I Read Stories: The Trees of My Youth Grew Tall

The Trees of my Youth Grew Tall is Mimi Mondal’s story of an alternative India. An arboreal village discovers that developers intend to destroy their forest. With no way to resist, they go to the city to find work.

Binu’s Ma, who narrates the story, finds herself cast adrift from her people and eventually even her son. But she is fortunate to find a place as a cook in grand house, then later in a restaurant. In the meantime she climbs the trees of the city, partially to look for her son, but mostly because that’s what she and her people always do. Or did.

Mondal gives us an evocative, low-key story from the margins. It’s good.

Read This: For a quiet, interesting tale about leaving your homeland but your homeland not entirely leaving you.
Don’t Read This: If you prefer a plot with a touch more action or adventure.
Previously: I covered Mondal's flash fiction So It Was Foretold