12 strokes of life by Durgesh Shastri.

• Book: 12 Strokes of life.
• Author: Durgesh Shastri.
• Publication House: Gargi Publishers.
• Category: Short Stories
• Rating: 3.5/5.

Story-in-Short:

12 strokes of life is a collection of 12 short stories. From the hilly terrains of Matheran to the IT hub of the country, from the historically rich city of Bidar to one of the fastest gro
wing cities of India, Coimbatore, these stories are set in varied locations. From an overconfident youth longing for success to a determined old man termed insane by neighbors, from a married lady in search of true love to a young girl fighting against all odds to overcome her worst fears, the characters are very much alive and can be related to people around us. The stories belong to different genres and try to send across a message to the reader which is though everyone paints a unique picture of life based on their experiences; it never stops to amaze us. After all, life has infinite strokes. Read the 12 strokes of life to know the hues and shades of the journey of a few.

In my view:

Life is full of mixed memories – Good and Bad. And as humans, we have to go through both the times. Certain instances in life amaze us while hits and blows or, in simple words strokes of life, teach us a lesson. I am done reading 12 strokes of life, a novel by Durgesh Shastri. The number 12 in the title of the book, itself highlights that the book possess 12 stories. The foreword of the book is written by Author and Editor Harshita Srivastava and the book is a compilation of 12 short stories by Durgesh Shastri. Below is my review on stories in the book. 

1) The Anonymous Donor. 

Attitude, ego and pride often make a person arrogant. And this ego, at times, makes a person consider himself higher to the Almighty. In order to show his complexity, the protagonist of this story keeps on committing what he shouldn’t. But then at a particular juncture, life teaches a powerful lesson which lands him back on ground. The story marks a good start to the book and leaves a reader with a message in the end.

2) A Grave Mistake. 

Some husbands involve themselves so much in official work that they seldom give time to their families. Here’s a story of a busy husband and his lovely wife. An employee falls in love with his wife and a conspiracy takes birth. Greed makes them think from their mind rather than their heart. It’s an absorbing and unpredictable story with a unique concept. 

3) The Carefree Butterflies.

Safety and security of female citizens is the prime issue that the country is dealing. On a hand when we have girls touching skies and grabbing positions similar to boys, some unfortunate incidents happen. This story is about a female who faces brutality. Her upset yet vigilant friend deals with another man when she thinks she is about to face something similar. Though the story has an intriguing title, its narration could have been better.

4) Deepak’s Superstition. 

We are living in 21^st century where people mostly have rational thinking and superstitions are not given much heed. Yet, there are some who believe in certain superstitions. The protagonist of this story too believes in three superstitions but finally ends up realizing what he should have realized before. I must say that the concept of this story is really good. The narration is such that it glues up a reader till the end. The title of the story could have been better than the present one. 

5) Lazy Sunday.

People have varying opinions. These days we have a whole lot of content circulation through television. The content can be useful as well as objectionable. The protagonist of this story seems to be a not-so-big fan of television yet gets a chance to be a visionary through T.V. The beginning of the story sounds like an essay and the narration falls loose at a point when the story proceeds. 

6) The Lost Lady.

An entirely intriguing story of a lady who puzzles and perplexes her workplace. This story won my heart as it has a perfect narration. The climax of the story is stunning and it leaves a reader aghast. It’s undoubtedly a wonderful story with a suitable title. From among all the stories in the book, I found this completely interesting. 

7) Sweet Revenge. 

Intoxication is the biggest enemy of man. It is so powerful that it can swipe away wealth as well as health. This story is about a courageous little kid who faces his drunkard father and a goon at a tender age. It is a thrilling story and its ending is quite amazing. Initially too, the title of the story mesmerizes a reader and produces an urge to read the story. In the end, a reader is left satisfied!

8) Communication Disasters. 

Communication and its skills are of utmost importance for everybody. If you are able to communicate well then you are sure to win hearts of people, especially the professionals. Well, this story is about an engineer wandering from company to company for a job. But unfortunately doesn’t secure one until he gets help from an unexpected person. The story highlights active transparent nepotism within companies. This story too has a good narration. Only its title could have been better. 

9) A Magic Lost. 

There’s something unique about Indian festivals. It brings people together. Zeal, Joy and Excitement fill the atmosphere during a festive season. In this particular story, the author has described about two Indian festivals and his attachment to them. He has described about his memorable and cherishing experiences. This is another mesmerizing story that readers will definitely enjoy. 

10) Romance in Matheran. 

A hill station is where most lovers and couples prefer going. The title of this story slightly gives an idea about the story. It is indeed a romantic story of two lovers who visit Matheran. They have a wonderful time at the hill station but the unpredictable destine plays its game. The story that begins romantically ends tragically. Narration of the story is perfect to captivate a reader’s attention and the title too is good! 

11) The Unanswered Question.

This story begins with exchanges of messages between two lovers. There’s a plan to impress the girl friends father and the story proceeds with attempts put in by her boyfriend. The story takes a thrilling turn, entertaining a reader. I liked the way this story has been narrated and presented to the readers. The movement of the story, at an easy pace, enhances its beauty.

12) The Unfulfilled wish. 

Cancer is claiming most lives across the world. This story is a touching story of two aged lovers. The female succumbs to cancer. At the time of her death, she tells her husband about her last wish. Her husband sets himself for fulfilling his deceased wife’s last wish. But will he be able to fulfil it or will it remain an unfulfilled wish? You will have to find it from the story. A well-narrated tale that touches a reader’s heart. It gives a proper finish to this anthology.

Over-all: The cover of the book features a man walking on the desert; perhaps highlighting his movement in life. It’s enthralling enough and the title of the book too is intriguing. Talking about stories, some of them are really praiseworthy while a few lack that ability to mesmerize readers. Some stories revolve around Bangalore and in my opinion the author could have planned different locations. The stories that I liked are: The Anonymous Donor, A Grave Mistake, A Lost Lady, Sweet Revenge, Romance in Matheran and The Unfulfilled Wish.

Considering everything and congratulating Durgesh for his debut novel, I would rate the book with 3.5/5. Hope the author comes up with more stories! 

NOTE: A review copy of the novel was provided by Gargi Publishers. 

•  12 Strokes of Life is available in bookstores. 
• You can also get it online via: Publishers, Flipkart,  HomeShop18,   Infibeam, Amazon.