling with his new wedded wife and makes the heroine revive in the past for some time and then again choosing the harshest path of letting him go and save his marriage, and somewhere we witness a submissive middle- aged woman who has all the fineries of the world, but is existing in a lonely and a loveless relationship, yet remaining agile for her dreams she keeps the desire burning inside of her and follows those after a long period of her life gone by in fulfilling homely chores and duties of being an unspeaking identity of her emotions besides being a dutiful wife. Then we see somewhere the rebellious Sarah who remains rock solid with her feelings for her love interest Jason and despite of myriad difficulties of what the people will say, or how the society will react she is able to find him as her husband in the end.
Thus the stories revolve around all kind of women from being blunt with their emotions, to being the most silent one who never uttered a word of insurgent but still acquired the courage to achieve what she wants, to witnessing a successful woman, a concubine, and even a luxury filled life of the most dutiful wife to a most ferocious lover who can go against her own society and people. There are few other themed stories too in this book which are also quite interesting to be read.
The language if has to be talked about, is quite lucid with simple narration that makes it an easy and enjoyable read. However the book has the attention catching element from the very first few pages that begins with the description given by Anju Darshini about the village Keeladi and it is the most enticing reason that will make one want to read this book further. The stories are simple with predictable ending, yet the simplicity of these is the beauty of this book. Then again the characterisation has been done wisely, by presenting them the way they had been in the author’s mind while writing the stories. She has chosen to let the characters speak for themselves, their way of thinking, talking and through their feelings and emotions we get the idea of who they are and are able to create the image of their appearances in our own mind.
Plethora’s Verdict: The book ‘Tales of You, Me and Them’ by Anju Darshini has stories that are quite easy to grab and feel resonated with. They sound more of realistic people and their both ordinary and extravagant lives, which is why one can easily feel connected to the characters while reading the book. It’s a book that can be read by all aged group people, with a simple backdrop, everyday people in different situations and I strongly feel this could be a good book to be kept as a companion while travelling or even for a lighter reading at home. Thus I would rate this book with a 4 star rating for its overall content, structure and writing style and would recommend it as a good and enjoyable read.
Review by Monalisa Joshi
Founder & Chief Editor
Plethora Blogazine
April 24, 2020
Tales of you, me and them by Anju Darshini' is an anthology of eight short stories which are culturally rooted to her Village Keeladi and crafted with a modern twist.
.
.
Most of the stories have a female protagonist, and shows their point of view in different life situations which can occur with anyone. Sometimes they're strong when it comes to choosing a path and on the other they're lonely even after being fulfilled. The author has tried to present each characteristic which a woman should possess. One point you need to be a silent listener and observer. Other point be a rebellion and take difficult steps even if they don't meant to be in your favour.
Some of my favourite stories from this book were 'The Train Journey', 'Confessions of a Disturbed Soul', 'The Siren'. Out of 8 these three were close to my heart.
I personally like reading contemporary stuff a lot. And this book was a delight. How deeply and beautifully it is stitched to cultural roots with a modern twist.
There is a story where the protagonist bumps into her ex-lover who is travelling with his wife. Now, if you have watched 'Modern Love' on Amazon Prime Video, you'll get the same essence to Anju Darshini's stories.
.
.
Writing and narration is lucid and you flows from one page to another. It's versatile, and all the translated native terms transports you into the backdrop of Village Keeladi.
It's a short read, not too short or long but correct enjoyable size. If you're lucky enough to get hold onto this book while travelling you'll enjoy it more.
.
.
Most of the stories have a female protagonist, and shows their point of view in different life situations which can occur with anyone. Sometimes they're strong when it comes to choosing a path and on the other they're lonely even after being fulfilled. The author has tried to present each characteristic which a woman should possess. One point you need to be a silent listener and observer. Other point be a rebellion and take difficult steps even if they don't meant to be in your favour.
Some of my favourite stories from this book were 'The Train Journey', 'Confessions of a Disturbed Soul', 'The Siren'. Out of 8 these three were close to my heart.
I personally like reading contemporary stuff a lot. And this book was a delight. How deeply and beautifully it is stitched to cultural roots with a modern twist.
There is a story where the protagonist bumps into her ex-lover who is travelling with his wife. Now, if you have watched 'Modern Love' on Amazon Prime Video, you'll get the same essence to Anju Darshini's stories.
.
.
Writing and narration is lucid and you flows from one page to another. It's versatile, and all the translated native terms transports you into the backdrop of Village Keeladi.
