‘In Search of the Lambs and Other Stories’ by Divyank is a captivating collection of ten short stories. The evident theme in the collection plays around life and its vicissitudes and a gamut of circumstances that tests the waters for mettle, courage, resilience, love & loss, comradeship and much more.

First two stories are placed amidst the Covid times – the author brilliantly captures the nerve of his characters that respond to the situations as per their state of affairs. In the first story a pedestrian on the way home loses his child on the way for no valid reason. However, the second story traces the complexities of an old man, shying away to show his miserable state, reflecting the hidden facets of one’s personality and experiences. These two stories are inspired by real-life observations and journeys, reminding us to even embrace dark shades of life, keeping alive hope no matter what the circumstances.

As the book progresses its diversity unfolds. We get to see stories from various sub-genres, there is a retired boxing professional living with guilt at the same time making peace with his past. ‘A City on Fire’ will remind readers of mythological literature of India. The story of a dog and its owner is built on the scaffold of humanity and compassion. It vividly paints the mental agony of the owner who longs to see back his dog immediately after deporting her wife for a new life. ‘Midnight Murder’ is a very short crime thriller with an unexpected ending.

There is so much substantial content for every reader, in each story. The book is nicely themed delicately balancing ironies and pragmatism of life…joys and sorrows and much more. The title story ‘In Search of the Lambs’ is again brims with compassion towards animals, and people doomed to migrate due to terrorism. However, these type of fateful stories are quite commonplace in Kashmir where diaspora occurs often overnight. Within its pages, Divyank expertly weaves anecdotes that reflect the triumph of the human spirit in the face of unexpected challenges.

Divyank’s storytelling prowess shines through in each carefully crafted tale. With his exquisite use of language and vivid descriptions, he transports readers into the lives of characters, allowing us to witness their resilient, intriguing, and other idiosyncrasies firsthand.

The range of themes explored in the book is truly remarkable, and he effortlessly captures the breadth and depth of the human experiences, leaving readers both moved and inspired. In final verdict, it can be concluded that this collection serves as an ode to life itself. These stories remind us that life is a tapestry of diverse experiences. In every turn of the page, readers will find reasons to cogitate on life’s moments.