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3.26 AVERAGE
3.26 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
[DNF] Life is too short to spend time on books you hate. This is absolutely awful. I don't understand the writing, with giving the smallest details about some things that are not important, but on the other hand no elaboration on things that are acutally interesting.
Also the characters are draining and dense.
Just no.
Also the characters are draining and dense.
Just no.
3.3 stars
Like Crazy Rich Asians but with Indians. Not nearly as over the top though and had a dose of figuring out where you belong.
Like Crazy Rich Asians but with Indians. Not nearly as over the top though and had a dose of figuring out where you belong.
This is a three and a half star book for me. It took a while to get into but I really enjoyed the ending. My favorite characters were Mr. Das who was Tina’s father and the woman Mrs. Sethi who he was dating, and of course the city of Delhi in India.
Fun, easy, quick - everything a good "romcom" or "chicklit" should be.
I enjoy the multi-perspective narrative, and Basu does a splendid job presenting each character with unique personalities and voices. Each story line stands out on its own and blends together with the others in an effortless way. The "background" characters - the drivers, the groundswoman, etc. - are all treated with a touch of color as well, making them more than just filler on the page. That little extra effort makes the book stand out a bit for me.
That "immigrant struggle" (because, as Basu says, POC are recognized as immigrants, not expats), of not fully belonging in either culture, always feeling like you're a little out of sync in every setting, is so well articulated through Tina.
It's funny to read this in the aftermath of Indian Matchmaking and The Fabulous Wives of Bollywood Wives; art and reality forever chasing each other in a circle.
This had slight Crazy Rich Asians vibes, but was easier to follow (I found CRA easier to watch than read). Nono reminded me of Dadi from Shaandaar.
Overall, it's a lighthearted, sweet, modern story of Indians (both native and immigrant) against the cultural backdrop of upper middle class/upper class Delhiites.
My only question ... will we get a sequel? I'm glad Basu left that possibility open.
Please excuse the slightly disjointed review. Bottom line - read it. It's cute, relatable as a 30-something and a 50-something even if you're not Indian, and should appeal to both female and male readers.
I enjoy the multi-perspective narrative, and Basu does a splendid job presenting each character with unique personalities and voices. Each story line stands out on its own and blends together with the others in an effortless way. The "background" characters - the drivers, the groundswoman, etc. - are all treated with a touch of color as well, making them more than just filler on the page. That little extra effort makes the book stand out a bit for me.
That "immigrant struggle" (because, as Basu says, POC are recognized as immigrants, not expats), of not fully belonging in either culture, always feeling like you're a little out of sync in every setting, is so well articulated through Tina.
It's funny to read this in the aftermath of Indian Matchmaking and The Fabulous Wives of Bollywood Wives; art and reality forever chasing each other in a circle.
This had slight Crazy Rich Asians vibes, but was easier to follow (I found CRA easier to watch than read). Nono reminded me of Dadi from Shaandaar.
Overall, it's a lighthearted, sweet, modern story of Indians (both native and immigrant) against the cultural backdrop of upper middle class/upper class Delhiites.
My only question ... will we get a sequel? I'm glad Basu left that possibility open.
Please excuse the slightly disjointed review. Bottom line - read it. It's cute, relatable as a 30-something and a 50-something even if you're not Indian, and should appeal to both female and male readers.
DNF
This book really needed an editor. There were so many rambling non-sequiters that it was hard to follow the story. Example: main characters are flying... There's a whole run-on sentence paragraph on the backstory of the flight attendant. Was it relevant? Not that I could find.... Millions more examples.
I appreciate the opportunity to have an ARC of this book, and hope people will enjoy it and publishers will continue to seek out black and brown stories.
#netgalley #destinationwedding
This book really needed an editor. There were so many rambling non-sequiters that it was hard to follow the story. Example: main characters are flying... There's a whole run-on sentence paragraph on the backstory of the flight attendant. Was it relevant? Not that I could find.... Millions more examples.
I appreciate the opportunity to have an ARC of this book, and hope people will enjoy it and publishers will continue to seek out black and brown stories.
#netgalley #destinationwedding
I was really hoping to be blown away by this book but it just failed to meet my expectations.
Tina Das is an Indian American but neither fits here nor there. With her cousin, Shefali, getting married in India, it’s her chance to really get to know the country. The book follows Tina and her best friend, Marianne as well as Tina’s divorced parents; Mr Neel Das and Ms Radha Das. Radha has brought her new American boyfriend which provides some very interesting dynamics within the Das family.
I enjoyed the budding romance between Radha and David as well as Neel and his new match; Jyoti Sethi. But Tina and Marianne were really getting on my nerves because they thought they knew it all. Tina only wanted to see India as it is often depicted; filled with poverty but it clashed with her middle-class upbringing. Marianne has a stable boyfriend back home but chooses to entertain another option when in India because her relationship back home has become boring. I also could not understand why the chapter titles were so long especially when they didn’t describe the chapter or what was going to happen.
Tina Das is an Indian American but neither fits here nor there. With her cousin, Shefali, getting married in India, it’s her chance to really get to know the country. The book follows Tina and her best friend, Marianne as well as Tina’s divorced parents; Mr Neel Das and Ms Radha Das. Radha has brought her new American boyfriend which provides some very interesting dynamics within the Das family.
I enjoyed the budding romance between Radha and David as well as Neel and his new match; Jyoti Sethi. But Tina and Marianne were really getting on my nerves because they thought they knew it all. Tina only wanted to see India as it is often depicted; filled with poverty but it clashed with her middle-class upbringing. Marianne has a stable boyfriend back home but chooses to entertain another option when in India because her relationship back home has become boring. I also could not understand why the chapter titles were so long especially when they didn’t describe the chapter or what was going to happen.
I loved the Windfall and was so excited for this. But it's a very different book. It doesn't have the same satirical humor Windfall did, though there were glimpses of it through Mr. Das and some of the other older characters.