It's a short read, not too short or long but correct enjoyable size. If you're lucky enough to get hold onto this book while travelling you'll enjoy it more.
May 6, 2020
BOOK NAME: Tales of you, me and them
AUTHOR: Anju Darshini
GENRE: Short stories
FORMAT: Kindle
Though I am not a great fan of short stories, according to me, short stories are a great way to teach essential life morals in a quick read. I believe that short stories are written with a purpose of invoking a different kind of emotion in the mind of readers.
In this book, there is a compilation of 8 great short stories tracing back to the native village of the author, that is Keeladi, a south-indian village in Madurai.The stories are somehow related to the people of the village, with a mixture of fiction and reality. The author has tried to capture everyday moments, wherein the culture of the village is well depicted.
The stories highlights the women of the village, their strength and their fighting spirit. The stories I liked the most were: 1. The train journey: It clearly depicts the strength of a woman Sithara, and how she gives up her love to maintain the dignity of her love.
2. Confessions of a disturbed soul, was my another favourite story, wherein the Schizophrenic child grows up so badly only to end up in a rehab, I love the way the author describes the effects of his bad childhood leading him to constantly fail his life journey.
According to me, the mixture of a tinge of south-indian culture turned out to be interesting. I felt the length of the stories a little bit more, apart from that, a sure short read.
TITLE: 4/5
COVER: 5/5
LANGUAGE: 4/5
STORY: 4/5
AUTHOR: Anju Darshini
GENRE: Short stories
FORMAT: Kindle
Though I am not a great fan of short stories, according to me, short stories are a great way to teach essential life morals in a quick read. I believe that short stories are written with a purpose of invoking a different kind of emotion in the mind of readers.
In this book, there is a compilation of 8 great short stories tracing back to the native village of the author, that is Keeladi, a south-indian village in Madurai.The stories are somehow related to the people of the village, with a mixture of fiction and reality. The author has tried to capture everyday moments, wherein the culture of the village is well depicted.
The stories highlights the women of the village, their strength and their fighting spirit. The stories I liked the most were: 1. The train journey: It clearly depicts the strength of a woman Sithara, and how she gives up her love to maintain the dignity of her love.
2. Confessions of a disturbed soul, was my another favourite story, wherein the Schizophrenic child grows up so badly only to end up in a rehab, I love the way the author describes the effects of his bad childhood leading him to constantly fail his life journey.
According to me, the mixture of a tinge of south-indian culture turned out to be interesting. I felt the length of the stories a little bit more, apart from that, a sure short read.
TITLE: 4/5
COVER: 5/5
LANGUAGE: 4/5
STORY: 4/5
May 6, 2020
Tales of You, Me and Them by Anju Darshini is a short stories book, consisting of 8 different short stories, though I wasn't a great fan of short stories earlier but recently I have developed a liking towards them.They are beautiful in their own way, they are like an excerpt from life of these characters, which let you dwell into a part of their stories.
All of these stories are very different from each other, set in different time zones.
One thing special about these stories is that protagonist weren't made to be perfect, they make mistakes which are natural which will make you feel they are one of us, just like the title says tales of you, me and them.
I honestly did not understand 'the keeper of light', except that I like all other stories specially 'confessions of a disturbed soul' is my favourite, depicting how a guy who was kind and compassionate became menatlly ill because of all the negativity he was surrounded with and how his own mother who was troubled herself choose to put his son through all this, and although his brother may seem rude and selfish for abandoning his family but choosing his own life first was actually the right decision he made.
I am not very impressed with the cover, but I must say the language is pretty simple and author did provide a glossary at the start.
Even though these are short stories, still you can see the depth of these characters and their stories because the author has also focused on details and framed the stories to keep the readers absorbed and entertained.
All of these stories are very different from each other, set in different time zones.
One thing special about these stories is that protagonist weren't made to be perfect, they make mistakes which are natural which will make you feel they are one of us, just like the title says tales of you, me and them.
I honestly did not understand 'the keeper of light', except that I like all other stories specially 'confessions of a disturbed soul' is my favourite, depicting how a guy who was kind and compassionate became menatlly ill because of all the negativity he was surrounded with and how his own mother who was troubled herself choose to put his son through all this, and although his brother may seem rude and selfish for abandoning his family but choosing his own life first was actually the right decision he made.
I am not very impressed with the cover, but I must say the language is pretty simple and author did provide a glossary at the start.
Even though these are short stories, still you can see the depth of these characters and their stories because the author has also focused on details and framed the stories to keep the readers absorbed and entertained.
