January 20, 2014: “A Mistake” by Akhil Sharma
As we learn in the Q&A with Akhil Sharma, this story is “adapted from parts” of a forthcoming novel, which in turn is based on a story, and all are based on actual events in the author’s life. He discusses the process of turning those real events into fiction—familiar challenges to writers who have attempted this.
Perhaps the book is more compelling, but I didn’t find much to grab me in the story. A family moves from India to New York. The older son is severely injured in an accident. The narrator is also traumatized and is forced to re-evaluate his relationships to his parents and brother.
This is a common problem with excerpts—often any meaning underpinning the novel doesn’t accompany the threads that are assembled into a story. But it’s available to read for free, so judge for yourself.
