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book_concierge's review against another edition
3.0
3.5***
When an earthquake strikes, nine people are trapped in the basement of the Indian consulate: an upper-class Caucasian couple with a troubled marriage, a young Muslim-American man with a tendency to act rashly, a graduate student whose parents have returned to India, an African-American Vietnam veteran, a Chinese grandmother with a secret along with her punk-rock teenage granddaughter, and two visa office workers.
I was immediately caught up in the “present day” story of these nine people trapped in a basement. I liked the way that the author revealed their strengths and weaknesses as they acted / reacted to the situation. Who was selfish, or brave, or took charge, or retreated. But when Uma suggests that they pass the time by each telling “one amazing thing” from his/her life, the story arc lost some momentum, and it became more of a collection of short stories.
I don’t mind this too much, because I love short stories, and Divakaruni writes them well. However, this sort of hybrid between a short story collection and a novel seemed a little awkward. I was enthralled and interested in both the story of nine people trapped by the earthquake, and in the characters back stories. What each chose to reveal to these strangers, while fearing they would die together, told much about them as individuals. I have to admit it made me wonder what episode of my life I would tell in such circumstances.
One final note: the city in the book is unnamed, but apparently San Francisco. There are references to cable cars and being “by the bay.” Additionally, there IS an Indian consulate (where one would go for a visa) in San Francisco. And, of course, it is a city with a history of earthquakes.
When an earthquake strikes, nine people are trapped in the basement of the Indian consulate: an upper-class Caucasian couple with a troubled marriage, a young Muslim-American man with a tendency to act rashly, a graduate student whose parents have returned to India, an African-American Vietnam veteran, a Chinese grandmother with a secret along with her punk-rock teenage granddaughter, and two visa office workers.
I was immediately caught up in the “present day” story of these nine people trapped in a basement. I liked the way that the author revealed their strengths and weaknesses as they acted / reacted to the situation. Who was selfish, or brave, or took charge, or retreated. But when Uma suggests that they pass the time by each telling “one amazing thing” from his/her life, the story arc lost some momentum, and it became more of a collection of short stories.
I don’t mind this too much, because I love short stories, and Divakaruni writes them well. However, this sort of hybrid between a short story collection and a novel seemed a little awkward. I was enthralled and interested in both the story of nine people trapped by the earthquake, and in the characters back stories. What each chose to reveal to these strangers, while fearing they would die together, told much about them as individuals. I have to admit it made me wonder what episode of my life I would tell in such circumstances.
One final note: the city in the book is unnamed, but apparently San Francisco. There are references to cable cars and being “by the bay.” Additionally, there IS an Indian consulate (where one would go for a visa) in San Francisco. And, of course, it is a city with a history of earthquakes.
shareen17's review against another edition
4.0
This reminded me so much of Bel Canto. Then I finished the book and read the author interview, and she mentions she read Bel Canto right before writing this and was influenced by it. So there you go. A set of strangers are thrown together and end up each telling stories about their lives. It's engaging storytelling.
ginabyeg's review against another edition
3.0
I expected better. It was an okay read, but I don't think the characters stories reflected "one amazing thing" as the synopsis leads the reader to believe. The stories bring the characters closer together during the story, perhaps building empathy. However, I felt there was a lack of resolution at the end of the book, such that even that increased bond as a result of each character's stories can't classify as "amazing."
goneabroad71's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A really enjoyable read!
barbaraskalberg's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting collection of short stories told by a small group of strangers as they wait, trapped in an office space in the aftermath of an earthquake.
retiredlibrarylady's review against another edition
4.0
I really like this book about people buried in an basement office after an earthquake. Things get worse and worse, and the people decide to tell a story about their past to help pass the time and keep their minds off their situation. Nicely written.
kawarwick's review against another edition
3.0
A very different story. It made me stop and think about my one amazing thing.
spaulk57's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
3.5 stars. Good quick read with an interesting mix of characters and their stories. As other reviewers have mentioned, more of the efforts to survive the earthquake and comments on each other’s stories would have made for a more engrossing story.
lizaroo71's review against another edition
3.0
This is about nine people that find themselves in a passport office when an earthquake hits. These individuals all have different reasons for why they are at the office and each story is revealed as these individuals realize their fate is tied up with everyone present.
To make the time pass and to distract from crisis at hand, each person is asked to share a story of "one amazing thing" that has happened in his/her life. These stories are told in third person and help the reader to better understand the character's reaction in the present situation.
The writing is lyrical and easy to read.
The ending is rather ambiguous, but it definitely leaves you thinking about what we appreciate in life and what we take for granted.
To make the time pass and to distract from crisis at hand, each person is asked to share a story of "one amazing thing" that has happened in his/her life. These stories are told in third person and help the reader to better understand the character's reaction in the present situation.
The writing is lyrical and easy to read.
The ending is rather ambiguous, but it definitely leaves you thinking about what we appreciate in life and what we take for granted.