May 13, 2020
REVIEW:- TALES OF YOU, ME AND THEM
AUTHOR:- ANJU DARSHINI
PUBLISHER:- LEADSTART PUBLISHING
A collection of short stories containing 8 different stories. Which mainly plotted on a village called "Keeladi" where author herself spended her childhood and they all contains a fictional touch too.
Characters like Diya, Raj, Megha, Sitaara, Sarah e.t.c. are very well developed specially the characteristics of Sitaara are very well explained in the story and how the author narrated everything about her is just magnificent.
Specially I'm impressed with two stories named "Her revelation" and "megha tells her story" so much, also every of these stories has a unique prespective and their own aura all of these stories contains very strong concepts which surely stuck in the readers mind for a long time for sure.
The specialities about these stories is that i didn't feel bored in a single movement when I'm reading this. They are so engaging and well paced which in my prespective every short story book wanted to be and some of them are really heart touching too.
Most of the stories has a female protagonist maybe it's because the author is also a female and she feels and wanted to Express females prespective.
Writing and Narration is very lucid from the page one of the book. I liked that very much because i didn't found that clear Narration in many short stories book i readed before, this is surely stand apart from there, thats why i loved that and surel reccomend it to others for sure.
❤❤RATING:- 9/10❤❤
AUTHOR:- ANJU DARSHINI
PUBLISHER:- LEADSTART PUBLISHING
A collection of short stories containing 8 different stories. Which mainly plotted on a village called "Keeladi" where author herself spended her childhood and they all contains a fictional touch too.
Characters like Diya, Raj, Megha, Sitaara, Sarah e.t.c. are very well developed specially the characteristics of Sitaara are very well explained in the story and how the author narrated everything about her is just magnificent.
Specially I'm impressed with two stories named "Her revelation" and "megha tells her story" so much, also every of these stories has a unique prespective and their own aura all of these stories contains very strong concepts which surely stuck in the readers mind for a long time for sure.
The specialities about these stories is that i didn't feel bored in a single movement when I'm reading this. They are so engaging and well paced which in my prespective every short story book wanted to be and some of them are really heart touching too.
Most of the stories has a female protagonist maybe it's because the author is also a female and she feels and wanted to Express females prespective.
Writing and Narration is very lucid from the page one of the book. I liked that very much because i didn't found that clear Narration in many short stories book i readed before, this is surely stand apart from there, thats why i loved that and surel reccomend it to others for sure.
❤❤RATING:- 9/10❤❤
July 4, 2020
Isn’t Grandparents’ home special always? And so is Keeladi, a South Indian Village in Madurai, for our Author. She has penned down some unforgettable stories that has uniqueness in the way of narration. I feel in love with the book by the description of Keeladi the author makes before she starts the stories. Wow… I wish I could visit Keeladi one day!
The first story ‘THE TRAIN JOURNEY’ is certainly incomparable. Sithara was excited about the long lonely rail trip from Tirunelvi to Jammu. It is 3631 Kilometers long… Wow… There she meets Diya, who is anxious if her husband could reach on time. Well, he arrived but the smell of his perfume evoked her childhood memories. Yes… It is he… Raj, the one who she dated when she was a teenager! Could he remember her? What will happen next?
I am mesmerized by the writing style and the best way of narration. Most of them are thought provoking…
Is married women’s job is to smile and serve food? Manjula is surely the most envied person for she was married to Subramanian Marriappan, Deputy Collector of the South Zone. She has everything now- no one’s riches could match hers, yet is that life?
When she asked if she could do higher studies, he rejected. At least a Hindi Class?-Nay! Will her life be the same or dreams make her move ahead? Read the story ‘I chase my dreams’ to know what happens next.
Every story is unique and shows the deep imagination of the author. I loved the description very much! The essence of her stories is unforgettable!
I wish to recommend this to everyone who loves to read short stories.
The first story ‘THE TRAIN JOURNEY’ is certainly incomparable. Sithara was excited about the long lonely rail trip from Tirunelvi to Jammu. It is 3631 Kilometers long… Wow… There she meets Diya, who is anxious if her husband could reach on time. Well, he arrived but the smell of his perfume evoked her childhood memories. Yes… It is he… Raj, the one who she dated when she was a teenager! Could he remember her? What will happen next?
I am mesmerized by the writing style and the best way of narration. Most of them are thought provoking…
Is married women’s job is to smile and serve food? Manjula is surely the most envied person for she was married to Subramanian Marriappan, Deputy Collector of the South Zone. She has everything now- no one’s riches could match hers, yet is that life?
