Reviews

Members Only by Sameer Pandya

thislibrarianisreading's review against another edition

tense slow-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

3.5

michelebelle's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 stars

shannanhicks's review against another edition

5.0

Rarely do I sink into a novel like I did this one. Raj is a professor born in India, but raised largely i the States. He has settled in to a nice life with his wife and two sons. They even belong to a country club. But Raj's struggle to figure out just who he is in the world results in an unintended racial slur to a couple looking to join the club. We then see the next week in his life unfold in some dramatic ways.

I really liked Sameer Pandya's writing style. It's easy to visualize the characters, settings and situations. I can't wait to see what's next from this author.

vsobaka05's review

5.0

I'm truly shocked this book is not more well-known. Every part of it - the story, the prose, the characters - is somehow simply stated, while also being extremely layered with nuance. There were several powerful passages, and overall, I thought it was a fascinating depiction of an ethnic group that is often overlooked in American culture.

ebalon's review against another edition

3.0

I had higher hopes for this one. A lot of this book took place inside the main characters head, and while that was fine for a bit, but the end I was hoping for a bit more action. A fine read but not one I would rush to recommend

half2happy's review against another edition

4.0

This book spiked my anxiety and made me reflect on some past situations. Raced through some of the supporting backstory to find out what happened next, need to reread.

micki1961's review against another edition

3.0

(Hope's pick) An Asian Indian teacher in a small California college. Dealing with midlife crisis, misunderstanding of race from both sides. Interesting.

jpitts's review

4.0

If you've read the premise for this book and thought it could be interesting, I don't think you'll be disappointed. It took me a minute to get into it, but once things got going, I couldn't put it down. Raj is such an interesting and fleshed-out character, and his week-from-hell is both engaging and frustrating to read. I had problems with the pacing here and there, but overall, this was really solid, and I kind of wish more people were reading it.

kyr_6592's review

reflective medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I’m not sure whether the main character grew, which seems wildly concerning given the racism. 

mckenzie_reads's review against another edition

5.0

MEMBERS ONLY follows Raj Bhatt, an Indian man living in the United States with his wife and family. While interviewing new couples for the tennis club they’re a part of, Raj makes a racist joke in an attempt to connect. Later in the later week, some of Raj’s college students accuse him of reverse racism.

Sameer Pandaya has done a wonderful job exploring the everyday racism that exists in our lives. I found Raj to be a very likable main character, and that made it even more painful as I watched his story unfold.

It was so frustrating to see (mainly white) people constantly discriminate against Raj, while also wildly condemning him for his small errors. I have thought a lot about this novel since putting it down, and I highly recommend it. MEMBERS ONLY does an expert job at examining this complicated topic. I think it will be especially enlightening to white readers like myself, as it made it so painfully obvious how each small act microaggression combined creates a much larger problem. I highly encourage you to read this novel! (4.5 stars rounded up)