No One, An Outsider: Varanasi Tales

The sincerity of [Mishra’s] writing perhaps comes from his close involvement with his subjects. Mishra deals with heavy themes such as violence, death, sexual trauma, and abuse in sparse, utilitarian prose. The lack of drama adds gravitas. By not allowing his characters to dwell on traumatic events, he shows how normal such incidents have become and how desensitized to them we are. - The Hindu Literary ReviewVaranasi is an extraordinary city that has always been presented as heavenly special. What is an average town, by the way? Don’t people in Varanasi experience the same sorrow and pleasure as people anywhere in the world? Why would one portray Varanasi as a great place? Why can’t we describe it as just another city? No One, An Outsider, depicts people from Varanasi dealing with their issues. It talks about love, fear, hatred, envy, and everything secretive - assembling human lives and giving them forms. The book represents the dignity and frailty of emotions and the sacrifices one makes. The people in Varanasi are as clueless about sorting their problems as other people living anywhere in the world. They smile, laugh, and cry with deeply buried sorrow in their hearts. This collection of short fiction is a rollercoaster ride of emotions through the narrow lanes of Varanasi, presenting it beyond its happy-go-lucky charm.