When she asked if she could do higher studies, he rejected. At least a Hindi Class?-Nay! Will her life be the same or dreams make her move ahead? Read the story ‘I chase my dreams’ to know what happens next.
Every story is unique and shows the deep imagination of the author. I loved the description very much! The essence of her stories is unforgettable!
I wish to recommend this to everyone who loves to read short stories.
June 10, 2020
Tales of you me and them
This is a short storybook. The author has written 8 stories in this book.
The writer wrote all the stories from her Khiladi village, where she lived in her childhood.
The author made women character is powerful in all the stories. She attached all the stories with women power, the bond which women connecting her people. The author nicely described the emotional touch of women with every story.
I liked all the 8 stories of this book. But the 1st one is my most favourite in all stories.
1)The Train Journey
The author plotted this story on India's 3rd longest train journey. We all have some beautiful memories of travelling by train. The author also wrote here one beautiful story of 2 days travelling the journey of lead character Sithara. She is 35 year old women. At the time of departure, a women came to her next seat, name Diya. Then her husband come after some time. He is not other that Sithara's ex-boyfriend Raj.
Sithara and Raj both are friends from kindergarten. Then they started dating from teenage. She suddenly remembers all the past happened with between them. It is a very beautiful story. The author described it very well. All the emotions which Sithara caught between her. Then suddenly broke down with tears. The whole story is too good.
I like the way, the author has written all the stories. Like the title and cover of the book. The short story is my favourite genre.
Recommend to readers who like short stories.
This is a short storybook. The author has written 8 stories in this book.
The writer wrote all the stories from her Khiladi village, where she lived in her childhood.
The author made women character is powerful in all the stories. She attached all the stories with women power, the bond which women connecting her people. The author nicely described the emotional touch of women with every story.
I liked all the 8 stories of this book. But the 1st one is my most favourite in all stories.
1)The Train Journey
The author plotted this story on India's 3rd longest train journey. We all have some beautiful memories of travelling by train. The author also wrote here one beautiful story of 2 days travelling the journey of lead character Sithara. She is 35 year old women. At the time of departure, a women came to her next seat, name Diya. Then her husband come after some time. He is not other that Sithara's ex-boyfriend Raj.
Sithara and Raj both are friends from kindergarten. Then they started dating from teenage. She suddenly remembers all the past happened with between them. It is a very beautiful story. The author described it very well. All the emotions which Sithara caught between her. Then suddenly broke down with tears. The whole story is too good.
I like the way, the author has written all the stories. Like the title and cover of the book. The short story is my favourite genre.
Recommend to readers who like short stories.
July 1, 2020
Short stories are always enjoyable and this is a page turner!
This was quite a book! I must say, I was surprised to know that it was the author's first book. Tales of You, Me and Them, is deep and thought provoking. The style of writing is so much similar to RK Narayan, no wonder the author is impressed and inspired him. A village flows through the heart of the main characters; it depicts the stories of women who are brave, and crave to break free. A sense of freedom runs through the book; where one protagonist turns out to be a rebellion, and the other is silent yet determined. The stories are about women you know, it is somehow a sneak peek into the lives of those who live amidst us and face these challenges. It is relatable to that extend. There is love, hatred, revenge, pain, desire, dreams, challenges, and then, there is hope. Hope that can light up many lives, including yours, mine and theirs. It is an amazing read in these times, when you want positive energy to charge you up.
The author in her foreword, speaks about her childhood in the village she grew up; it is fresh, and evergreen in her memories. It is the kind of childhood that children who grew up in 80s and 90s can relate to. There is innocence, dreams and smiles. Overall a beautiful book – nostalgic! What are you waiting for? Pick it up today. The book has close to 50 reviews and is rated at 4.6! Currently on a promotional offer of 49 RS (Kindle Edition).
This was quite a book! I must say, I was surprised to know that it was the author's first book. Tales of You, Me and Them, is deep and thought provoking. The style of writing is so much similar to RK Narayan, no wonder the author is impressed and inspired him. A village flows through the heart of the main characters; it depicts the stories of women who are brave, and crave to break free. A sense of freedom runs through the book; where one protagonist turns out to be a rebellion, and the other is silent yet determined. The stories are about women you know, it is somehow a sneak peek into the lives of those who live amidst us and face these challenges. It is relatable to that extend. There is love, hatred, revenge, pain, desire, dreams, challenges, and then, there is hope. Hope that can light up many lives, including yours, mine and theirs. It is an amazing read in these times, when you want positive energy to charge you up.
