Aspen Leaves by Dhivya Balaji

When a blogger turned editor decides to write a book, it is likely that it will be one free of glitches and gaffes. 'Aspen Leaves' by the talented Dhivya Balaji is one such book. The title makes one think of delicate leaves that tremble in the sunlight, akin to the stories in the book that dance their way into the hearts of the readers, quick and fleeting, only to stay there forever.

There are ten stories in the book divided into three sections – Drama, Supernatural and Revenge Drama. What makes these stories unique is the association of each with a colour that gives each story its meaning and its emotion, colours that are as rare as they are beautiful.

The emotions are universal. Is it better to hide a life of passion rather than live a life of austerity? Are there truths that are realised too late in life? Is it possible for perfection to lose its sheen and turn mundane in a relationship? How significant a role does religion play in wedlock and can a woman ever reconcile to being a choice, rather than a priority? How can one react to ridicule on social media and learn to rise above it?

These are some of the real-life situations that the author throws at the reader, in the first section of her book.

In section two, where the supernatural is explored, an element of sadness travels through the themes. Two women exploit the secret of miracles in everyday life. “There was nothing people feared more than unlimited power, and anything that could not permeate their closed minds was, according to them, unlimited.”

The next tale deals with a clairvoyant whose visions lead her down a disastrous path as she travels along a parallel path that intersects her life. The author moves on to a story that captures the interest of the readers as they enter a haunted house, only to be rattled by the events that take place thereafter.

Section three moves on to tales of revenge drama, where twisted minds devise plots that are macabre, and double-cross others at the drop of a hat. Friendships are severed, crushed and abused, and the lesson is patently clear. Do not trust blindly, for the world is not always an understanding place.

Dhivya Balaji’s style of writing is impeccable, as she highlights ordinary situations in an extraordinary manner. The stories flow, one into the other, carrying the readers along with them, often ending on a twist that they do not see coming. The stories that impressed me most were ‘The Note’, ‘The Clairvoyant’, The Lake’ and ‘Scorned’.

As one of her characters put it so effectively, “She had heard the words the universe had destined for her.”

Exactly what this perceptive author herself has done!