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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
I wasn't sure why I wanted to read this book. When the library told me it was ready to check out, I re-read the description and thought "Why the heck would I put a hold on this?" It must have been on a top ten list from 2014. That's the only reason I can think of why I decided to read it. Nothing in the description made me think it would be a good book, or anything that I'd be interested in. I know absolutely zero about Indian culture or traditions.
But I'm really glad I read it. It was truly a beautiful story about families and how we deal with loss. It doesn't matter that I didn't always understand the culture. Families, no matter where they're from, are all similar. I highly recommend this book. And now I really want some Indian food. (So much FOOD in this book lol!!!)
But I'm really glad I read it. It was truly a beautiful story about families and how we deal with loss. It doesn't matter that I didn't always understand the culture. Families, no matter where they're from, are all similar. I highly recommend this book. And now I really want some Indian food. (So much FOOD in this book lol!!!)
Just finished the book and am wiping tears from my eyes. The author writes a portrait of grief that is impressively palpable. The last 50 pages of this book, in particular, were fantastic. The only reason I am not giving it more than 3 stars is that the book is very lengthy with long stretches where it feels like nothing is really happening. I feel like the whole book could have been about 200 pages shorter. I considering quitting the book multiple times but decided to stick with it.
This book was so wonderful and engaging, at least for the first half. I lost interest and put it down for a long time. Having finished it now, I don't know if I needed to ever pick it back up. What began as a moving, incredibly engaging story ended up being kind of a pointless slog to an oddly sudden and unsatisfying finish line. Jacob is so talented but an editor somewhere along the line needed to cut at least 100 pages from this story. There was a lot of potential here and I'd still say the first half was outstanding, but it didn't stick the landing.
Enjoyed this way more than expected. Chose it because I needed something fluffy, and it was NOT that--but was very good. Covers the Indian immigrant experience in the US; covers family (including the definition of "family"), death, and learning to overcome. Amina has to go home from Seattle to New Mexico because her father is having issues with seeing long dead family members. Once she gets there she not only has to face down her father's illness, but she has to come to terms with the death years ago of her brother, Akhil. While coming home means for her what it means for most of us; it also gives her the chance to understand more clearly, through the eyes of an adult, what her family went through, how they really feel toward one another, and who she has become as an adult. The characters seemed very well drawn, and it was easy to empathize with everyone in the book.
Nope. This one's not happening for me. I gave it a good go, but I feel like I'm being asked to condone some seriously questionable behavior, and I'm not comfortable with it. Nor is the story engrossing enough to excuse it.
All encompassing decades long unfolding story of families, change, getting/staying connected, grief, finding your way in the world, and more. So many layers - some I understood and some I didn’t - but still going with 5 stars.
It was a good tragi-comic study of character and family until it devolved into a sappy, stupid double-romance.
I super struggled through the first 60-70 pages of this book then I fell in love with it and couldn't put it down. The author created these characters that were so real, flawed and great at the same time. This is one of those books that you enjoy as you read, you mark passages as you go, and after it ends you find yourself thinking about how it had so many layers.
I also loved all the spaces where she let the reader interpret what happened. Someone at book group made the point (Gillian!) that it's truly written from Amina's age perspective and it makes so much sense after thinking on it.
I would recommend this book with the caveat that you may not like part one but it's important to the story and it will get better. So much to love here - characters, plot, the realness. Can't believe this is a first novel!
I also loved all the spaces where she let the reader interpret what happened. Someone at book group made the point (Gillian!) that it's truly written from Amina's age perspective and it makes so much sense after thinking on it.
I would recommend this book with the caveat that you may not like part one but it's important to the story and it will get better. So much to love here - characters, plot, the realness. Can't believe this is a first novel!
This is the story of an New Mexican Indian-American family in which excessive love turns to anger and honesty in art turns to invasion: Thomas, his wife Kamala, their son Akhil, and their daughter Amina who is a photographer in Seattle.
I enjoyed this book but was disappointed by the ending. It felt like she needed to finish the book, so she wrapped it up too quickly.