Why there are no Noyontara flowers in Agargaon colony: Stories
Why there are no Noyontara flowers in Agargaon colony: Stories, is originally a Bengali book by Shahidul Zahir. It is translated into English by V.Ramaswamy. If you find the title interesting the book and wondering it is a gardening book. Then you are wrong, It’s a collection of 10 short, simple and slow-paced fictional stories based on a mohalla (meaning neighbourhood) and the lives of people there. And the title is based on one of the interesting stories from the book.
Why there are no Noyontara flowers in Agargaon colony: Stories – Book Blurb
Born in 1953 in Old Dhaka, Shahidul Zahir published only six works in his short life – but these are some of the most unique and powerful works of fiction to have come out of the subcontinent. With his own particular blend of surrealism, folklore, oral storytelling traditions, magic realism, a searing understanding of social and political reality, and rare clarity of vision, he created a truly extraordinary oeuvre.
A mohalla caught in a time warp…
A down-on-their-luck husband and wife who are stalked by ravens…
A magician who sells addictive figs…
A pair of thieving monkeys…
In these pages is the world of the mohalla, where rumours and gossip abound and where everyone knows everyone, where seemingly bizarre yet intriguing creations deliver profound commentary on post-independence Bangladesh. Superbly translated by V. Ramaswamy, each of these ten stories takes you beyond the rules of language and storytelling, into a place that is achingly familiar and terrifying.
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Why there are no Noyontara flowers in Agargaon colony: Stories – Book Review
I like reading short stories which can be finished in one sitting. So, when I came across this title I was more than happy to pick it up for an honest review.
Aspects of the book worth appreciating
- The language of this book was simple and easy to understand.
- All of the 10 short stories in the book are simple with well-crafted characters.
- The stories are powerful and keep you hooked till the end.
- Also, since there is so much happening in the stories they could be made into separate books.
Possible improvements
- I feel with so much information and the Bengali jargon slowed the pace of the book. I find it a little difficult to interpret, without searching for their meaning. Maybe the essence of the book was lost in word-to-word translation. Some contextual meaning at the footer of the page could have been made to enhance the reading experience.
- Also, the names of the characters are too long (Name, Middle Name and Surname) and similar. And their repetitive usage slowed the pace of understanding. I had to re-look for the names a couple of times initially and it took time to get hang of it.
Overall Thoughts on the Book:
Considering the praises for the book and author, I feel that maybe the book is meant for the local audience of Bangladesh. The ones who understand the contexts and the phrases used. For others, stopping and checking the meanings at every other page could not be feasible unless the author/translator shares the contextual meaning. I skipped through a lot of words, therefore feel I couldn’t connect to the stories as the other reviewers of the book.
My Rating 2.5/5
If you feel like getting the book, I would suggest going through the “look inside” pages on Amazon or a sample book from Kindle, before making a purchase.
Why there are no Noyontara flowers in Agargaon colony: Stories – Book Details
- LANGUAGE: English
- PRINT LENGTH : 260 pages
- BOOK FORMAT: It is available on Amazon as a paperback here or an ebook on Kindle.
- PUBLISHER: Harper Perennial India (5 September 2022)
- ISBN-10 : 9356290326
- ISBN-13 : 978-9356290327
About the Author
Shahidul Zahir (1953–2008) completed his postgraduation at the University of Dhaka and the American University, Washington, D.C. He later joined the civil services in Bangladesh. He is best known for his novella, Jibon O Rajnoitik Bastobota. Shahidul Zahir’s oeuvre includes the short story collections Parapar, Dumurkheko Manush O Onyanno Golpo, and Dolu Nodir Haowa O Onyanno Golpo, the novels Shey Raate Purnima Chhilo and Mukher Dike Dekhi, and the novella Abu Ibrahimer Mrityu.
About the Translator
V. Ramaswamy has translated Subimal Misra’s The Golden Gandhi Statue from America: Early Stories, Wild Animals Prohibited: Stories, Anti-Stories, and This Could Have Become Ramayan Chamar’s Tale: Two Anti-Novels, Manoranjan Byapari’s novel The Runaway Boy, and Memories of Arrival: A Voice from the Margins by Adhir Biswas. His translation of Shahidul Zahir’s Life and Political Reality: Two Novellas was published in 2022.
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I like the well balanced approach in your review. I may give this book a pass since it involves lots of understanding of local jargon
Reading a regional content can get tricku at times. Readers cannot connect with the places and thought process. Your review is clear and gives good pointers for readera choice to pick or drop the book.
A book with 10 short stories is my kind of book which I generally finish in short commute. However this one as you have reviewed becomes slow paced because of long names and their repetition so I am going to give this one a miss.
Well curated short stories and one sit read is definitely making this book part of my TBR list. I like the book with simple language yet effective. Will grab my copy soon.
There are short stories but as i mention the book is based in some other time and in parts of Bangladesh, so some slangs and words are used which you may not understand. better you read a preview/sample of the book before you go ahead.
An honest review of Why there are no Noyontara flowers in Agargaon colony. The short stories are easier to read but you have given only a 2.5 rating, so I will skip reading this one for sure.
You may pick up if you are ready to search about the specific jargon/words which are specific to a certain community from a certain region.
Too many jargons of regional languages can be tough read for a reader who is not well vesed with the language. Probably an asterik with meaning in the bottom would help as people wont take the pain to read the glossary in the end.
yes, it slows down the reading and similar names cause too much confusion. yes a definition/explanation on the page could be of big help
It seems like a book that I would love to read. I can’t wait ti get hold of it. Loved how you have analysed the book with so much honesty.
I really like to read short stories and this book looks so intresting, thanks for sharing this book I will get my copy soon!!
I agree too much jargon interrupt the reading flow and also increase the reading time. as you said, it might be more suitable for local Bangladesh audience who are well versed with the phrases and language. loved your precise and honest review dear.
Thank You!
I agree,, when a book is translated to a different language, it should be done keeping in mind that the reader may not know the native language. Otherwise, it looses its charm.
yes, also it needs generalisation to cater to a larger audience.