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thenovelmaura's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
3.5
I love a complicated matriarch and Dava Shastri delivered on that front! Her obsession with legacy and her devotion to her philanthropic mission made her an equal parts admirable and frustrating figure. It was fascinating to see her last days through the eyes of her large, messy family and understand the ripple effects of her decisions—both ones she made years ago and ones she made in the months leading up to her death. I also appreciated this look at medically-assisted death and how every member of the family processed her choice in their own way. The audiobook was read by a talented narrator and included a little clip of the song "Dava," which was a lovely and unexpected treat.
Personally, I didn't have a problem keeping track of the characters because I found their personalities to be very distinctive. But I agree with reviewers who point out that all of the other family members were shallowly developed in comparison to Dava. I also thought this book was longer than it needed to be, especially given the aforementioned critique. All in all, this was a strong debut and I'm looking forward to Ramisetti's next book!
Personally, I didn't have a problem keeping track of the characters because I found their personalities to be very distinctive. But I agree with reviewers who point out that all of the other family members were shallowly developed in comparison to Dava. I also thought this book was longer than it needed to be, especially given the aforementioned critique. All in all, this was a strong debut and I'm looking forward to Ramisetti's next book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Cancer, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism and Infidelity
Minor: Domestic abuse
amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Classism, Racism, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Cancer
onmalsshelf's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Thank you Grand Central for an ARC and a finished copy in exchange for a review.
Dava Shastri has ulterior motives.
Dava Shasri is a horrible person.
Dava Shastri's last day was too long.
Dava Shastri did not raise a single decent person.
Dava Shastri traumatized her grandchildren.
Interesting premise that did not deliver. Too many unlikeable people and no one to cheer for except maybe a son-in-law, Colin, and the four grandkids.
Dava basically gathered her family at their family compound to find how what the world would say about her death, but she ended up finding out what her kids thought about her and her actions when they were younger.
For a character driven novel - there was zero character development for anyone minus Dava (and that wasn’t even that great).
I do recommend the audiobook. Soneela Nankani was fantastic and I’d love to dive into other audiobooks she’s done. Plus, there was the song ‘Dava’ at the end.
Dava Shastri has ulterior motives.
Dava Shasri is a horrible person.
Dava Shastri's last day was too long.
Dava Shastri did not raise a single decent person.
Dava Shastri traumatized her grandchildren.
Interesting premise that did not deliver. Too many unlikeable people and no one to cheer for except maybe a son-in-law, Colin, and the four grandkids.
Dava basically gathered her family at their family compound to find how what the world would say about her death, but she ended up finding out what her kids thought about her and her actions when they were younger.
For a character driven novel - there was zero character development for anyone minus Dava (and that wasn’t even that great).
I do recommend the audiobook. Soneela Nankani was fantastic and I’d love to dive into other audiobooks she’s done. Plus, there was the song ‘Dava’ at the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death of parent, Homophobia, Infidelity, Grief, Biphobia, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Alcoholism
caseythereader's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Death, Emotional abuse, Cancer, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Terminal illness, Cursing, Grief, Infidelity, Medical content, and Sexual content
sagebrush_'s review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I have mixed feelings about this book. The first 60% was a chore to get through, but once I had a connection and understanding of the characters I enjoyed it. It takes a long while for some of the characters to make progress with their issues.
The audiobook includes a performance of the fictional song Dava by Tom Buck.
Consider skipping this book if:
-you greatly prefer plot driven books
-you don’t have patience for a lot of characters and backstories
-you really don’t care to hear about the emotional troubles of millionaires
The audiobook includes a performance of the fictional song Dava by Tom Buck.
Consider skipping this book if:
-you greatly prefer plot driven books
-you don’t have patience for a lot of characters and backstories
-you really don’t care to hear about the emotional troubles of millionaires
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer and Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity and Medical content
sleeson's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-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? Yes
1.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity, Pregnancy, Suicide, Grief, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cancer, and Death of parent
youshouldreadthisif's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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? Yes
4.5
Am I glad I read this? Yes. While there are POVs from other members of the family that provide insight into family dynamics through their eyes, this book is as good as it is because of how well Ramisetti constructed Dava's character. She's "unlikeable" and sometimes difficult to sympathize with; she's deeply ambitious to the point of fixation, dismissive of her children, bordering on narcissistic, obsessed with her legacy, controlling, incredibly demanding, and, frankly, unrepentant about all of that. (Though this begs the question of whether we'd call this character unlikeable if she were instead a he, doesn't it?) And that's exactly why I like her character so much. My favorite part was Dava's POV about Tom Buck - she makes, and keeps making, an incredibly selfish and potentially devastating decision. And while my romantic heart hated it, I also understood it. So don't read this book for the juicy secrets revealed; one of them's not all that shocking, anyway. Instead, read it for the incredibly complicated family matriarch and the insight into her choices and how they affected her family.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Suicide, and Death
Moderate: Infidelity
mishale1's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I generally rate a book with a star rating based on my own enjoyment level and not necessarily how well the book is written. Their my reviews after all. So, does this book deserve better than a 3 star rating? Probably to many people it does.
