Crumpled Voice – Shades of Sufferings.

• Book: Crumpled Voice - Shades of Sufferings.
• Author: Compiler: Pulkit Gupta. Editor: Ila Garg.
• Publication House: Gargi Publishers. 
• Category: Anthology.
• Rating: 4/5.

Story-in-Short:

Crumpled Voices - Shades of Suffering is an anthology based on social issues. A common thread of the prevailing societal evils and injustice binds them together. We have tried to weave stories ranging from rape to acid attack and domestic violence to honor killing in this anthology.

All of us have witnessed such incidents in our day to day life, our near and dear ones might have experienced them closely too. We have almost grown up among them, felt them following us. We constantly live in fear of the unknown, fear of being the victim to any of the criminal activities multiplying around us. These days when no place is safe, including the web, our voices need to be heard.

Protest must begin from somewhere, and we have used our pen which is mightier than the sword to express our anguish. An echo of many unimaginable atrocities lurks within us, engulfing us in its shadow. Through each of the story in this book, we have tried to highlight one such aspect of horrifying crimes.

ssues. A common thread of the prevailing societal evils and injustice binds them together. We have tried to weave stories ranging from rape to acid attack and domestic violence to honor killing in this anthology.

In my view:

Our country is facing so many social issues and every human being suffers in some or the other way. In today’s competitive and busy life, every single day is full of sufferings though the intensity of each sufferings differ. There are so many social evils against whom we have raised our voices but the scenario has barely changed. Every crime targets an individual and every time we hear a crime, our blood boils. But what do we do for its prevention? Although it is easy for ordinary people to simply sympathize with the victims, for them it is indeed a difficult phase of life. I have finished reading Crumpled Voices – Shades of Sufferings. Here’s my detailed review on the stories: 

1) Down the way. I by Ila Garg. 

Environment is an essential factor for the survival of human beings. We have been hearing this for quite a long time now. But seldom do we take care to see appropriate maintenance of environment. Author Ila Garg has targeted a different and a crucial topic this time. This poem genuinely deserves high respect because of its touching lines that stages voice for something that can easily perish if we turn lackadaisical to think about it. It is a poem that directly touches the heart of a reader! 

2) This is who I am. I by Ila Garg. 

Homosexuality is an issue that is being widely discussed and debated. People have varying opinions and perspectives on it. Actually, there is nothing wrong in having feelings for a person belonging to the same gender. But there are people who want to make a mess out of everything. This is a story of two guys and an immoral act that they accost. Emotions have been perfectly wrapped in the story. The only limitation is the hasty conclusion. Actually, the author could have shaped the conclusion in an interesting manner, similar to rest of the story. 

3) Karma Returns. I by Pulkit Gupta.

Karma means nothing but deeds. And if a person’s deeds are good then life becomes pleasurable and less problematic. A child is an icon of love and affection between couples. Our Indian society, even now in some cases, hits hard on females when a couple is unable to have a child. Science has proven this long back that both the parents contribute equally for a child’s birth. Yet only females become soft targets, even when they aren’t at fault. This story is an engrossing story with proper narration. It leaves readers to genuinely think over the topic. 

4) The Last Whisper. I by Tanya Srivastava. 

It is a touching tale of sufferings of women. A woman occupies a pivotal place in a family.  Despite of discussions on things like equality, women are trampled by some typical chauvinists. Having been through a traumatic phase in the aftermath of her marriage, a woman tries to save another woman’s life. It’s an expressive and a poignant story that draws our focus onto marital torture. The title of the story is catchy and appropriate. Its narration too is perfect! 

5) It is Honorable. I by Abhik Chakraborty. 

India is rapidly developing and we Indians proudly talk about modernization. But I wonder when will the conservative outlook of some people change. It is a sad scenario that inter-caste marriage is still considered as a crime in some parts of our country. The title of the story is enough for readers to guess the subject. Indeed this story addresses a grave issue – Honour Killing. The story possesses sorrows and miseries of the victim. Even though honour killing is a subtle topic yet I can evidently say that the author has successfully managed to deliver a captivating story. 

6) The Curious Case of Missing Brahmins. I by Abhishek ‘Atul’. 