The author in her foreword, speaks about her childhood in the village she grew up; it is fresh, and evergreen in her memories. It is the kind of childhood that children who grew up in 80s and 90s can relate to. There is innocence, dreams and smiles. Overall a beautiful book – nostalgic! What are you waiting for? Pick it up today. The book has close to 50 reviews and is rated at 4.6! Currently on a promotional offer of 49 RS (Kindle Edition).
March 3, 2022
It’s a short read that can be read in few hours hence I will keep my reviews short. It’s a collection of stories. There are eight stores. Keeladi is a South Indian village. Author grew up there and some of these stories are based on people who have lived there. Author has given description of relevant places before starting the stories. I liked the story train journey. Sithara was excited for her journey. She was travelling from Tirunelveli to Jammu; one of the longest train journeys in the country. She met a woman in her compartment and a familiar smell. That reminded him of Raj. They were in love but something happened. She waited till morning to confirm and there he was. It was Raj. I liked the story ending. It’s too perfect and I liked it. My next favourite is “Megha tells her story”. I won’t discuss all because that will lead to spoilers. I liked one thing about most is the women centric stories. I like them. Author has narrated entire story or scene or lifespan in limited words. The narration style of author is captivating and heart touching. We could relate to the characters. The language of the book is lucid so that everyone can pick it up. Overall good one. I enjoyed reading it.
May 7, 2020
📝Book Review 📝
Title - Tales Of You, Me And Them
Author - Anju Darshini
Genre - Short Stories
Format - Kindle
Length - 142 Pages
Publication - Leadstart Publishing
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The book "Tales Of You, Me And Them" is written by Anju Darshini. Although this is debut book by the author but after reading I must say she had done a great job. She puts all her efforts to keep the reader hooked till the end of the book.
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This book consists 8 short stories. I like short stories cause they won't take much time of reader. Each story has different concept but they all are emotional that's the key point of all short stories to keep the reader intrigued with every story.
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Though I like all stories but "The Siren" becomes my favourite because that story contains realistic issue that we've been seeing from our childhood that girls can't select their life partner and don't give much independence to them.
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Overall I enjoyed reading this book and I definitely recommend this book to all my bookstagrammer fellas.
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Rating:
Overall - 5/5
Title - 5/5
Cover - 5/5
Language - 4/5
Storytelling - 4/5
Title - Tales Of You, Me And Them
Author - Anju Darshini
Genre - Short Stories
Format - Kindle
Length - 142 Pages
Publication - Leadstart Publishing
..
..
..
The book "Tales Of You, Me And Them" is written by Anju Darshini. Although this is debut book by the author but after reading I must say she had done a great job. She puts all her efforts to keep the reader hooked till the end of the book.
..
..
..
This book consists 8 short stories. I like short stories cause they won't take much time of reader. Each story has different concept but they all are emotional that's the key point of all short stories to keep the reader intrigued with every story.
..
..
..
Though I like all stories but "The Siren" becomes my favourite because that story contains realistic issue that we've been seeing from our childhood that girls can't select their life partner and don't give much independence to them.
..
..
..
Overall I enjoyed reading this book and I definitely recommend this book to all my bookstagrammer fellas.
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Rating:
Overall - 5/5
Title - 5/5
Cover - 5/5
Language - 4/5
Storytelling - 4/5
May 13, 2020
Book name - Tales of you, me and them.
Author - Anju Darshini
Book Review-
The book is a collection of eight short stories with a theme of all the stories are based on the life of a less known village named Keeladi in Madurai, South India. The author has shared her experience from a thriving community, where she used to spend her holidays.
The best part of the book is some of these stories are based on people who have lived, are still living in Keeladi. I always love reading real life stories, nothing fascinates me more. The stories are basically on the lives of women of Tamil. It contains hate, revenge, love and relationship bondings.
The language of the story is pretty easy to understand which makes it a best read for a beginner and the writing style is very engaging and intruding. The author has done a commendable job in writing this book. Some stories are very motivating and inspiring. Also, I loved the cover of the book which adds more beauty to this book.
I highly suggest this book to everyone, whoever loves reading real life fiction is definitely going to love this book just like I loved it.
Rating - 5 / 5 ❤️
Author - Anju Darshini
Book Review-
The book is a collection of eight short stories with a theme of all the stories are based on the life of a less known village named Keeladi in Madurai, South India. The author has shared her experience from a thriving community, where she used to spend her holidays.
