Title: Strange Stories: Tales of the Paranormal
Author: Sarala Kunhambu
Publisher: PartridgeSingapore
ISBN: 978-1543769487
Pages: 132
Genre: Literature & Fiction / Paranormal / Christian Fiction
Reviewed by: Jack Chambers
Pacific Book Review
One of the more controversial and harder to quantify topics of discussion and debate in the world for years has been the existence and analysis of what the “paranormal” could be. For centuries, local legends and different faiths dictated how people would respond to events or happenings in our world which defied the norm; while in more recent years science has attempted to explain away these events, and if not able to do so, dismiss them outright. For a select few, the blending of science and faith has come together to attempt to study this phenomena all around us, but for many, the idea of the supernatural can conjure images of evil and scary beings.
In author Sarala Kunhambu’s Strange Stories: Tales of the Paranormal, the author explores the concept of the paranormal through a faith-based lens. Through short tales of fiction exploring many concepts of the paranormal through faith and different cultures, the author shows the impact evil itself, especially evil spirits, can have on people and how faith can help battle and take down these evil beings in the name of God.
The author did an incredible job of crafting a series of narratives which not only touched upon the theme they had intended to bring to life, but does so in a very atmospheric way. The imagery each story utilized was truly haunting, as the author implemented chilling scenes of chaos and mayhem to illustrate the powerful impact the paranormal and evil incarnate can have on a person’s life, and in many cases, how people themselves may be the catalysts for their own demise. The gripping nature of each story’s paranormal happenings not only draws the readers in, but delves into the complex relationship humanity has with forces beyond our control, and the impact morality has on those external forces as well.
This is the perfect read for those who enjoy literature and fiction, especially those which touch upon different cultures, include stories of horror and the paranormal, explore the ideas of the paranormal in a faith-based setting, and collections of short stories as a whole. The shocking and fast-pace nature of each story’s climactic paranormal happening keeps the readers hanging onto the author’s every word, and helps to illustrate just how close to the edge of the paranormal world we live in.
Thought-provoking, entertaining, and haunting, author Sarala Kunhambu’s Strange Stories: Tales of the Paranormal is a must-read collection of short horror and paranormal stories. Those who take an interest in the stories and studies of the paranormal through a religious or faith-based lens will instantly gravitate to this collection, and the twists in each tale will have readers gripping their seats as the chilling atmosphere closes in on them.
