Book: Rhododendrons in the Mist
Author: Ruskin Bond
Pages: 344
Publisher: Aleph Book Company
Read On: Kindle via Kindle Unlimited
How Long it Took Me to Read; 2-3 days
Plot Summary: In his new collection of stories, many of which have never been published before, bestselling writer Ruskin Bond collects together his finest tales of the Himalaya, the mountains he has called home for over fifty years.
One half of the book is devoted to unsettling, sometimes terrifying stories of murder, mystery, and the supernatural. Kicking off with the sinister ‘Rhododendrons in the Mist’, a brand-new story, this section assembles chilling stories like ‘A Face in the Dark’, ‘Eyes of the Cat’, ‘Panther’s Moon’, and ‘The Skull’.The second section comprises tales that concern themselves with the everyday drama of life in the Himalaya. Starting with the autobiographical ‘Breakfast at Barog’, which has never before appeared in print, this section includes timeless stories like ‘The Blue Umbrella’, ‘The Cherry Tree’, and ‘A Long Walk for Bina’. The book concludes with an enthralling new story, ‘The Garden of Dreams’. Singular and unforgettable, Ruskin Bond’s new collection shows us once again why he is the country’s most addictive writer.
Things I Liked:
1. Bond's words are like a balm, the worlds he takes you to are ones of comfort and charm and laughs and warmth. I wanted some Bond magic in the beginning of the new year and picked this collection of his Himalayan tales to soothe my urge to run to the hills and for some of Bond's special brand of comfort and nostalgia. These tales did just that and so much more. I am so glad I read these stories in the first few days of 2022. I feel like they will somehow bless my year. And I could do with some of that.
2. A lot of these stories were ones I have read before, in fact some of them I've read multiple times before. Yet they never once feel old or worn out, to me they were just as charming and warm as ever.
3. We, the ones from the plains and cities tend to romanticize the mountains and the life in the hills. I know I do, my recurring day dream is to find a charming little cottage in the hills and live my best life there reading and writing and being at peace. However no place has just one facet. Any place no matter how beautiful or charmed has another side. A side we don't often want to see. Bond is a master at showing us the magical and utterly beloved side of the hills but if you really read this stories and see under the surface, he is just as gifted at showing us the not-so-perfect side of the hills. There is poverty, hardship, difficult lives and so much struggle and strife in the lives of the people who call these mountains home. I feel like he does such a good job of showing both these sides of the same place so very well.
4. These stories are seriously some of his best works and if you haven't read any of his works before (how!) this collection of stories is a great place to start and sample his genius.
5. The range of these stories is pretty great. We have some stories of innocent fun, love, friendships, village life and some steeped in loss and sadness and such longing and melancholy. There is so much emotion and feeling in these stories and there is something for everyone.
6. This book just took me away from my real life and back in the hills. Back to my beloved Landour and it's vistas and views and made me crave a cup of sweet milky tea. It is great way to travel and leave your present life and worries behind. I did make myself several cups of tea while I was reading these stories.
Rating: 4/5
Pick it up and take a trip to some of Bond's best stories in the hills. You will not be disappointed.
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