Book Review: Tales from a Vending Machine

Tales from a Vending Machine is the third novel by Anees Sallim. My introduction to Anees Salim was through ‘The Blind Lady’s Descendants’. ‘The Blind Lady’s Descendants’ was an exceptional family saga and that had encouraged me to buy Vanity Bagh. But Vanity Bagh was just a plain novel and I was disappointed. Then I came across ‘Tales from a Vending Machine’ in my library. There is nothing on the cover that attracts you except for the author's name (if you are familiar with him). But I decided to read it because it was from the author of ‘The Blind Lady’s Descendants’.

Plot And Summary

‘Tales from a Vending Machine’ is the story of Hasina Mansoor. It couldn't exactly be called a story, rather, like a serial it is several episodes from Hasina's life. Hasina is a vending machine attendant at the Airport Department Lounge, who sells tea at 40 Rs. Even though she sells costly tea, she isn’t any rich. With just Rs 1800 per month, she has to pay for the graduation of her twin sister Shamla and also look after her younger brother Ali. Her father owns the ‘Mustafa Stores’, which he is thinking of selling, for repaying his debts. Hasina’s parents are more concerned about the ongoing feud with the upstairs neighbours, Laila Aunty’s family. Laila Aunty is her father’s half sister. In the midst of all this, Hasina is in love with her cousin Eza (Laila Aunty’s son). With nothing extraordinary happening in her life she dreams of an extraordinary life. Sometimes she dreams of being an air-hostess and sometimes a pilot (who protects the plane and passengers from hijackers).

Though she is not satisfied with her life and always urges for more, she isn’t completely sad either. Moments with Eza are always comforting. And she also finds time to gossip with the ‘Cookie Lady’ and the ‘Coupon Centre Man’. But all this changes. She discovers a secret about someone very close to her. This completely shatters her and she starts hating everyone including herself. Will she ever have a good life?

Characters

Anees Salim has created a rare kind of character with Hasina. In the initial part of the novel Hasina is a caring young lady. Then towards the half of the novel she is shown gossiping about a lady who offered her a job and then betrayed her. And then towards the end she is a selfish, non-caring woman. Her sister Shamla is just the opposite. Initially she is arrogant but towards the end she is more caring and understanding (not selfless though). It is hard to love Hasina, but you will readily hate her. Then there is Haji Osman (owner of the vending machine) who is rude and Eza.

Narration

‘Tales from a Vending Machine’ is a first person narration and is narrated by Hasina. The book is full of humour and in fact it is the humour that sees you till the end. Hasina misspelling ‘Jews’ as ‘Juice’, when she says ‘I hate Juice’, or her explaining ‘microbes’ as a company owned by Bill Gates to her brother Ali, all add to the humour. Like I said earlier it is more like some episodes from a vending machine attendant’s life. I say that because, most of the chapters are just some incidents that happen in Hasina’s life and they are not linked. Just like Anees Salim’s other novels (I haven’t read ‘Vicks Mango Tree’), in this book too there is an unexplained death. The reason for an air-hostess’ suicide is left for the readers to imagine. 

Conclusion

So in general the book is not that great. It is just an okay read. Initial chapters are witty but soon we get bored. However it was better than ‘Vanity Bagh’. (That’s just my personal opinion. Vanity Bagh had won the Hindu Prize for the best fiction). And Blind Lady’s Descendents (again a winner of Hindu Prize) is one of my favorites.