The best part of the book is some of these stories are based on people who have lived, are still living in Keeladi. I always love reading real life stories, nothing fascinates me more. The stories are basically on the lives of women of Tamil. It contains hate, revenge, love and relationship bondings.
The language of the story is pretty easy to understand which makes it a best read for a beginner and the writing style is very engaging and intruding. The author has done a commendable job in writing this book. Some stories are very motivating and inspiring. Also, I loved the cover of the book which adds more beauty to this book.
I highly suggest this book to everyone, whoever loves reading real life fiction is definitely going to love this book just like I loved it.
Rating - 5 / 5 ❤️
April 6, 2022
Title: Tales of You, Me and Them
Author: Anju Darshini
Review:
“Tales of You, Me and Them’ by Anju Darshini is an anthology of eight short stories that takes readers on a momentous ride of emotions and situations that often grip us in extraordinary ways and reaffirms our faith in life as whole and its subtle themes in parts and slices.
From the courageous Megha and resolute Rupa who stands up against his son Ashish for molesting Megha in “Megha Tells her Story” to sublime story of Jason, Sarah and Priya in “The Siren”. These stories capture the essence of extraordinary situations in the ordinary lives of people who juggle bravely between the multiple choices that life offers.
Overall, written in a simple and lucid language with strong characters and engrossing plot lines, “Tales of You, Me and Them” is a riveting fast paced read that evokes awe and admiration for the characters and their lives and leaves a deep impression on the minds of readers who are enthused by the myriad themes of emotions and virtues that touch and inspire them in multiple ways.
Would recommend it to everyone!
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Author: Anju Darshini
Review:
“Tales of You, Me and Them’ by Anju Darshini is an anthology of eight short stories that takes readers on a momentous ride of emotions and situations that often grip us in extraordinary ways and reaffirms our faith in life as whole and its subtle themes in parts and slices.
From the courageous Megha and resolute Rupa who stands up against his son Ashish for molesting Megha in “Megha Tells her Story” to sublime story of Jason, Sarah and Priya in “The Siren”. These stories capture the essence of extraordinary situations in the ordinary lives of people who juggle bravely between the multiple choices that life offers.
Overall, written in a simple and lucid language with strong characters and engrossing plot lines, “Tales of You, Me and Them” is a riveting fast paced read that evokes awe and admiration for the characters and their lives and leaves a deep impression on the minds of readers who are enthused by the myriad themes of emotions and virtues that touch and inspire them in multiple ways.
Would recommend it to everyone!
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
December 9, 2019
#bookreview
Title : Tales of You, Me and Them
Author : Anju Darshini
QOTD : Suggest few short story books
A beautiful and cute short book, that's the best phrase to explain this book. Collection of 8 short stories, each one is unique and amazing. The story begins with dedication to Keeladi.
Each story is filled with hope, desire and emotions. In total I loved the whole book, but my favourite from the collection are "Megha Tells Her Story" and "The Keeper of Light". I felt so touched from Megha, because like her even I didn't think to changing my company. She also had mixed feelings about her leader Ashish. But some situations happens in her life.
So if you are interested to know about these stories, grab a copy for yourself.
Things I love
🍁 This is Author's first book, but she has beautiful executed it. Language is simple and smooth.
🍁 Unique stories, each and every story has a particular meaning which I would suggest to read and find it out.
🍁 Fast pacing : consist of only 145 pages which you can read it in one sit.
Title : Tales of You, Me and Them
Author : Anju Darshini
QOTD : Suggest few short story books
A beautiful and cute short book, that's the best phrase to explain this book. Collection of 8 short stories, each one is unique and amazing. The story begins with dedication to Keeladi.
Each story is filled with hope, desire and emotions. In total I loved the whole book, but my favourite from the collection are "Megha Tells Her Story" and "The Keeper of Light". I felt so touched from Megha, because like her even I didn't think to changing my company. She also had mixed feelings about her leader Ashish. But some situations happens in her life.
So if you are interested to know about these stories, grab a copy for yourself.
Things I love
🍁 This is Author's first book, but she has beautiful executed it. Language is simple and smooth.
🍁 Unique stories, each and every story has a particular meaning which I would suggest to read and find it out.
🍁 Fast pacing : consist of only 145 pages which you can read it in one sit.
June 20, 2020
Short stories Realted to reality
First of what i wanted to tell you through this review is that this book is heart touching , realistic. It gives a sense that every love story does not have a happy ending , after struggle there is surely sucess.
