Namrata Verghese’s anthology of short stories The Juvenile Immigrant conjures up a landscape of human emotions. The book sheds light on the predicament of the immigrants who have to bear the agony of displacement, racial discrimination, psychological alienation and infidelity.
Resplendent with profound psychological insights and visceral prose ,the stories mirror the unsavory realities of our contemporary times. The Indian readers spontaneously get connected with the various situations delineated in these short pieces as they amply elucidate the identity crisis, most of the immigrants remain perpetually haunted with. Their life can be rightly compared with a rolling stone that lacks a sense of proper belongingness.
What makes this collection irresistibly charming is its candidness. The author seems to be influenced by the exponents of Art For Life’s Sake movement. She has painted a candid picture of the society with the craft of her mighty pen. At no juncture she appears to be buckling down under any societal pressure and thus does not hesitate to call spade a spade nay shovel.
The characters that we bump into are from the varied walks of life and resonate well with the readers. The language of the narrative contains adequate fluidity and smoothness. Undoubtedly, a must read for all!