It don’t like sad books very often. I really don’t like books that are sad most of the time. And I also enjoy a book less when I don’t like the lead character.
Why did I read this book then? I didn’t realize how sad it would be. It sounded like an amusing concept.
Dava knows she’s dying. She’s incredibly famous and incredibly wealthy. She’s done a lot of good for the world. She has her death leaked to the press early so she can see what is said about her.
Dava seems to be expecting that everything said about her will be good, she’s most famous for her charitable work after all. She is completely blindsided with two huge secrets from her past also come out and threaten to overtake the good things written about her.
She thinks it’s unfair that people would focus on scandalous gossip when she’s done so much good. She thinks it’s sexist.
But let me tell you a bit about Dava.
She leaked the news of her death to the press before telling her own children she was dying. They didn’t even know she was sick.
Now the whole family has found out, despite her trying to hide it by secluding everyone in a cabin without technological devices.
She’s also planning to have a doctor do an assisted suicide procedure for her.
The secrets that come out about her in the press?
Her kids didn’t know them either.
Now the whole family is together, they just find out their mom will die before they leave the cabin, they’ve got their children there with them, and they have to deal with the big secrets their mom kept while also processing that she’s dying.
I made it through this book but it was really just incredibly sad the whole way through. It was well written but it wasn’t for me.
It don’t like sad books very often. I really don’t like books that are sad most of the time. And I also enjoy a book less when I don’t like the lead character.
Why did I read this book then? I didn’t realize how sad it would be. It sounded like an amusing concept.
Dava knows she’s dying. She’s incredibly famous and incredibly wealthy. She’s done a lot of good for the world. She has her death leaked to the press early so she can see what is said about her.
Dava seems to be expecting that everything said about her will be good, she’s most famous for her charitable work after all. She is completely blindsided with two huge secrets from her past also come out and threaten to overtake the good things written about her.
She thinks it’s unfair that people would focus on scandalous gossip when she’s done so much good. She thinks it’s sexist.
But let me tell you a bit about Dava.
She leaked the news of her death to the press before telling her own children she was dying. They didn’t even know she was sick.
Now the whole family has found out, despite her trying to hide it by secluding everyone in a cabin without technological devices.
She’s also planning to have a doctor do an assisted suicide procedure for her.
The secrets that come out about her in the press?
Her kids didn’t know them either.
Now the whole family is together, they just find out their mom will die before they leave the cabin, they’ve got their children there with them, and they have to deal with the big secrets their mom kept while also processing that she’s dying.
I made it through this book but it was really just incredibly sad the whole way through. It was well written but it wasn’t for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide, Death, Death of parent, and Infidelity
leahrosiee's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Infidelity, Cancer, Terminal illness, and Suicide
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Pregnancy
myinfinitetbr's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Dava is a wealthy philanthropist who, at seventy, is dealt a brain cancer diagnosis. She brings her for adult children to the family's private island to deliver the news. Dava preemptively releases her obituary to the world, and watches the reactions, and rumors, unfold.
What follows is the last 24 hours of Dava's life, as her family comes to terms with her past and their future.
I love a good family drama, and this one was *chef's kiss*
The family dynamics, a mother's secret past, childhood memories, sibling rivalries, familial responsibilities... all in the span of a day.
It was written past and present timelines, and different POVs, as the whole picture came into focus.
There was also a fun music/ celebrity plotline that totally brought the Daisy Jones vibes.
Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for my gifted copy!
What follows is the last 24 hours of Dava's life, as her family comes to terms with her past and their future.
I love a good family drama, and this one was *chef's kiss*
The family dynamics, a mother's secret past, childhood memories, sibling rivalries, familial responsibilities... all in the span of a day.
It was written past and present timelines, and different POVs, as the whole picture came into focus.
There was also a fun music/ celebrity plotline that totally brought the Daisy Jones vibes.
Thanks to Grand Central Publishing for my gifted copy!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infidelity