This book is way too deep. This book is somewhat different than books I read previously. I dont usually like short stories but this book made me read every single story in it because its different emotional , about love , women empowerment, sacrifives , reality. This book is totally different . After every story it made me to think about every charter for a day. I cannot start reading next chapter because i am hungover over previous character.
stories in this book is real , touching and heart shaking. It asks you to think about what you just read. Its a masterpiece.
Narration and language is very easy and can be read by beginner. You can easily connect with characters and their emotions.
I must recommend this to everyone.
First of what i wanted to tell you through this review is that this book is heart touching , realistic. It gives a sense that every love story does not have a happy ending , after struggle there is surely sucess.
This book is way too deep. This book is somewhat different than books I read previously. I dont usually like short stories but this book made me read every single story in it because its different emotional , about love , women empowerment, sacrifives , reality. This book is totally different . After every story it made me to think about every charter for a day. I cannot start reading next chapter because i am hungover over previous character.
stories in this book is real , touching and heart shaking. It asks you to think about what you just read. Its a masterpiece.
Narration and language is very easy and can be read by beginner. You can easily connect with characters and their emotions.
I must recommend this to everyone.
March 24, 2021
"Remembrance of things past is not necessarily the remembrance of things as they were". The lines do bring a feeling of nostalgia for the ones who hold their dear memories together specially when these memories tend to be happy ones. Delving further into the literary work at hand, the author has used the nostalgic angle and given it a fictional touch in the form of 149 pages and 8 short stories
As we delve further, the stories are based on a South Indian village in Tamil Nadu, Keeladi where she has had her fair share of memories, but another angle which might have us saddened is the perpetual act of turning a blind eye to the aspirations and the dreams of females and when it comes to those of the village side one doesn't even bother to think of the same and call it the circumstances that shape the women to be happy for she has sacrificed her dream fir her family. This very aspect has been well reflected in the parts of stories. In addition to the same, the entire book is a collection of varied emotions fairly well synchronised thereby making it a must read for everyone
.
As we delve further, the stories are based on a South Indian village in Tamil Nadu, Keeladi where she has had her fair share of memories, but another angle which might have us saddened is the perpetual act of turning a blind eye to the aspirations and the dreams of females and when it comes to those of the village side one doesn't even bother to think of the same and call it the circumstances that shape the women to be happy for she has sacrificed her dream fir her family. This very aspect has been well reflected in the parts of stories. In addition to the same, the entire book is a collection of varied emotions fairly well synchronised thereby making it a must read for everyone
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May 2, 2020
Tales of you, me and them is a collection of 8 short stories. All these stories somehow traces back to Keeladi. It is a South Indian village in Madurai, with its thriving community, which is full of life. Keeladi is the native place of the author and some of the stories are inspired by the people living in this village. Most of the stories in the book are women centric and how they cope and endure love, intimacy, hate, revenge, family bonds and relationships. Ammachi is a recurring character that have been introduced in the stories. And the author has paid homage to her Ammachi(grandmother) through this book. 'The Keeper Of Light' is my favourite and the second best story is 'The Train Journey '. The naration was smooth and lively, one could very much connect to the story. Language was simple and easy to understand. The cultural diversity that has shaped the authors life is reflected in these stories. Overall a good book.
May 13, 2020
Tales of You, Me and Them by Anju Darshini is a collection of 8 wonderful stories that goes across themes. While some of the stories talk about romance and love between partners, some of them talk about sibling love and rivalry. Each of the story has its own flavor and it is a pleasure journeying through each of the stories. The language of the book is simple and compelling. The descriptions are vivid and engaging and you can imagine the scenes as they emerge. Each story has a small prologue that adds a different sense to the story as well. The plotline is interesting and the small twists along the road just add more amazement for the reader.
Coming to the characters, each of the 8 stories has a good mix of characters, some that you would see around you. Relating to the protagonists is easy and Anju makes sure that the reader does that. The journey of the characters is wonderful, and personally, I connected with the story of Sithara, Manjula and Jason.
Coming to the characters, each of the 8 stories has a good mix of characters, some that you would see around you. Relating to the protagonists is easy and Anju makes sure that the reader does that. The journey of the characters is wonderful, and personally, I connected with the story of Sithara, Manjula and Jason.
December 20, 2019
Tales of you, me and them by Anju Darshini
Page count : 145
About the book :
Eight short stories narrated in a way that will put an everlasting impact on the readers. It describes the tale of people living in keeladi, kalaivani's grief and loneliness, Sithara's pain and a brother's love. The story of Manimegalai melted my heart. A nine year old who is still worshipped. I felt like crying after reading her story. It was very heart touching. Different emotions were described Through the Stories and Every Story had a deep meaning narrated in a simple language. Stories were fast paced. What added more to its beauty was the cover. Simple and goes well with the story. Those who love to read short stories woulf definitely love this Book. Characters in every story was well narrated . Recommending it to everyone.
