A very short, short story that I was hoping would touch on a little boys dreams of becoming a pro tennis player in an Indian household, but went a different direction. The writing was very good, yet the original direction of the plot would have been more meaningful, I think.

A beautifully written short story about family, grief, mourning rituals, and community. Verghese packs a lot into thirty-odd pages, but the story never feels like it's taking on too much.

Abscond is a poignant and beautifully written short story. In just a few pages, Abraham Verghese explores themes of grief, family, and growing up with surprising emotional depth. The writing is quiet and understated, but the story lingers. It’s touching, reflective, and a strong reminder of how even brief moments in life can have a lasting impact. This was my first time reading anything by Verghese and it was a moving introduction to his storytelling.

I have wanted to read something by Dr. Verghese, but had not gotten around to it yet. After reading this beautifully moving short story I will definitely move his work up on my TBR list. I was amazed by how much feeling and information can be put into such a short story. Heartbreaking and profound.

I received an ARC for free and gave my honest opinion voluntarily.




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Quite a lot packed into a very short short story with a great message.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the ARC of Abraham Verghese's short story, Abscond.

It's lovely to read anything of Verghese's in the between time of his larger works. In Abscond, Verghese shows he can pack as much a punch into 30 pages as he can into 700. His way of viewing the simplest acts of humanity, even in times of grief or growth, it what truly sets him apart as a master of his craft and one of the greatest literary voices of our time.

This was a beautiful vignette of the manifestations of unexpected grief, tidily tucked into 39 pages. This was my first time engaging with this author and has definitely convinced me to read their other pieces of work.

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for providing an advanced copy for review.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

This might be a very short story but it's powerful and beautifully written. There is so much depth here. I will definitely check out more from this author.

3.75! I really enjoyed this short story about Ravi and his family. I didn’t know what to expect going into it but I really enjoyed Abraham’s writing. The pacing was great and I learned so much about Indian rituals and their grief process. I’d recommend this to anyone who wants to learn a little bit about different cultures and wants a quick short story!

This was an interesting look into grief and finding a way back to each other after tragedy. The way culture and tradition was explained made it easy to understand.

3.2 "touching yet rather expected and contrived" stars !!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Amazon Original Stories for an ecopy. This is released today July 1, 2025. I am providing an honest review.

I found myself teary and touched while grappling with a fair bit of frustration. The author can write some beautiful and vivid sentences to support a life transition of a 13 year old boy. He however gets both teachy and preachy which detracts (for this reader anyway) the emotional impact that this narrative might impart. I sort of felt a feeling of nostalgia but also some disappointment that such a talented author would rather blatantly tell a concrete story rather then let an educated reader interpret. The story becomes much more believable (and palatable) if you see this through a memory prism of an adult's eyes rather than something that is occurring currently. No thirteen year old boy has this degree of wisdom and maturity. Sort of like a Wonder Years vibe !

I will be curious to see how I react to a novel written by this author as I have The Covenant of Water on my tbr.

Abscond by Abraham Verghese
Does a 30-page novella about grief, belonging, and growing up sound enticing to you? If so, then you are in the right place for a review or book recommendation.

Summer of 1967: New Jersey
Ravi Ramanathan, our protagonist, is living a blessed life with his parents. He is a pro tennis player and wants to play tennis professionally, a secret he keeps from his parents, especially his mother. His mother, like any other Indian parent, expects her son to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a surgeon. But to Ravi’s surprise and relief, his father doesn’t pressurize him into becoming one. With confusing thoughts mixed with changes of puberty, Ravi’s life is soon knocked off balance when an unexpected tragedy occurs. Forced to grow up and find his place in the world, this novella will take you on a small but touching journey through the eyes of a 13-year-old boy.

“You see, Ravi, this world isn’t just all the things we can see and touch. It’s also all the things we can’t see, the things we choose to believe.”

I read this book in one sitting. And honestly, it wasn't just because it was a 30-page novella, but because I was genuinely interested and wanted to keep reading more. The language is simple and refined, but my imagination while reading this was vivid and detailed. The Indian-ness of this novel honestly made me feel so good. The family dynamics, the love through acts of service, the perennially saree-clad mother, the obsession with becoming a doctor, having big gatherings, and so many other things made this novel very relatable. If you’re an Indian or have closely lived with Indian families, you’re going to enjoy this novella even more.

The story is well written and has a lot of emotional depth considering its length. The characters are also well developed and have distinct personalities. I loved reading and living the story through Ravi’s perspective. Sometimes, his thoughts mirrored mine, and I enjoyed getting a unique but lovely perspective on them. My favorite aspect of this novel was the accurate representation of Indian families and culture. This might be a little confusing at times for people who are unfamiliar with Indian traditions, but honestly, a small Google search will clear up any doubts.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and would highly recommend it to people who want something that will make them think without spiraling. If you love to think about grief, death, growing up, and moving on while grieving, then you will enjoy this book.
Rating- 4/5
Thank you, Amazon Publishing and Netgalley, for giving me the chance to read this book.

A beautifully written story about grief and coming of age. A short reminder to enjoy the little moments; the bright blue sky, the stolen minutes with a loved one.

The talented Abraham Verghese writes a bountiful treasure in this very short story. Using excellent character and setting development within the few pages, the tale is quickly and tightly woven exposing the reader to culture, family, friendship and passion.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the opportunity to read this ARC.

4 Stars
One Liner: Good but with an open ending

1967, New Jersey
Ravi Ramanathan, a thirteen-year-old, wants to become a pro tennis player. His surgeon father encourages his ambition even as his mother wants him to follow in his father’s footsteps. Like most immigrant kids, Ravi is stuck between two worlds, ashamed and annoyed by his culture, but still a misfit. When tragedy strikes, Ravi’s life changes overnight.
The story comes in Ravi’s third-person POV with a couple of snippets from the omnipresent POV.

My Thoughts:
I know the author is known for writing big books, so when I saw a short story with his name, I was instantly curious. Also, it is easier to read 30 pages than 700 pages, right?
The story shows why the author is famous. It has a slow narrative filled with little details that may not be evident to people from other cultures.
Most of the side characters are not truly important, but necessary because people don’t live in isolation. The ones that matter are dealt with beautifully!
NGL, I did tear up a couple of instances. Those scenes are raw with emotions, but also have a kind of finesse that comes when the writer has good control over the narration.
The story doesn’t end abruptly, but also has a huge open ending. In a way, the ending makes sense. I can see it. At the same time, I also wish for at least another page or two dealing with what would be an interesting and important conversation. So, this is a slice-of-life story with quite a few questions and no answers.
To summarize, Abscond is a heavier story with a deliberately slow narrative and an open ending. Trigger warning for parental death, spousal death, grief, and mourning.
Thank you, NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

This short story starts on the day 13- year-old Ravi's life changes and he must accept a new role in his family.

This story was incredibly poignant. Abraham Verghese is a gifted writer and somehow in 30 pages, he fleshes out 5 different characters and paints vivid pictures of both grief and community.


TW: death of a parent