Heartstrings and Harmonies is a collection of short stories by author Manali Desai that became available for purchase as recently as February 2024 Each story there are twenty nine in all is based on a Hindi song and was first composed in response to a blogpost that Manali subscribes to Full disclosure Manali and I have done an interview session together on Instagram about our books She asked me questions about my recently released book A Philadelphia Story and I asked her questions about this one I will straightaway admit that I had some trouble going through the collection For a number of reasons First of all out of all the songs in her playlist I only knew ten of them and out of those ten I had to really jog my memory to remember two I guess I am too old for the age group this collection is aimed at The other issue was that there was no link in the Kindle menu to the Table of Contents for each story So even if I saw a song on her playlist that I did recognise and wanted to go read the related story the link wasn t available Update There is a Table of Contents with the links available but for some reason they are not on the Kindle menu This could have ordinarily been very frustrating but it turned out to not be so because almost all of these stories were so short that after a slightly tentative start I started breezing through them shortly afterwards From not being sure if I d be able to finish reading the book in time for the interview I found myself ready way ahead of schedule The stories themselves felt somewhat underdeveloped and abrupt As a novelist I tend to warm up to my subject only after I have written a few chapters and have always found short stories to be unworthy of my attention as both writer and reader for that very reason However I must not make the mistake of assuming that everyone else feels the same way especially in this digital age with its ever present time constraints and short short attention spans So I dare say that the very weakness of the book is its greatest strength The stories are short and each can be completed in less than ten minutes five if you are a quick reader The language is simple and the themes are easy to identify with A strong undercurrent of optimism flows through all the stories The author is obviously an incorrigible romantic and this too comes across very clearly Just keep your hopes alive she seems to say and good things will happen Don t give up Which is a message that gels extremely well with the themes of most of the songs in her selection My favourite stories were the ones that stood somewhat apart from the rest There was one with a haunted hotel My Shadow Will Follow You and one about how an author gets his start The World s Slogan Stay Vigilant that resonated with me in particular Overall this is a nice little collection of stories and for the casual reader who doesn t want to spend weeks or months reading a novel they could do a lot worse than pick Heartstrings and Harmonies on their next visit to the bookstore do they even exist any or or Flipkart or wherever English Heartstrings and Harmonies by Manali Desai is a unique anthology It s a blend of the magic of music with the theme of love It comprises 29 short stories all set to the backdrop of popular Hindi songs. The collection is divided into three sections each dedicated to exploring different facets of love romantic love love between friends and the unconditional love between parents and their children. What makes it different from conventional storytelling format by integrating music into its narrative core For fans of Hindi music Heartstrings and Harmonies is a treasure trove of nostalgia English The book is a collection of 29 interesting stories which are divided into 4 sections Romance Friendship and Hope and Revelation Each story has been paired with a song that plays a crucial role in the storytelling Manali s writing in the book is quite fast paced and as a reader you are compelled to keep turning the pages Another aspect which I loved about the book was that the songs have been memtioned in the text in Hindi and then translated which gives a nice experience as you start humming the songs while reading adding to the experience The stories have are quite crisp and yet the message that she wants to send across is duly received partly because of the audio visual jugalbandi and partly because of the short yet expressive narrative There are stories that would make you laugh and there are a few stories that would definitely wet your eyes with emotion Manali s twists at the end of each story is something I did not expect in a few of them and to be honest were the highlight in some of them. The characters in the stories are very common people you might encounter in your lives except for Aman Anjali and Rahul and that relatability plays a crucial role in the overall experience of living the stories as Manali tells them The characters are not detailed out presumably because of the shorter format however you don t feel the need of much descriptions as the plot itself suffices and you visualize someone you know into that story. My favourite stories from the book are The Rain Falls Pitter Patter Don t Go Just Yet Oh Something Strange is Happening O Mates I m a WandererOverall this is a book I would recommend to anyone who is skeptical of reading because of the long form and for aficionados of music and fine storytelling The book scores a 4. 94 5 for me English Light and heartfelt talesMost days when I m free and need some solitude time I rush for a rom com movie or a light read and this book is a combination of both A light read with simple yet soulful stories. I had read this somewhere and today as I turn the last page of Heartstrings and Harmonies I have the same to say about the author Before I tell you what the book is about let me applaud Manali for her fearless creativity with which she breaks the usual pattern of short storytelling The stories are filled with romance and romance Each story talks about how couples meet fall in love and then prove that they were indeed made for each other Initially I started counting the number of stories this book contained as I had to write a formal review But then as I flipped pages I lost track of the number and I allowed myself to move with the flow So while reading these stories I smiled chuckled at places looked out of my window to ponder and then came back to the heroes and heroines of the stories What stood out for me is the Bollywood songs and shayris included in the book Now you will ask what is so special about it The inclusion of these songs connects me better with the protagonist s feelings It helped me connect with the author s writing style her I care damn what the world thinks attitude because one rarely finds Bollywood songs added very frequently in a short story collection This attitude this change from routine is what I look forward to when experimenting with new authors. That is why I said previously you have to be a little crazy to be exceptionally creative Go pick this book if you love love stories if you love Bollywood and if Mumbai is your city of dreams My only complaint would be that the stories got over very soon I wanted the conversations to go on for a little long I was dragged out of my romantic reverie too soon Nevertheless certain intoxications have to be short I leave it at that English This is a collection of short stories centered around the theme of love with each narrative drawing inspiration from a particular song Love is explored in various forms within this anthology ranging from romance and friendship to hope offering readers a comprehensive spectrum of emotional connections. I enjoyed reading most of the stories in the collection However there were a few instances where I felt the endings were abrupt While I hesitate to single out any specific story as bad as none truly were there were some that felt too short These stories lacked a proper foundation and seemed to conclude before fully engaging me It s not that they were poorly written but rather that they left me wanting depth and development. As a lover of a collection of short stories I recommend giving this a chance With a variety of stories and even a collection of songs included there s bound to be something that appeals to you Hence this book has a diverse range of experience for readers to enjoy English I really enjoyed reading this book What sets Heartstrings and Harmonies apart is its ability to evoke a wide range of emotions Some stories tug at the heartstrings with their tender portrayal of love and longing while others uplift the spirit with their messages of resilience and hope There are moments of joy sorrow and everything in between making each story a unique and memorable exploration of the human experience English Fundamentally the collection honors music s ability to speak to everyone and acknowledges its unmatched power to arouse feelings and alter our perceptions of reality Every one of the 29 stories is closely associated with a certain song which functions as the story s emotional spurt as well as its thematic center This innovative method highlights the close bond between music and the human soul while also giving the narrative depth and richness English Heartstrings and Harmonies by Manali Desai is a collection of 29 short stories exploring the themes like love loss compassion optimism revelations and companionship Though the stories main theme is romance the author ensured to give them a pinch of thriller and fiction. Read full review here English In conclusion Heartstrings and Harmonies is a delightful ode to the timeless connection between music and the human soul With its evocative storytelling diverse cast of characters and enchanting soundtrack it s a book that will linger in your heart long after you ve turned the final page Highly recommended for anyone seeking a lyrical journey of love friendship and the power of music to heal and inspire English
| Heartstrings and Harmonies By Manali Desai |
| English |
| 159 |
| Kindle Edition |
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