I really appreciated how Abraham Verghese was able to pack so much into such a short story. The way he described the mother and the quick mannerisms of the characters were vivid for me. These are things I’ve seen in real life but never really seen written down in this way before.

The story follows a first-generation boy in America, and the tension between generations was something that hit close to home. “A father telling their mother let the boy be” is something I think a lot of kids  (especially first-generation kids) have heard. And “To be a child of Indian parents meant you held a secret self” really hit me.
There are parts of the story rooted in Indian culture that reminded me of things I’ve seen growing up. All the rituals, unspoken habits, the way neighbors are connected without always needing words. Some of it was familiar, some of it new, but all of it felt honest.

As a first-generation Indian American, this one resonated. It’s thoughtful, emotional, and told with care, and I would recommend it.

Thank you to Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley for the ARC.

A short and sweet story about family, love, loss and finding yourself that packed an emotional punch.

4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️



Abscond by Abraham Verghese

Format: Short Story (Kindle Edition)

This was my first read from Abraham Verghese, and even in under 40 pages, Abscond made a deep impression. The story follows thirteen-year-old Ravi in the summer of 1967, whose quiet, tennis-filled life is suddenly flipped upside down by tragedy. What unfolds is a tender, heartaching glimpse at grief, family dynamics, and growing up too fast.

Verghese captures the “quiet sorrow” of loss with beautiful prose and subtle emotional beats. One line that hit me hard:
“No matter how many times we ate like that together, and for so many years, he always acted as if that day’s visit was special because he might never have another chance.”
Moments like this made me hug my own father a little tighter.

While the writing was consistently strong and the cultural backdrop rich and immersive, I did feel the emotional arc could’ve used a bit more room to breathe. Some transitions, especially around the mother’s emotional shift, felt a little abrupt. Still, it’s remarkable how complete the emotional journey feels despite the short length.

🌀 Tone & Flow
Gentle, reflective, and quietly powerful. There’s no dramatic twist or action-packed plot here, it’s a character-driven narrative that leans into familial love, grief, and the little rituals we don’t realize mean so much until they’re gone.

📚 Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a short, moving story about loss and identity with cultural nuance and heartfelt moments, this one is well worth the read. Abscond is the kind of story that lingers, bittersweet, introspective, and quietly devastating in the best way.

🙋‍♀️ Recommended For:
• Readers who enjoy emotional coming-of-age stories
• Anyone interested in Indian-American family dynamics
• Fans of quiet, reflective short fiction that packs an emotional punch

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This was an enjoyable little story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for a copy. This is out now and available on Kindle Unlimited!

Abscond is a short story by Abraham Verghese. His mother wants him to become a doctor like his father, but all thirteen-year-old Ravi wants is to play tennis. His father, a lauded surgeon at New Jersey’s Muhlenberg Hospital, supports him. But when tragedy strikes the family, someone he thought would never weaken breaks down, someone unexpected steps up where needed, and Ravi has to reconsider his priorities.
Written with skill and feeling, this little gem leaves the reader wondering: what next for this family.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories.

Abscond by Abraham Verghese was kind of a mixed bag for me. The writing is great, but in general I'm not a huge fan of novellas because there typically just isn't time for the author to truly develop characters and/or the plot. This one was no different. It had moments that really hit emotionally, but overall, I wasn't that invested in it. Not a bad read, just not one I’d rush to recommend. Thank you to Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy of this story in exchange for my honest opinion.

[4.5 STARS]

A novella ?? Made me cry ??

Abscond (verb): to depart secretly and hide oneself

During a New Jersey summer in 1967, 13-year-old Indian-American tennis prodigy Ravi has to grow up overnight. I’m not sure what to say about this short story other than I enjoyed it!

Read this if you liked: Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar or Waterline by Aram Mrjoian

Thank you to #NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for an advanced reader copy of #Abscond.

I have read all of Abraham Verghese books. When Netgalley offered me the opportunity to read a short story by him, I couldn’t pass it up. A young boy and his mother who whose world is change in a day, an hour, a minute. Abraham words are exquisitely written. Their feeling of grief are raw.,and you feel it. It was also learning how another culture handles their love ones death. This is a must read for everyone.

