Abscond is a short story that surprises with its emotional depth. What starts as a quiet summer for Ravi quickly turns into a journey of self-discovery and family connection. The story touches on grief, identity, and tradition in a meaningful way. However, some parts felt a little too quick, especially Ravi’s sudden frustration with his grieving mother and his fast shift in attitude. Still, the story leaves a strong impression and captures the emotions well in a short space.

I always enjoy Dr Verghese’s writing. This was a short story for Amazon originals. The narration was good, especially the authentic accents. This story was a powerful glimpse of a young boy’s life before and after a major life event. I hope that we might get to see how Ravi’s life continued to involve in a future story or novel!

Abscond by Abraham Verghese is a short story that falls into the historical fiction genre, but it's really more than that—it feels like a commentary on grief and loss.

I found the story moving, sad, and at times a little hard to follow, but in a way that seemed intentional—like Verghese wanted us to feel disoriented, to live inside Ravi’s head for a while and experience the confusion and ache he carries.

I will say, the story wasn’t always easy to follow. There were moments when I had to pause and reread, not because the writing wasn’t good—it absolutely was—but because the structure jumps in a way that mirrors Ravi and his mother’s fragmented emotional state.

So why did I connect with this story, even if it was difficult at times? Because it felt real. Verghese has this remarkable ability to write with empathy and insight, and he never rushes the moment. Abscond doesn’t hand you all the answers, asks you to sit with uncertainty, to wrestle with the complexities of human behavior, and grief. And sometimes that’s exactly what a good story should do. It stays with you. It lingers.

If you’re a fan of Abraham Verghese’s writing or enjoy quiet, introspective historical fiction that’s rich in emotional depth, Abscond is worth your time. It’s a sad story, yes, and not always a straightforward one, but it’s beautifully written and full of meaning. It left me with a lump in my throat and a lot to think about, which is, in my opinion, the mark of a truly memorable read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Originals for the Advanced Readers Copy of the book. All opinions are proudly my own.

Set in the New Jersey summer of 1967, this is the story of 13-year-old Ravi - a tennis prodigy - his surgeon father, and his deeply religious mother. It begins on a warm note, like the story of any Indian family that migrated overseas - the beliefs, the quiet pressure to hide one’s passions behind a “secret self”, the rituals, and the daily humdrum. But one sudden incident shatters it all.

In just 38 pages, Verghese takes you through the fragility of life and the weight of grief. What happens when someone experiences loss at such a young age?
The rituals - how they can feel conflicting when all you want is to be left alone, yet somehow act as a compass, guiding you forward. The different ways people grieve. The different ways they hold space for each other - sometimes even surprising themselves or those around them. The void that’s left behind. And the quiet decision to stop taking anything for granted.
The silent resilience that one day, quietly, just shows up.

The writing is subtle and powerful. Short but deeply moving. Highly recommend reading this if you are looking for something similar!

5 stars

I don’t know that I should have expected anything other than a five star short story experience from Dr. Verghese. This Amazon short (I know there are many, MANY problems with Amazon, but I do love these short story bundle from great writers they put out.) this wonderful story is about a family of three Indian Americans, a father, a surgeon, a mother, who stays at home, and a son, a teenager who loves tennis and thinks he could make a go of it but also feel pressure from his mother to become a surgeon like his dad. A heartbreaking but ultimately beautiful story.

An immediate 5 star read. This is going to be one of those books that stays with me for a very longlong time time.
It was raw, emotional and it snuck a lesson in there at the same time. I loved this short story so much and wish it would have been longer

A short story that packed an emotional punch

Wow! This story wasn't long enough- it was beautiful and tragic and I could have easily read 300 more pages.

A short story from an excellent novelist - he writes so beautifully about the human condition. Gorgeous.

I found it difficult to connect with the characters, they were seemingly too detailed as well as too vague.

The story lacked the depth to feel the grief of the death and the characters didn't seem to have an arc.

I came late to the Abraham Verghese party, not having read any of his work until 2024, but I’m fully initiated now and count myself a fan. His writing has a beautiful depth that he has infused in this short story, just like in his novels.

Short stories can either lack development in their true nature or pack a punch. This one, the latter. There is a depth to the story that I was not expecting initially. I had expectations of how Ravi’s summer was going to be when I, too, was shocked when it all upended. This story is a celebration of life, tradition, and finding connection with those you love.

The audiobook read by Fajer Al-Kaisi is paced well and allows the reader to sink into the story without pronunciation distractions. They are also easily understood at faster speeds.

Thank you NetGalley, Brilliance Publishing, Amazon Original Stories, and author Abraham Verghese for the eARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review.

