This is Salvaged

Vauhini Vara's collection of short stories explores the complexities of human relationships, including childhood, parenthood, friendship, and love. The characters are searching for meaning and connection in a world that often feels distant and isolating.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 01 February 2024
Publisher: Atlantic Books

Vauhini Vara's prose is a tapestry of unearthly beauty, delving into the intricate nature of being a child, parent, friend, sibling, neighbour, or lover, as well as the complex relationships between self and others. A young girl, filled with compassion, reads the encyclopedia to her elderly neighbour, who is succumbing to dementia. In a world of isolation, where does communion find its place? The characters in Vauhini Vara's This Is Salvaged, adrift in a sea of turmoil, are on a relentless quest for meaning, seeking solace and connection in each other.

A pair of teenagers, driven by a desire for intimacy, find solace in the world of phone-sex operators, where they can explore their desires and boundaries in a safe and anonymous space. However, their journey is not without its challenges, as they navigate the complexities of emotional connection and the blurred lines between reality and fantasy.

In the midst of her own tumultuous life, a competitive sibling strives to rise above the drunken mess and become a loving aunt to her younger nieces. She confronts her past demons and embraces the transformative power of forgiveness, hoping to heal the wounds that have haunted her for years.

One sister, consumed by a deep sense of loss, consumes the ashes of another, seeking to merge their spirits and find a sense of closure. The act is both symbolic and cathartic, as she confronts the harsh reality of death and the enduring bonds of sisterhood.

In the title story, an experimental artist takes on his most ambitious project yet: constructing a life-size ark, according to the precise specifications outlined in the Bible. The ark becomes a metaphor for his own life's journey, a testament to his faith and his determination to create something meaningful and enduring.

Through these diverse characters and their profound journeys, Vauhini Vara explores the complexities of human connection and the search for meaning in a world that often feels fragmented and distant. Her prose is a testament to the power of storytelling, as it weaves together threads of love, loss, redemption, and hope, creating a tapestry of emotions that resonates with readers on a deep level.

Weight: 238g
Dimension: 215 x 139 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781804710623
Edition number: Main