Review of The Arithmetic of Breasts and other stories by Rochelle Potkar

About Author:

Rochelle Potkar is a writer and poet. Her stories have appeared in several Indian and international publications. She lives in Mumbai. Her next book, Dreams of Déjà vu, is a speculative novel.

Writing Style: 3.5/5

Every form of literature has its own charm and way of presentation of life. Short story is considered a slice from life of the character. In novels we get to know about the character in detail directly from his birth or particular age till his death or his achievement of goal of his life. It is little bit easy for writer of novel to leave kind of impression about the character on mind of reader as he has got enough room. For me, writer of short story has got much task to do as in single incident of character’s life he has to present whole self of character. And I must say Rochelle Potkar has done her best in presenting a slice from characters’ life.

The Arithmetic of Breasts and other stories is a collection of wonderful stories depicting the hidden chambers and less discussed realms of human life. The basic of human life is discussed in these stories. Humans sexual desires, his curiosity for this forbidden fruit and the hidden self which comes on surface rarely.

First story The Arithmetic of Breasts is story of Narain and Munika. It seems lust to reader at first is transformed in love.

Second story The Room with a sea-view is an intriguing story. As title suggests love is an ocean. Ocean which is unmeasurable and unexplored. No one till this date has been able to get idea of ocean completely or love can we say? 

Sky park where we get to know about Jackie who loves Nic.

Dr. Love is a story of a lovelorn doctor who is cosmetic surgeon and how he tries to get back his lost love in form of a patient.

The scent of a conscience is story of two different person who have one common fact and its lust. Desire to get completed. Feelings of characters are portrayed so beautifully in story.

A place they call scary is heart wrenching and satiric story of Devdasi tradition. Devi or human, woman is supposed to suffer in every form.

Our Lovers is a superb story of what one craves and the other dreads the same.

The troll on page no. 16 is humorous story describing our hidden curiosity for others’ personal problems.

What men want is story of ever-changing mentality and desires of men.

All the stories have scent of variance in it but one or two of them is less affecting. Writing style has got a depth which lives impression on reader’s mind. Few of them will leave you thoughtful. Loved Rochelle’s writing style and wish to read many more works from her in future.  

My overall rating for this work is 3.5/5.

Genre: Fiction

Paperback: 100 pages

Publisher: 20Notebooks Press.

Language: English