4. Review of "The Dark Side of Light" - Sanil Sachar

Review of "The Dark Side of Light" - Sanil Sachar

I was not an avid reader of short stories and poetry but the name intrigued me. I wanted to read something new and refreshing this time and this book came as a pleasant surprise. It talks about emotions, love and passage of time. The stories take you through tender love (From Start to Finish), cute love (Member’s Only), parental love (Slam Dunk), one-sided love (One-Sided), lack of love (Tamanna), revengeful love (Painted Red), hateful love (The Secret), creepy love (One for All, All for One), and longing for love (Distant Closeness). The characters in the stories are very realistic and relatable except for a few creepy ones (thought they too might be real!!). The poems largely focus on the passage of time and the changes it brings. Some poems are a direct peek at Sanil’s mind at work as the words struggle to come out, be born and ripen on the pages of this book. They gave me a feeling that the poems are closer to his heart than the stories, which are all fiction.

‘Dinner with the Turners’ is a light-hearted situational comedy and my personal favorite (both story and the play). A shout-out for ‘The Everlasting Traveler, Never Ending Journey’ as it takes you through the beaches with clear waters and you can almost feel the cool breeze blow through your hair. And last-but-not-the-least ‘The Other Man’ was sure a great pick.

My take: This book is not a page turner. It is something that needs to be read at a leisurely pace so as to feel each and every word. Each piece is to be cherished like a fine wine. It is an emotional roller-coaster with ups and downs and in-betweens. The detailing is picture-perfect and you find yourself living in the stories and poems.

Note: Do not rush through it an read everything in one go. Keep a book-mark handy lest you forget where you need to pick up next.

My favorite picks:

Short Story - Airport Encounter, Slam Dunk

Poetry - No quitting, Greatest Feat, Seconds turn to Years

Story/Play - Dinner with the Turners

Special Thanks: Vivek Tujeja (Flipkart)