Thistle and weeds is an enjoyable collection of eleven stories that explore love, lust and loyalties from surprising perspectives. These stories celebrate the mysterious inner lives of ordinary people who are stuck in moments of crisis and struggle to unravel their lives in a world where certainties are tested and often found wanting. A young girl locates the defiant undercurrent of individual expression shackled by societal norms; an old Lonely widow finds a Ray of hope; a disillusioned wife redefines notions of fidelity; an agonized husband chooses freedom over his wife; a woman encounters love from her past; a rapist feels the need to unburden… Binding these acutely observed and emotionally intelligent stories are characters that are complex, confused and yet beautifully fascinating. Prachi Priyanka subverts the familiar themes of family, love and cultural identity and provides a rare glimpse into the strange workings of human heart.