Book - Once Upon A Blink by Pujith Gayon 
Genre - Flash Fiction, short stories

To weave complex sentences is the easiest task but to present something simplistically yet creatively that’s skillful. Author Pujith Gayon masterfully weaves together bite-sized short stories in his book Once Upon A Blink.

Spread across a few hundreds pages are 130 short stories that are literally gone in a blink. All these stories carry varied hues of human existence. The weight of the mundane is lifted as you dive into these tales. The world that’s sometimes realistic and sometimes mystical is alluring. The characters are flawed yet fierce. Every story leaves an indelible mark on the readers.

Throughout the book the author harps on themes like depression, death, sibling bonding, parental pressure, societal pressure, betrayal, destiny, deception, triumph, hope, sufferings, shattering of hope, coming-of-age, LGBTQIA; that keep recurring. It seems easy being a character of Pujith’s story but equally difficult to endure what they endure. We can sympathize with them but cannot accept the reality if it were to fall on us.

Emotions gain precedence in this book. The heaviness of emotions weighs
down on you. These stories evoke shock, suprise, awe, fright, and some can even be triggering. There’s something worth remembering in every story – element of awe and mysticism, innocence, fun, desi humour! It is catastrophic, heartfelt, beautiful and inspiring even. These stories progress swiftly and the climax becomes a fodder to mull over.

Here the dichotomy of life becomes relatable, and it deftly shows different shades and sides of the society. Alongside grim realities there’s a beautiful human connect too that’s expertly woven. These stories are a slice of life. And from a common man’s land to mystical realms like Indraloka we traverse a vast territories in short span of time.

Talking about the writing, it is atmospheric, lyrical and evocative. It is sometimes conversational , sometimes fable-like, sometimes straight-jackted, thus providing a wholesome experience. And in midst of these pages you will find tiny poetries worth relishing. The alchemy of his work is that you transition from one story to next seamless. And a new world takes over your senses in a snap.

Overall, Once Upon A Blink by Pujith Gayon is highly imaginative, plausible work of fiction. Magic lies at the heart of these stories. And if a story isn’t set in a magical land then it will atleast leave a magical feeling within. Unconventional yet revitalizing storytelling is what this book is!

Last word – Unique, quirky, light and breezy stories await you. 

To buy the book, pls click - Once Upon A Blink by Pujith Gayon

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