The Baby Doll, written by Gracy and translated by Fathima E.V., is a collection of short stories originally in Malayalam. I'm not a big fan of short stories, especially when they are translated into English. I really didn’t enjoy this collection and didn’t have the patience to finish the book in English; it didn’t evoke the "turn the page" feeling. I might try reading it in its Malayalam version in the future. However, this book is not to my taste, so I can't provide a review of the stories.

Its about a baby doll stories collection. The story was based in india. Intriguing and hook. Hope there will be a story like this or any other version from this publication. Thanks for the arc

I like reading multicultural stories. I wanted to read this book because it was a translation and the stories were set in Kerala, India.

It has 36 stories, some really short ones, however after a point I began to feel that there were a lot of stories (dark and bold stories). And as it happens, there are some good, intriguing stories with unique perspectives, but there are several stories that I didn't enjoy as the storytelling didn't grip me. Some I couldn't fathom.

The writing is good. The stories I liked are, ‘Arundhati’s Dreams’, Cat, Fraction (my god, this was really shocking), The Rabbits of Mamallapuram (a story told from the point of view of two toy rabbits), Baby Doll, Outdoor Sights (a story told from the point of view of a train), A Raindrop of Summer, Coming Home, A Lizard Birth (a story told from the point of view of two lizards) etc.

Thank you for the copy.

Gracy explores the many ways in which women exist in society, their power, vulnerability, and disadvantages. She makes it clear when they have choices and when they don't. These stories will disturb and should disturb as even today, women are still all too easily taken advantage of. The stories are short but hit hard with the themes they portray.

If you're in the market for a literary adventure that'll leave you reeling, look no further than Gracy's "Baby Doll." This collection of short stories is like a literary rollercoaster, taking you on a wild ride through the complexities of desire, lust, and vengeance.

From the get-go, you know you're in for something special when esteemed voices like Paul Zacharia and K.R. Meera shower praise on Gracy's work. And let me tell you, they're not exaggerating. Gracy's stories are a captivating blend of complexity and shock factor, drawing you into a world where nothing is off-limits.

One of the things that struck me most about these stories is Gracy's unapologetic celebration of female desire. It's bold, it's daring, and it's downright refreshing. In a world where women's desires are often swept under the rug, Gracy fearlessly brings them to the forefront, leaving readers both awestruck and enlightened.

But don't think for a second that these stories are all shock and no substance. Each tale is like a slice of life, delving deep into the emotions we all feel but often pretend we don't. From desire to jealousy to revenge, Gracy explores it all with unflinching honesty, making for a reading experience that's as thought-provoking as it is entertaining.

And let's not forget about Fathima E.V.'s brilliant translation. Without her skillful hand, these gems of Malayalam literature wouldn't have made it to English readers' shelves. Her translator's note speaks volumes about the care and understanding she's brought to the table, ensuring that Gracy's stories shine just as brightly in English.

Of course, no book is without its controversies, and "Baby Doll" is no exception. Some readers may take issue with the subtle religious undertones woven throughout the stories. But hey, isn't that what great literature is all about? Sparking conversation and challenging our beliefs?

In the end, "Baby Doll" is more than just a collection of short stories. It's a testament to the power of storytelling and the evolution of a writer. So buckle up and get ready for a ride you won't soon forget. Gracy and Fathima have unleashed something truly special, and I, for one, can't wait to see what they do next.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the advance copy to read.

Gracy is a Malayalam female author, she has received many literary prizes for her works, but unfortunately I was most ignorant about Malayalam. I'm often in business relations with Indian colleagues, but I had no clue Malayalam is one of the 22 common languages of India, and I for sure couldn't place it on a map. I learnt that it is the language of Kerala, a province of 40m people at the southern tip of India.

The collection comprises almost 36 stories, and I read 26 of them. I mostly felt lost at sea, thrown into situations I didn't understand and missing the cultural context. For many stories women were victims of sexual violence or other abuse. The dark tones were not a problem in itself (I read plenty of violent books), but I sort of missed the point of them. I was surprised to see references to Christianity in addition to references to Hindu religion. I understand from other reviews that the stories span Gracy's entire career, but I didn't get this while reading.

The reading was a humbling experience in discovering a totally different culture that didn't speak to me. But to be more enjoyable, the book would have greatly benefited from a preface and more information.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley. I received a free copy of this book for review consideration.

I tried to like this book, I really did. It did not strike anything within me. I feel like I would enjoy this better in Malayalam but the endings were empty, the stories felt drawn out and I did not like the portrayal of intimacy. Not for me at all.

Really enjoyed this compelling, transgressive collection of stories that is unabashed in its depiction of women’s lives. Tackling oppressive environments, women’s sexuality and sexual violence, it’s quite a confronting collection tempered by a heady combination of this horror with atmospheric settings and rich symbolism. Appreciated reading this, and would read more by this author.

Reading this fascinating collection of short stories by Gracy, translated from Malayalam, I was also reminded of why Harper Collins is one of my favourite publishers. They have a knack for picking interesting writers, including those who might otherwise be inaccessible to people reading primarily in English.