The story did fall flat to me at certain points, this is like a story that's too simple. Clearly Ravi kept things to himself because his mom wasn't supportive of him lol, and suddenly he wants to not hide himself anymore?
His mother is grieving her husband, and he got angry at like day 2 lmao?? Oh please.

This was beautifully written and a great introduction to Verghese’s storytelling and writing style. It was a tender but hopeful story about grief. I was surprised that a man who writes 500+ page novels could so succinctly and deftly capture a story and brilliant characters in a forty page short story.

I’m a big fan of Abraham Verghese’s writing, so I was thrilled to read this short story.

The story about grief and loss is exceptionally well-written and concise. Despite its brevity of 38 pages, it felt longer and will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression on me.

I want to express my gratitude to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC!

A short story about a boy, Ravi, who lives with his mom and dad in a suburb in New Jersey. But one day tragedy strikes, and Ravi finds himself having to grow up too soon and how to face the aftermath of grief.

It’s my first time reading anything by this author but the writing is pretty amazing, really easy to read but also so good at conveying emotions and relatable experiences. It is a short story but I thought the characters and their dynamics were pretty well-established, though the development did feel a little rushed. I feel like this short story could have been a bit longer to get across the full emotional impact.

I think for anyone who’s experienced grief there’s a lot to relate to, but also especially for people with immigrant parents.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Abscond" by Abraham is a powerful story about grief and growing up too fast. The simple yet impactful writing captures how loss changes everything. The main character faces unexpected challenges that push him to mature and find strength. It doesn’t resolve everything neatly but shows how grief lingers and shapes who we are. It’s a brief read that stays with you, and as someone from an Asian background, I really related to Ravi’s desire to please his parents.

This story is equally heartbreaking and sweet. The beginning caught my attention as Ravi mentions there was nothing special about that day but it's that day that he decides to eat breakfast with his father. What follows in quick succession is the heartbreaking parts. The sweetness comes at the very end to wrap up this short story. As with most shorts I found I lacked any connection to the characters, there aren't enough words to really give them the substance needed for that; but overall, I still enjoyed this story!

The writing was a bit repetitive (every other line included the same person’s name) and surface-level. We were walked through heartfelt moments, but we were only told they were happening; I would have liked to have some insight into how the characters felt.

I’m at a loss at how to review this for several reasons. I think, for starters, it’s just not the type of story I’m into. Not only that, but having lost my dad suddenly around the same age as Ravi, it was triggering for me. But it’s the way the novella is written in such a profound and raw way that really got under my skin so much. I really did feel transported by the authors words — reminded the very real things I thought and felt in the moments and days immediately following my dad’s death.

So: the writing was great. The storytelling was compelling. It just… wasn’t what I was looking for and isn’t the normal tone I hope for when reading.

I did love learning about these characters and about a faith and lifestyle and culture that’s different than my own. I love the relationship between Ravi’s family and their Catholic, widower neighbor. How different people can be and yet the respect and admiration is in full supply. I loved seeing Ravi’s community of loved ones embrace his family during hardship. I loved the friendship between him and his neighbor/twin.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Original Stories, and Brilliance Publishing for the ARC and ALC copies of this short story for my honest review!

A beautifully done, masterful short story. Packs an immense punch in just a sparse 28 pages, revealing the pain of not just grief for the dead but grief for the living. Ravi is dealing with a tornado of emotions following the loss of his father, and his mother's way of dealing with her grief is its own character, haunting and shadowy and scary. The historical nature of the story adds its own touch, reminding the reader of a time when community could do powerful things for personal healing.

For Ravi, the loss of his father came with its own hurdles, but watching his mother crumble causes a revelation in his little mind. He is shot into adulthood at hyper speed, and his family, although well meaning, is unable to usher his mother into her lonelier state. With a little pushing by an odd but wise neighbor, Ravi realizes that grief is more than missing a person - it is missing their presence, their gifts, their faults, their pains, their rigidities and their emotional baggage, and all the endless infinities of life. And that sometimes, the only way to deal with their absence is to do an action, or ritual, that recreates a physical presence currently filled with aching loss.

The last couple pages gave me all the goosebumps. I love stories like this. He also begins to better understand his odd neighbor (and maybe even his mother), with whom he now feels a deeper connection, for they both have come to the realization that being liked is a very poor and boring substitute for being <you>.

Major Themes & Tropes:

- death, loss, grief
- living in the present and making the most of life
- Indian family dynamics, cultural traditions

You might like this if you like:

- The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri (film also)
- The Haunting of Hill House (TV show)
- Michael Chabon
- The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down - Ann Fadiman
- Ann Patchett

5 out of 5 stars!

Big thank you to Abraham Verghese, Amazon Original Stories, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this short story. I will share my review to retail sites!