In ancient days, Brahmins were the ones who had the task of spreading knowledge. They were the ones who preached and inculcated education in India. They are truly “custodians of all sorts of knowledge”. Today the quality of teachers is no longer same. Teaching has become a business and there rarely exists a student-teacher bonding. After having gone through this story, meticulously, I can call it an ‘out of the box story’. It is truly salutary. Although it is framed in a dramatic style, it leaves readers to give a serious thought on the matter. Wonderful story! Wonderful! 

7) Colour of a butterfly. I by Promilla Qazi. 

Hearing about people consuming alcohol is nothing new for us, is it? It first attracts people towards it and later does nothing other than destroying their lives. The family of an alcoholic person has to go through several hardships. Here’s a story of a girl who witnesses her mother facing malicious atrocities of her drunkard father. The narration of the story is good. And the best part is that it does not take a predictable turn. 

8) Indira’s Story. I by Smita Salins. 

Indian society is prone to people demanding sons. Even when girls are brilliantly excelling in all the fields and posing a tough challenge to boys, we have some samples alive on this planet who just can’t dissolve their conventional thoughts. The title of the story may sound simple but the content is mesmerizing. It is an absorbing story which becomes fragile in the end. 

9) The Corrupt Me. I by Nitesh Chitranshi. 

Thomas Jefferson said that Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom. Right from our school days we are taught a proverb – Honesty is the best policy. But rarely people follow it. This story is about two friends who set out an example. They also get a reward for their honesty. The title of the story sets high expectations which the story fails to deliver. I think the author could have made the story appealing. Although it gives a strong message but the narration becomes monotonous as the story proceeds. 

10) The Fatal Pride. I by Sreelekha Chatterjee. 

It is always said that we should maintain a safe distance from strangers. Throughout the day, we witness courier delivery boys, insurance agents and many other unknown people walk up to our houses. But we never know the intention that some of these have. This story is about tragic murder of an old lady who lives by herself. But what exactly happens with her? Who commits this crime and why? I won’t reveal much as I would like you to read and find out the further part! The story basically lacks the thrill factor that should have been there. The authoress, in many ways could make this story an exclusive one but it unfortunately becomes predictable. 

11) The Paradise. I by Prachi Priyanka. 

Life is impulsive and we never know what may happen when. This story is about a person who saves a girl about to commit suicide. This girl soon enters the life of this person. But what will this entry result into? To know more about it one must read the story. Well, the story is definitely up to the mark. Something different has been initiated through this story! I liked it!  

12) Nature’s Revenge. I by Shruti Mall. 

This story is about a lawyer who loses his daughter and wife in a barbaric incident.  He loses his wife first and promises his daughter something. But work keeps him busy and he fails to keep his promise. Reader’s sympathy, earned by this lawyer loses within seconds when a confession brings reality in limelight. It is indeed a unique story. 

13) She was raped. I by Nitin Soni. 

Women are an integral part of our society. Ridiculous motives and ferocious thoughts of some bigots have trampled them. Here comes a poem which addresses this topic strongly. A fearlessly and perfectly written poem.

14) The Crescendo of a Grand Symphony. I by Harsh Rai Puri. 

This story is presented in a different manner. It is divided into scenes, probably to make it comprehensible for readers. It’s about Anna and Jacob and the incidents that they accost. Well, the story begins interestingly but fails to hold a reader’s attention till the end. Particularly, the narration of the story falls week as it proceeds and the end too is abrupt. 

15) A Letter to god. I by Sandeep Sharma. 

It is a story of a young girl who works as a domestic help. She does not have much aspirations in life. She just wants to learn the basics of English, to be able to read her brothers letter. The feelings of this girl have been properly displayed in the story. The title of the story is intriguing and its narration is absorbing. 

16) Eighteenth Birthday. I by Nibha Gupta. 

There are so many kids who live in orphanage. They are completely unaware about who their parents are and begin to consider orphanage and the members there as their family. Here’s a story of a girl who grows up in an orphanage. But there’s someone who has some connection with this girl. There’s someone who cares for her. On her 18^th birthday, she gets a vivacious surprise. It’s an amazing and meaningful story with a beautiful narration! 