Baby Doll Stories by Gracy is a good example of that. It offers insights into a specific culture (in the southern part of India) whilst also touching on themes that are universal - love, yearning, lust, corruption, manipulation, the complexities of friendship etc. Particular favourites of mine from the collection include The Magician, Devi Mahatyam, and The Secrets of The Earth.

Gracy is a keen observer of human frailty, and of what can result when the vulnerable meet the manipulative. Her insights into the human condition are often delivered with razor sharp wit, but the constant thread that runs through her writing is the depth of understanding she brings to the stories that she tells.

I received this review copy in exchange for an honest review on Netgalley.

This collection is recommended for those who are interested in short stories, multicultural writing, and the inexplicable mysteries of the human heart.

(Review published on Goodreads and also submitted to Amazon UK)

This collection of short stories packs a punch stirring a myriad of emotions. Each story regardless of length captures the readers attention and are compact in plot. There is a thread of harsh truths interwoven throughout the stories. The beloved characters pull you in and hold you close. Conversely, there are others who display sheer madness that one would shy away from.

I have very mixed feelings about this collection of short stories. While it was nice to read so many different stories, I didn’t love the dark undertones and themes of the collection. I had hoped that I would get to experience a different culture than my own through these stories, which I did, to an extent. The idea of exploring the female mind was intriguing and I can see how this collection would be perfect for some people, but unfortunately, I didn’t feel as though this was the right collection for me. I would however like to thank NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers India for the opportunity to read and review this collection.

Not my cup of tea. Religious tones aside, this stood out for almost each story rushing to a rushed conclusion, morals be damned.

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

A complex, dark, sensual exploration of the female mind. There's some mythology and spiritual themes from the Hindi and Christianity worlds. This is a 30 year exploration of the thoughts and feelings of Gracy. You will witness the depth and change in her writing styles over the years. I'm grateful for her bravery in compiling and publishing this work.

I am enraptured with almost each tale in this collection. The stories of female desire, female woe, and the female experience are each so poignant.
My favorite by far however has to be Parting with Parvathi, which told a story of a young lesbian falling in and out of love with the wrong woman. It was very relatable to me because I went through a similar experience as a teenager and then adult, idolizing the wrong person because they were beautiful and gave me attention. Only to realize that the beauty was only skin deep.

Over 30 short stories…. All of the stories have a dark feeling towards them and some I loved more than others.

There are some good stories in this collection but most of them weren’t the kind I enjoy.

Gracyude Kathakal, who writes as “Gracy”, is supposedly "one of the finest practitioners of the short story in modern Malayalam literature." So it is with a bit of shamefacedness that I admit I had never heard of her. Like many Indian regional writers, she seems to have been restricted to readers of the language she writes in. If I am not wrong, this is the first English translation of her works. Needless to say, I had high hopes, but her writing style and my reading preference were unfortunately on parallel tracks for most of this journey.

The 36 stories in this collection range in length from micro-fiction to novelette. The tales come primarily from female protagonists, and are mostly dark. The content is quite provocative, feminist and sexual – none of which are adjectives I would associate with Indian regional fiction and hence came as a pleasant surprise. Many tales have implicit references to Christian or Hindu mythology, but in a very irreverent sort of way.

There is a sarcastic kind of humour in a few of the stories, and a touch of magical realism in a few others. These are the ones I enjoyed the best. A few stories were quite metaphorical, and many end abruptly. These are the ones I didn’t like as much.

The stories were written over a period of three decades and have been arranged chronologically. You can see the development of the writer over the long time period. The stories at the end are much better composed than the initial ones. At the same time, I wish there were a reference to the year in which these stories were written, maybe right next to the title. That would have helped to connect their context with the specific year of their writing.

The translation seemed to capture the writer’s intent well, though of course, I can’t comment on its merit without knowing the original work.

Of the 36 stories, only 6 reached 4 stars or more for me. 10 stories came in the 3-3.5 star range. The rest were scattered across 1-2.5 stars. Thus this was a greatly mixed experience, mainly due to my personal disconnect with the writing style. My favourites were the title story, “Outdoor Sights”, and “Coming Home.”

2.5 stars, based on the average of my ratings for all the stories.

My thanks to HarperCollins Publishers India and NetGalley for the DRC of “Baby Doll: Stories”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I read this collection of short stories so quickly, I couldn't put them down. They were almost gothic in their exploration of loneliness and the affects that this can have on humans and their mental state. Thwere was so much crammed into this book from loneliness, to relationships with family and spouses, to family dynamics and the break down of families and the feelings that encompass these.
I loved that there were references and allusions to the mythology and folklore of the authors culture as I have never read any Hindi mythology before and this has made me want to look more into that.
All of the stories have a dark feeling towards them and I would be hard pushed to mention a favourite as they were all amazing.
I will definitely be getting a physical copy of this and annotating it as well as recommending it to everyone I know. I need to read more by this author.