A short and sweet story about family, loss and love. It will make you want to call your parents and tell them you love them. Emotional and raw. For only 38 pages it takes you on quite the journey. 3.5 Stars. 🌟

This was a gorgeous and heart-felt story that fully submerged me in the characters' lives within two pages. It made me cry in the breakroom, and I think that says enough about how quickly I came to know and care for Ravi, his family, and the community by which they are surrounded.

The Covenant of Water is one of the best books I have ever read, so it should come as no surprise that I am always eager to get my hands on anything Abraham Verghese writes. While this is indeed a short story, coming in at under 20 pages, it sure packs a powerful punch. Told from the perspective of a boy on the verge of manhood, living the summer of his life and eager to pursue his dreams of becoming a tennis star even at the expense of familial objections, we witness just how quickly life can change through his innocent eyes. This story deals heavily with grief and loss and how an entire life can be uprooted in an instant, but also how the ending, in some ways, is also a beginning. And as is always the case, Verghese’s characters are so lifelike, you can almost reach out and touch them. A terrific read from start to finish.

Thank you Amazon Publishing for the advanced copy.

I’ve recently become more interested in short stories and when I saw this author had one I knew I wanted to give it a try. I really enjoyed this one and felt it had a lot of emotion for a short story. I would definitely recommend it.

Abscond is a short story by Abraham Verghese that I would almost describe as a coming-of-age story. It explores themes around roles and expectations, connection and community, and the meaning of traditions and routines in life.

I loved that Verghese is able to explore these themes and his characters with a lot of depth, but it didn’t take very many pages to do so. While the plot points may be similar to other stories, I felt like there was still something both relatable and fresh here. I also enjoyed the prose. I actually have been meaning to read a work by Verghese for some time, but I haven’t been able to, yet - so this was my first one. And I enjoyed his clear, evocative writing style.

I would recommend Abscond to anyone who enjoys emotionally rich fiction, especially stories focused on family and community relationships and/or coming-of-age stories.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!*

Abraham Verghese does it again with Abscond, a warm short story about adolescence and community. Although brief, the reader is fully immerged into Ravi's suburban life on this fateful day when everything is about to shift for him.

The end comes quickly, and not everything is resolved. I am thinking here of the tensions surrounding Ravi's future (tennis vs doctorate). Somehow that makes it more real. One can imagine many heated conversations in the future with his mother, which gives life to the characters outside of the story.

My first Verghese was The Covenant of Water, which I absolutely adored. This short story is just as good. I will be sure to pick up everything written by him.

Thank you Abraham Verghese, Amazon Original Stories, and NetGalley for the ARC.

What a beautiful short story about love, healing, friendship. A glance into a culturally different way of grieving that shows all grieving is universal when you are well loved.

A relatively short read which manages to bring to it a bit of mystery, but whose life does not? I loved reading this short story, and I highly recommend others read it, as well.


Put Date: 01 Jul 2025


Many thanks for the opportunity to read Abraham Verghese's 'Abscond'

Such a lovely, impactful short story by the brilliant writers, Abraham Verghese. I don't know how he was able to have such an impact on me in only 30+ pages. I will now look up and see the sun through a tree's branches. Life happens fast and the little moments can have a huge impact if you take the time to notice.

“Abscond” is a heartfelt short story about losing a loved one. As the story centers on one 24 hour period, describing the story includes spoilers. Ravi, a teenager who had just had his best summer playing tennis, must pivot to the news of his father’s death and immerse himself in his family’s Indian rituals for death. As he and his mom deal with the situation, friends all come to the rescue.
The last pages of the story are most memorable, as Ravi and his mom reminisce. Their conversation reveals acts of true love and kindness in this small family. If you need a story about people being kind to others, this is that read.
Thank you NetGalley for an Advance Reader Copy.

A quick short story by the brilliant story teller, Abraham Verghese. I would have loved to read more...

This was a short novella, only 30 pages, but it was so powerful! I loved learning about the Indian culture and family dynamics. The story was also very meaningful. In my opinion. The writing was fantastic as well. I can’t wait to read more books from this author! #abscond #netgalley