White Dancing Elephants, Chaya Bhuvaneswar
White Dancing Elephants, Chaya Bhuvaneswar
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White Dancing Elephants
Stories

Author: Chaya Bhuvaneswar

Narrator: Priya Ayyar

Unabridged: 6 hr 54 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 10/09/2018

Categories: Fiction, Short Stories

Synopsis

A woman grieves a miscarriage, haunted by the Buddha’s birth. An artist with schizophrenia tries to survive hatred and indifference in small-town India by turning to the beauty of sculpture and dance. Orphans in India get pulled into a strange “rescue” mission aimed at stripping their mysterious powers. A brief but intense affair between two women culminates in regret and betrayal. A boy seeks memories of his sister in the legend of a woman who weds death. And fragments of history, from child brickmakers to slaves in Renaissance Portugal, are held up in brief fictions, burnished, made dazzling and unforgettable.In sixteen remarkable stories, Chaya Bhuvaneswar spotlights diverse women of color―cunning, bold, and resolute―facing sexual harassment and racial violence, and occasionally inflicting that violence on each other. Winner of the 2017 Dzanc Short Story Collection Prize, White Dancing Elephants marks the emergence of a new and original voice in fiction and explores feminist, queer, religious, and immigrant stories with precision, drama, and compassion.

About Chaya Bhuvaneswar

Chaya Bhuvaneswar is a practicing physician and writer whose work has appeared or is forthcoming in Narrative magazine, Electric Literature, the Rumpus, and elsewhere, with poetry in Indolent Books/ What Rough Beast, Quiddity, Natural Bridge, Ithaca Lit, apt magazine, and Hobart. She is a MacDowell Colony fellow and received scholarships to the Muse & Marketplace and Squaw Valley Writers Workshop. Her work has received several Pushcart Prize anthology nominations.

About Priya Ayyar

Priya Ayyar is an audiobook narrator, actor, and writer with a BFA and MFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Her acting credits for television and film include Law & Order: Criminal Intent, All My Children, and the documentary The Children of War. She has appeared on stage in War of the Unheard, Aminta, and The Road Home, and she has written and performed in the plays Karmic Fusion and Losing Remote Control.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Kiki on December 09, 2019

December 9, 2019: On a second read I bump the rating to five stars because this collection is amazing. I shared thoughts on writing outside one's identity and how ably Bhuvaneswar depicts and analyses interracial relationships of all kinds--romantic, platonic, professional, relationships that don't......more

Goodreads review by Lori on December 16, 2018

A dark, mood-altering read from which I felt compelled to take mutiple breaks between stories, just to regain my mental equilibrium. In this way, Chaya perhaps does too good a job depicting the struggles of her many characters, nearly all of whom are diverse women of color. From rape to miscarriage......more

Goodreads review by Rene on November 18, 2018

The issues in these stories—exploitation, violence, abuse—are not the aberration in our world, but the norm for many, and I am thankful for how Bhuvanseswar approaches them. The women in these stories feel so real to me. The writing is gorgeous, the characters so human, the sense of magic palpable.......more

Goodreads review by Lupita on October 08, 2018

Remarkable collection of stories with an incredible range of themes. Very well written and definitely leaves you asking for more. Some stories will have you turning the page as if you are reading a thriller while others will never leave you. Definitely a collection to read!......more

Goodreads review by Amelia on September 08, 2018

WHITE DANCING ELEPHANTS is a searing and complex collection, wholly realized, each piece curled around its own beating heart. Tender and incisive, Chaya Bhuvaneswar is a surgeon on the page; unflinching in her aim, unwavering in her gaze, and absolutely devastating in her prose. This is an astonishi......more

Quotes

“Bhuvaneswar’s debut collection maps with great assurance the intricate outer reaches of the human heart…An elegant story collection to read and savor.” Lauren Groff, New York Times bestselling author

“The seventeen stories in this debut collection take place around the world, exploring queer and interracial love, extramarital affairs, and grief over the disappearances of loved ones…An exuberant collection.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Bhuvaneswar tackles the intricate interactions of race, class, and sexuality in this enticing debut…Sharp and provocative, and Bhuvaneswar’s voice rings true.” Publishers Weekly

“Although affecting throughout, Ayyar is keenly enhancing when voicing the stories of women in conflict…Ayyar’s resonating performance further amplifies Bhuvaneswar’s urgent words with astute empathy.” Booklist (audio review)

“Narrator Priya Ayyar is a steady guide for this collection of literary short stories. She helps listeners explore a variety of characters and diverse settings that range from South Asia to Portugal. Her narration is steady and serene…She soothes even as she delivers the difficult circumstances of the characters’ lives.” AudioFile

“The stories remain firmly grounded in physical detail, boldly exploring moments of oppression and violence, and Bhuvaneswar’s persuasive, readable style will keep readers absorbed. A strong collection from a writer on the rise.” Library Journal

“Bhuvaneswar’s seventeen tales give voice to a variety of characters, sorrows, and experiences, constituting a striking collection.” Booklist

“Takes on important topics like racialized violence and violence against women—that which is committed against them and they which they commit themselves. Friendship, romance, and family are the ties that bind in this forthcoming collection.” Rumpus.net

Awards

  • Southern Living Magazine Pick
  • Book Riot Pick
  • Millions.com Pick
  • Dzanc Books Short Story Collection Prize
  • Literary Hub Pick
  • BuzzFeed Books Pick
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