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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
fast-paced
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
reflective
fast-paced
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
reflective
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Erst am Ende habe ich erkannt, worum es eigentlich geht. Dadurch bekamen die eher langweiligen Erklärungen einen düsteren Ton
It is a short family drama about a family that experiences overnight success from their new spice brand. The story flows beautifully until the end where it cuts off quite abruptly. In the end, the character thinks of the current situation he was in to be Ghachar Ghochar (meaning entangled/messy) but I think the only thing that's Ghachar Ghochar in this is his family and their unspoken rules. I enjoyed the story and wish there was more to it. I loved the setting of the coffee shop and the omniscient Vincent.
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
the ending was literally ghachar ghochar!
I’m sure I’ve said this is one of my reviews, but I always rate books based on how good that book is for what it is, if that makes sense. For example, when I read a YA contemporary, I’m rating it based on what I think a perfect YA contemporary is. It gets a little messy with things like this, because I’ve never actually read a short novel translated from Kannada told anecdotally about a family in Bangalore that goes from poor to wealthy. It had some quotable moments and I enjoyed seeing the changes in the family as the money grew, but it drug at times and wasn’t particularly the most memorable look at class and wealth ever. Still, I think I would recommend it for people that enjoy family-dynamic-character-study type things. 4 stars.
Ghachar Ghochar, by Vivek Shanbhag, is technically a novella - short and sharp. An unnamed narrator tells the story of his family’s rags to riches transformation in contemporary India - one day they are a family of five living in a cramped shack and constantly riddled with financial woes, shortly thereafter their lifestyle changes as the uncle establishes a successful spice company. This book is a subtle but poignant commentary on how wealth affects families, their personalities, and their perception of the world around them.
I enjoyed this short book, translated from its original Kannada. The narrator’s discomfort with his wealth, his awkward dynamic with his own wife, and wistful remembrance of his lost love add depth to this story.