A glimmer of positivity underpins the grim, sordid tales in a debut collection
SANGEETA Shankaran Sumesh narrates tales of Conradian fears and abomination in her debut collection. Admittedly though, her choice of settings are more accessible, even as her plots revolve around murder, rape and extra marital affairs.
Sangeeta, who’s a CFO at a multinational company in Chennai & a Performance Coach, had a life-altering experience on a recent vacation to Cambodia, which became the basis for these stories. "I felt emotionally challenged on hearing the stories in Phnom Penh," she says, recalling the relics of the Cambodian genocide of the early 1970s that she got to see. The haunting images of the killing fields set her thinking about "How man can be so inhuman and barbaric," she says. "Even today, pieces of human bones and nails can be seen here."
A Glance at the Unknown weaves stories around a motley band of characters – a youngster looking to avenge his father’s death, a CEO of Indian origin in Malaysia, a runaway victim seeking justice for her sister’s death, a tribal chief and a suicidal intellect. Each story reveals complex shades of human characters and relationships.
"I love to read books on suspense and thrillers, as I find them gripping," says Sangeeta. The tragical elements, in fact, form the unifying theme for her stories. "I was thinking about the inhumane and barbaric acts and wondered what the repercussions of such deeds would be. That became the basis for the stories," she explains.
"Tragedies touch the human chord, and the empathy in an individual is evoked. That is what happened to me," explains the writer. "In effect, I was transferring my emotions through the book. Further, I wanted to create awareness on the impact of the tragedies."
Interestingly, Sangeeta completed the book in a 100-day challenge, while the stories are largely fictional. A few of them are based in the forests of Agamalai, Tamil Nadu, though she’s yet to actually visit the neighbouring village. "I strongly believe in conversation of nature," affirms Sangeeta, suggesting a possible premise for her next book.
"The larger story," she offers, "is about positive messages, with tips on principles of values, purpose, integrity, crisis, conflict management and so on."
If you have missed the review of the book earlier check here.
P.S. - Article is shared by author. It is originally published via Notion Press.
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