Book Name: Starshine: A Collection
OS Name: Yaarana: An Incomplete Friendship

Review:

Title: 8.5/10
Lovely title...the title suggests the story is on friendship and am so happy to have this entry since when I said 'Two People Who are Not Meant To Be', I sure meant them both sharing any relationship and not of Lovers alone so Thank You for the entry, Now going ahead, 'Yarana' is a word that captures so many emotions in itself that its just...one of the best titles we can have, at least according to me and of course the words that follow present the theme in a simple yet elegant way. I am impressed.

Even though would like to give full marks for catchiness, I can't deny that 'Yarana' even though best is a word that's still common and a title the eyes can ignore in the first glance? I hope I make sense there but yes...for that reason alone, would cut  1.5 marks.

Full marks on theme relevance, I love the way it was presented simply and beautifully.

Cover: 7/10
Nice cover, Can see the thought that has gone is making the cover and its really appreciated. Since I read the titles of other works of the collection, can see that the themes are not that lovey-dovey sort and so the black and white shade of the cover is completely apt, so is a girl thinking with newspapers all around indicating further that the stories are real issues as I can see from the titles, also the tinctures of colours added around her thoughts gives serenity to the cover that's truly beautiful but yes since the cover though aptly describes the theme of the book as a whole but not the shot itself, will cut 2.5 marks for that.

As said, the cover is absolutely gorgeous and the thought behind it is something that is definitely going to make me open the book but yes, can't deny...I feel people would otherwise generally prefer more colours, something I think is general perspective so will cut 0.5 mark keeping that in mind.

Blurb: 9.5/10
Marvellous write up...Its simple yet beautiful, the write-up indicates of two friends who couldn't be together despite their relationship being very deep and of course, the elegant way in which you have presented the theme of the story in your starting words in hooking. You are definitely scoring full for theme relevance.

Also, about me continuing post read the blurb, you managed to intrigue me with the starting words enough to see what led to the separation of the friends( guess its destiny of course but still in what way) so would wish to give full marks there but still, am cutting 0.5 since you see, anything that could add some more excitement about the concept would do wonders to the blurb.

Story: 22.5/25
I am spellbound, its just...beautiful, even as it was a sad story, I don't know why I could just feel peaceful post reading it, maybe since I am so happy seeing a story that had so many elements that were similar to what I had imagined in a story when I had posted the prompt, It was marvellous, I don't think there should be any second thought from me on the fact that you should get full marks for uniqueness, The plot was a very creative one and the plot twist sure was something which wasn't even my wildest guess but I can't help but feel that the scene of Avish climbing the window was a bit cliche and so was the no contact to his family all this while so would be cutting 1 mark for it.

The theme was justified in such a beautiful way that I just have no words, would have given extra marks for theme justification alone if I could but of course, no provision so full marks there for sure.

So, interesting? Of course, I was all the while wondering what would eventually happen, or how did Avish die or how will Ankita eventually learn to cope up with the loss and if that wasn't enough, the small snippets of the past beautiful conversations of Ankita-Avish sure kept me completely hooked, full marks there.

The flow of the story was amazing, it just flowed from one sentence to the other naturally and all the dots connected beautifully, it was sure an enjoyable read but yes, have two suggestions pertaining to the flow, I read it twice but still felt I couldn't make out from Avish's words why he couldn't return back to India for all those 36 years or maybe 30 since he did say he wasn't ok post recovering from coma as well or was he not ok all this while? If yes then, of course, I just can't help but wonder why would the man who helped him's sister marry him and of course, no contact to his family sure was something I couldn't help but ponder on, also, Ankita's family not being around when she was almost dying did kind of got my attention so would cut 1.5 marks for that.

Beautiful ending and the ending lines just added to the beauty in the best possible ways, I loved the way their relationship was concluded, full marks there.

Special highlights: Avish's dialogues in flashback, even as he was not in the main picture, he was the 'Jaan' of the story.
The plot twist, I was sure impressed like anything with it, it just gave me something I was looking for in a story when I had actually posted the theme.

It was pretty logical but yes could have been wonderful if the logic wasn't still shaky at some places.

The writing style as a whole, I could actually visualize each and every scene, sure something I loved.

I forgot to mention before, Ankita's diary entry, each and every word was just so beautiful and so was her belief on Avish that he won't leave her, it was destiny, I totally loved that even as rereading, I realize it was foreshadowing in a way...he eventually landed at a foreign country and just couldn't come back, I loved it.

Also, the way you beautifully depicted a reality we all know yet just can't accept through Ankita's emotional turmoil and the fact that nobody thinks that it can happen when they are leading a happy life was beautiful.

Guess, I'll keep adding on but yes, also loved the way, Ankita just got up hearing Avish's words about dying in even a comic sense, it was heartbreaking and at the same time heart soothing.

Awwwwwww, the gift and the thought after it. 💔

Finally, his memories making her smile and giving her peace even in those times, the writer sure knows how to hit the right chords, I am a fangirl.

Grammar:13.5/15

The punctuation was mostly perfect but I just felt there were too many comma's, also at places where they weren't required which sure kind of distracted me and also ellipsis, they are only 3 dots, neither more nor less so cutting 1 marks for those mistakes.

Amazing grammar as well but yeah sure suggesting very basic editing to remove minuscule mistakes, 0.5 marks cut for that.

Vocabulary was just perfect, each word was used in the right sense, full marks there.

Overall enjoyment:4.5/5

I guess by my long list of special highlights, everyone can sure see how much I enjoyed reading the story, it was just fantastic but yes, a few logical conclusions which I couldn't draw lead to the 0.5 marks cutting. :)

Blurb and Title post reading: Complete apt for the story, am very very impressed with them.

Total: 65.5/75

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