"Chronicling Shame-Veiled Sensual Realities: 'Cockatoo's' Liberating Echo"

Cockatoo by Yashraj Goswami

Book Review by Dhiraj Sindhi

Cockatoo by Yashraj Goswami

Author: Yashraj Goswami

ISBN: 978-9389109955

Genre: Collection of Short Stories

Length: 216 Pages

Publication Date: 18^th July 2023

Publisher: Pan

Cover Illustration and Design: Devangana Dash | Website: https://www.devanganadash.com/

Order your copy right now: https://amzn.to/3Rrmc6Y

About the Author:

Yashraj Goswami is a writer, poet and teacher based in Delhi. His words have appeared in various publications, including the Indian Express, Huffington Post, Scroll.in, and DNA. His poems and short stories have been widely anthologized. His writing gently probes the varied shades and expressions of masculinity in modern India. Cockatoo is his first book.

Yashraj Goswami (PC: Youth Ki Awaaz)

Instagram: @mubble.fubbles

Twitter: @aviDSays

Disclaimer: This review is only intended for initiating discussions. The opinions and views presented in this article are my own and do not reflect anything about the book's author.

REVIEW

I finished reading this gem a few days ago, yet I found myself at a loss for words to convey my thoughts immediately after finishing it. I took time to let this paperback sink in. Cockatoo, seemingly a collection of short stories, goes beyond the concept of a novel. It features diverse characters and narratives, all set in ordinary Indian surroundings. It highlights the profound spectrum of emotions and experiences that characterize everyday life.

It's remarkable how authentically the author portrays these themes, given that our society tends to sweep anything unconventional under the rug. A significant part of society, including anxious and conservative Indian youth, remains closed to discussing or destigmatizing natural aspects of life, like desire, sex, sexuality, dating, non-binary gender identity, mental health, and the stigma surrounding infertility. While acknowledging that change is underway, I feel that the pace of this transformation is not ideal, and any halt in progress could regress us to where we began. Goswami also sheds light on critical issues like divorce, barriers to quality healthcare for trans people, domestic violence, and police brutality.

These subjects aren't superficially tackled; Goswami has crafted finely detailed stories with well-fleshed-out characters, intricately woven and nested structures, and brilliant storytelling from various perspectives, utilizing irony and other literary devices to engage with readers on an open canvas that says, "you may see it coming, but I'm going to surprise you anyway." I found myself laughing, shedding literal tears, and experiencing numerous jaw-dropping moments throughout my reading journey.

Despite the episodic and stand-alone nature of the stories, akin to the structure of Arabian Nights, the book culminates in a cohesive whole. Upon finishing the book, readers can piece together a completed puzzle—a comprehensive novel with a clear beginning, middle, and closure. And since this work of joining the dots is upon readers, or you can say because of its open-endedness, readers get a huge enough canvas to make the best out of their reading experience. You can't get enough of it.

Goswami, in this debut masterpiece, demonstrates exceptional storytelling skills and accomplishes a commendable feat in stirring the depths of the reader's mind with thought-provoking narratives. These stories deserve to be read and retold, for they carry significant impact and offer validation to the diverse and queer experiences they portray.

Happy Reading!

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