This collection of masterfully narrated anecdotes is Indrani Raimedhi's best creative output so far. A popular columnist and award winning journalist, she is a household name in the North East. With her fourth volume of short stories, she firmly establishes herself as an Indian English writer from this region. Incidentally her books have been purchased by the Raja Ram Mohan Roy Library Foundation and the US Library of Congress.
The thick hard-bound volume presents a kaleidoscope of our contemporary life from various fascinating aspects. The title story ''A Stranger's Touch" captures the anxiety of ordinary women living unfulfilled lives, " ... of a life lived for others ... of thankless tasks and dying dreams." Throughout the narratives, the feminist touch is unmistakable. She writes as a woman ought to write, at times even with a hint of not-to-be-missed sensuousness. There are a few male protagonists as well, but they are not shown as wielding power, instead they are as much victims as women and no less vulnerable. But the author's attitude towards all these victims of destiny is ' one of quiet dignity. She questions our assumptions regarding human relationships and shocks us out of our complacence. Indeed, she goes deeper and probes into the intricacies and what causes disharmony in various relationships.
Along with the elegance oflanguage, humour and beauty of description what is also remarkable about Raimedhi is her extensive knowledge of art, literature and culture. The anecdotes being mostly cosmopolitan unravel in Guwahati, Shillong, Mumbai, Kolkata and even Germany. A local reader can immediately identify the familiar sights, sounds and colours of Guwahati and Shillong. However, the most striking feature about Raimedhi's stories is the 'twist in the tale', which makes them gripping and is the hallmark of a good short story.
Malabika Mitra
I am sure Indrani Raimedhi's supple and beautiful language will appeal to the readers.
Mamoni Raisom Goswami
Sahitya Akademi Award Winner
In The Second Coming, she is all set to conquer the literary world with her versatile pen. Her experiment with analysing human relations puts her among the contemporary authors, and her commitment to the usage of colloquial language may lead her towards the style we fmd in Chinua Achebe and Mulk Raj Anand.
Rashtriya Sahara
lndrani Raimedhi's short stories have reflected a judicious selection of topical subjects and a command over the use of the English language which could rival the best in the trade.
The Assam Tribune.
Ms. Indrani Raimedhi, in the absolutely simple style that she has adopted, as well as in her ability to keep to the spirit of story telling, has shown that a story can be told well,whatever the language, if the knack for story telling, not given to all, exists in a person.
The North East Times
One is struck by the unique fictional sensitivity of the writer. She displays an extremely robust, lively mind, the stories are full of delightful and haunting twists and surprises all rendered plausible by exemplary plotting and denouement. Each history is well-crafted and plotted, with moments of fun, fear, despair and horror.
Ashokamitran, The Hindu
Indrani Raimedhi delicately explores the nuances of human relationship. Realism and expressionism leads a deep intimacy with the reader. Indrani Raimedhi's work reflects a judicious selection of topical subjects and a command over the use of the English language which could rival the best in the trade. She explores the dark bu-ways and culde-sacs of love and lust.
The Assam Tribune.
Raimedhi tells her tales with a sensitive understanding of characters and a competent use of colloquial language in a very familiar Indian framework.
The Statesman
lndrani Raimedhi's short stories have reflected a judicious selection of topical subjects and a command over the use of the English language which could rival the best in the trade.
The Assam Tribune.