17) The Indecent Profession. I by Durgesh Shastri. 

In the course of life, we tend to come close to those people who win our trust. Even we begin trusting and loving them. But shocking is that moment when such people reveal their real faces. There are many in this world who have devils hidden behind their innocent faces. This story is about a girl who heartily loves a boy but he turns out to be a buccaneer. I’ll call it an interesting story as it firmly holds a reader’s attention. The narration of the story is enthralling. This makes a reader to turn pages inorder to find more. 

18) Light. I by Shrruti Patole Clarence. 

Women often have to go through open-harrasement, molestation and eve-teasing. The protagonist of this story too is a victim of a similar crime which leaves an indelible mark on her mind. But it is very important to forget those blemishing happenstances and move ahead in life. This story has been written strongly, staging a voice of a determined female. 

19)  Freedom. I by Ketaki Sane. 

Every person has some or the other dreams to accomplish in life. And dreams are something for which a person should never be stopped. This story is about a woman who agrees for an arranged marriage. She has her own dreams to accomplish but there is a hindrance in this path. There is something that troubles her. Her to-be-husband’s approach is ridiculous. But will the life of this girl shine? This is what you’ve got to find out from the book. Well, the story is really good and unlike many others written on this topic. It’s an alluring story. The author could have given a meticulous end to the story as the ending feels abrupt. 

20) A Second Chance. I by Gayatri Aptekar. 

Office work, dreams of promotion, hard work, struggle to have a good profile, stress, fluctuating shift timings and many more reasons keep people busy in a city, as assiduous and diligent as Mumbai. On a one hand parents are busy with their job and on another hand children wait to interact with them. Kids feel lonely spending all their time alone. This story tries to strengthen the relations between parents and kids. It forwards feelings of a lonely child who dearly wants to have communication with parents. I’ll call it a persuasive story with dazzling narration!

21) The Newspaper Reader. I by Chandrapal Khasiya. 

This story is about a woman who first loses her husband and then her eyes in an accident. But she tries to live her life despite of several hardships. She loves interacting with a kid and there’s this girl who comes at her place to read newspaper for her. One find day, while having a conversation something comes to forefront that takes her aback. The story delivers its message perfectly. The narration of this story is simple and the author could have dealt with it in a better way. 

22) Together we can make a difference. I by Priyanka Bansal. 

People have several delusions that they refuse to withdraw. Such delusions often create ruckus in lives of others. This story is about a woman and a girl who set themselves to fight an orthodox society. The woman is diagnosed with a disease and people mistreat her. People in the locality distance themselves from her. This depressed lady has just one source of hope, her daughter, who plays a major role in the story. The story targets another vital issue. The narration completely captivates a reader’s attention. 

23) Don’t Decolorize Me. I by Priyanka Bansal. 

This poem is on Acid Attacks. It describes the trauma that a patient goes through. The poem is composed in a beautiful way that instantly attracts a reader towards it. Although its narration is simple yet it successfully holds a reader’s attention. 

Over-all: The cover of the book is attractive and the title is catchy. The internal layout of the book too is amazing. Crumpled Voices – Shades of Sufferings is different in terms of content. Stories have been wisely selected. Stories based on several crucial and unaddressed issues have found its way in the book. The book offers something new which I am sure readers are going to dearly accept.

Stories – 3^rd, 4^th, 6^th, 12^th, 16^th, 17^th, 20^th and 22^nd truly won my heart. I would specially like to mention 6th and 20th story. Frankly speaking about the poems, I loved all three! 

Speaking about the drawbacks, I did find some grammatical errors in the book. Also, there are some stories that require contemplation. It isn’t so that they aren’t good. It is just that they lack certain necessary possessions. 

The book is an out-of-the-box novel and after having gone through it, I could easily relate my feeling with that of author Dipen Ambalia, featured on the cover: “An Anthology that is the need of the hour.”

Appreciating the effort put in by each and every author and crediting Gargi publishers for coming up with this anthology, I would rate it with 4/5. 

NOTE:  A review copy of the book was provided by the publication house. 

• Crumpled Voice - Shades of Sufferings is available in all the leading book stores. 
• You can get the book online: Infibeam, HomeShop18, Amazon.in,