Page count : 145
About the book :
Eight short stories narrated in a way that will put an everlasting impact on the readers. It describes the tale of people living in keeladi, kalaivani's grief and loneliness, Sithara's pain and a brother's love. The story of Manimegalai melted my heart. A nine year old who is still worshipped. I felt like crying after reading her story. It was very heart touching. Different emotions were described Through the Stories and Every Story had a deep meaning narrated in a simple language. Stories were fast paced. What added more to its beauty was the cover. Simple and goes well with the story. Those who love to read short stories woulf definitely love this Book. Characters in every story was well narrated . Recommending it to everyone.
May 5, 2020
Tales of You, Me and Them by author Anju Darshini is a book containing eight interesting, emotional short stories.
Each plot is unique, commonality in them is they're all from/occuring in same village Keeladi, in all plots woman are portrayed strong not superhero like, but strong in their own way either in pursuing love, longing love, learning/proving education/art, supporting loved one's at any cost etc. Women portrayed are from various stages of life and donning different roles, characterisation is vivid in each plot.
What I liked the most about the book is one unknowingly gets emotionally connected with the characters. Narration is impressive, plots are engrossing and language is easy. Stories are not interrelated and so can be read at ease.
Enjoyed reading each of them and would recommend to all.
Each plot is unique, commonality in them is they're all from/occuring in same village Keeladi, in all plots woman are portrayed strong not superhero like, but strong in their own way either in pursuing love, longing love, learning/proving education/art, supporting loved one's at any cost etc. Women portrayed are from various stages of life and donning different roles, characterisation is vivid in each plot.
What I liked the most about the book is one unknowingly gets emotionally connected with the characters. Narration is impressive, plots are engrossing and language is easy. Stories are not interrelated and so can be read at ease.
Enjoyed reading each of them and would recommend to all.
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May 7, 2020TALES OF YOU,ME AND THEM a book which is written by ANJU DARSHINI is a very interesting and engaging read.I can definitely say that it's a short read but though all the readers can easily get into it because of its attractive and beautiful cover page
Basically,the book consists 8 different kind of stories.Although,all the eight stories have different characters and different kind of content in it.All the stories are basically based on tamil nadu,a state in southern part of INDIA.There is a mixture of love,anger and relationship in all stories.The Author has written this book in a very good way that is very engaging and narrating.
The language is lucid and easily understandable.The Author has also used variety of vocabulary words.The author has elaborated each and every story in a wonderful way that even with a suspense end.I like this read and definitely recommending to everyone.
Basically,the book consists 8 different kind of stories.Although,all the eight stories have different characters and different kind of content in it.All the stories are basically based on tamil nadu,a state in southern part of INDIA.There is a mixture of love,anger and relationship in all stories.The Author has written this book in a very good way that is very engaging and narrating.
The language is lucid and easily understandable.The Author has also used variety of vocabulary words.The author has elaborated each and every story in a wonderful way that even with a suspense end.I like this read and definitely recommending to everyone.
June 24, 2020
The real India lies in the villages. The beauty of some of these places is so enchanting that it takes a gigantic effort to not think about them.
Authoress is born in one of the rural areas and she pens down her experiences in the form of eight stories. We see the turmoil in the regions through her lenses. The way she has narrated the tales in the most heart wrenching manner is worth mentioning. Some stories like "The Train Journey" are real tear jerkers but the best thing is they kind of finish on a high note. The writer's pedantic approach and keen observation makes it a treat to read.
The cover page is quite scenic and reminds me of the good old classical 'Malgudi Days'. The title is very apt and kind of evokes nostalgic sentiments.
There are some punctuation errors that might have inadvertently crept in but all in all, the book can be given a chance.
Authoress is born in one of the rural areas and she pens down her experiences in the form of eight stories. We see the turmoil in the regions through her lenses. The way she has narrated the tales in the most heart wrenching manner is worth mentioning. Some stories like "The Train Journey" are real tear jerkers but the best thing is they kind of finish on a high note. The writer's pedantic approach and keen observation makes it a treat to read.
The cover page is quite scenic and reminds me of the good old classical 'Malgudi Days'. The title is very apt and kind of evokes nostalgic sentiments.
There are some punctuation errors that might have inadvertently crept in but all in all, the book can be given a chance.
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