Slices of the Moon Swept by the Wind

This is a story of a boy who observes his family and shares perspectives about every character in his family. its a very well written emotionally rich yet simple story. Makes you reflect and pause on things around you. Good short read.

‘They say nobody can understand what I say .. So, my teacher told me that I must write whatever I think of in a book. As and when I remember’. So, our unnamed protagonist, a special child referred to by different names by his family members, writes everything down.He writes about Amma whose lap is his safe haven when he gets splitting headaches. He writes about Appa who dotes on him, is miffed with God and wakes up at the slightest sound from the deepest sleep.He writes about his Doddakka (elder sister) who pampers him and draws the most beautiful rangolis; about Sanakka (another sister) who never spares anyone who bullies him, tells him stories in the backyard in moonlight; about Tangi (younger sister), a 1 ½ yr old baby who looks like a sugar doll. There’s Anna (elder brother) who calls him a ‘pain’, pinches & beats him when alone, another ‘dead’ sister who reappears at their doorstep one day, Appa’s friend who teaches him at home, Dr.Shetty who’s always kind, a man from Muharram procession who smiles and waves at him, he writes about them all. Though some of his notes feel disjointed to start with, it’s brilliant how everything (including the title) makes complete sense as we read.‘I will not tell you how I look. Whatever your imagination is, I look worse than that.’ And as you turn the pages, you care the least about his looks for you know he has the most beautiful mind. Wise and mature beyond his years, he isn’t angry with God for his illness, with the principal who refuses him admission or with the world that greets him with shock before half-pretending everything’s okay, he’s ‘special’ indeed!Slices of the Moon Swept by the Wind by Surendranath S, translated from Kannada by Prathibha Nandakumar, is a heart rending glimpse of a special child’s little world from his POV, of his family beset by many serious problems. Every page will leave you misty eyed, still you will gladly give into the pull of the words. An immensely moving novella!