Review of Three loves and other stories
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Claire Twy
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Review of Three loves and other stories
[Following is a volunteer review of "Three loves and other stories" by Lata Gullapalli.]
Does the notion of being blinded by love truly exist? Is it possible to be heard from beyond the grave? In a patriarchal society, how do women fight against stereotypes to assert their identity? Three loves and other stories by Lata Gullapalli answers these questions and more through a collection of short stories. It encompasses 10 tales, all with their own valuable lessons that deal with prominent themes such as love and the marginalisation of women. Each story contains a different perspective as to how the presence of factors like love, familial expectations and gender stereotypes can affect everything from people’s career choices to their life decisions.
The theme of love, in particular, is fleshed out extremely well. The first story talks about how being starved of love from a young age can cause us to latch onto the first person who shows us even the slightest hint of love. We are so deprived and desperate that we allow ourselves to be manipulated, ignoring any red flags. Conversely, some stories talk about the tests faced by couples experiencing innocent puppy-love and pure romance. Others go beyond romantic relationships and delve into a soulmate connection within platonic confines.
Accordingly, I like how each of the stories approach such issues from different angles and not all of them have a fairytale ending. It’s an accurate reflection of reality where no fairy godmother exists to solve our problems and we have to persevere through life’s challenges. For example, Suha can only watch helplessly from the sidelines as her children are not only bullied by other children, but by authority figures who make their lives that much harder. Mothers can relate to Suha’s strong desire to protect her children and the unbearable pain of not being able to help in any way. There is nothing the family can do, but instead of despairing, the children advocate positive energy and remain cheerful although there is no clear resolution to the problem. Although this story is not suggesting we should tolerate bullying, it brings up an important point which is applicable throughout our lives; when there isn’t much we can do to solve a problem, we can either choose to wallow in self-pity or live our lives to the fullest despite the challenges.
While I feel that the themes and lessons were important, I am not a fan of the way it was conveyed. There were numerous grammatical errors and continuous sentences, which came across as rambling. The main point and reader’s attention were often lost amongst the excessive details and explanations as well.
All in all, I would give this book 2 out of 4 stars. I do appreciate the lessons and the way that the author fleshed out the different aspects of love among other themes. However, I feel like many of the details could have been reduced so the morals would be clearer and more succinct. There is some sexual content, so I would not recommend this book to children.
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Three loves and other stories
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Does the notion of being blinded by love truly exist? Is it possible to be heard from beyond the grave? In a patriarchal society, how do women fight against stereotypes to assert their identity? Three loves and other stories by Lata Gullapalli answers these questions and more through a collection of short stories. It encompasses 10 tales, all with their own valuable lessons that deal with prominent themes such as love and the marginalisation of women. Each story contains a different perspective as to how the presence of factors like love, familial expectations and gender stereotypes can affect everything from people’s career choices to their life decisions.
The theme of love, in particular, is fleshed out extremely well. The first story talks about how being starved of love from a young age can cause us to latch onto the first person who shows us even the slightest hint of love. We are so deprived and desperate that we allow ourselves to be manipulated, ignoring any red flags. Conversely, some stories talk about the tests faced by couples experiencing innocent puppy-love and pure romance. Others go beyond romantic relationships and delve into a soulmate connection within platonic confines.
Accordingly, I like how each of the stories approach such issues from different angles and not all of them have a fairytale ending. It’s an accurate reflection of reality where no fairy godmother exists to solve our problems and we have to persevere through life’s challenges. For example, Suha can only watch helplessly from the sidelines as her children are not only bullied by other children, but by authority figures who make their lives that much harder. Mothers can relate to Suha’s strong desire to protect her children and the unbearable pain of not being able to help in any way. There is nothing the family can do, but instead of despairing, the children advocate positive energy and remain cheerful although there is no clear resolution to the problem. Although this story is not suggesting we should tolerate bullying, it brings up an important point which is applicable throughout our lives; when there isn’t much we can do to solve a problem, we can either choose to wallow in self-pity or live our lives to the fullest despite the challenges.
While I feel that the themes and lessons were important, I am not a fan of the way it was conveyed. There were numerous grammatical errors and continuous sentences, which came across as rambling. The main point and reader’s attention were often lost amongst the excessive details and explanations as well.
All in all, I would give this book 2 out of 4 stars. I do appreciate the lessons and the way that the author fleshed out the different aspects of love among other themes. However, I feel like many of the details could have been reduced so the morals would be clearer and more succinct. There is some sexual content, so I would not recommend this book to children.
******
Three loves and other stories
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Terms of Service by Craig W. Stanfill
