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3.26 AVERAGE
3.26 AVERAGE
3.5 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Destination Wedding caught my attention thanks to the colorful cover, and the blurb sounded interesting as well. And while I have mixed feelings on it, I still feel like it’s a pretty solid book.
The writing is compelling and even funny at times, making this a fun, quick read that was easy to get into and kept me turning pages. I also felt India as a setting was well drawn, especially when the characters were talking about the changes occurring around them.
However, there’s a lot of emphasis put on the relationships between these different characters attending the extravagant Indian wedding, and I found some of their drama a little petty, particularly Tina’s indolent approach to her work and Marianne’s gold digging tendencies. The only redeemable characters were Tina’s divorced parents, because of their enduring friendship and sort-of partnership.
If anything, this book is full of desi family drama, so I think it’s worth taking the good with the bad. If that sounds like your sort of thing, then I recommend picking this one up.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Destination Wedding caught my attention thanks to the colorful cover, and the blurb sounded interesting as well. And while I have mixed feelings on it, I still feel like it’s a pretty solid book.
The writing is compelling and even funny at times, making this a fun, quick read that was easy to get into and kept me turning pages. I also felt India as a setting was well drawn, especially when the characters were talking about the changes occurring around them.
However, there’s a lot of emphasis put on the relationships between these different characters attending the extravagant Indian wedding, and I found some of their drama a little petty, particularly Tina’s indolent approach to her work and Marianne’s gold digging tendencies. The only redeemable characters were Tina’s divorced parents, because of their enduring friendship and sort-of partnership.
If anything, this book is full of desi family drama, so I think it’s worth taking the good with the bad. If that sounds like your sort of thing, then I recommend picking this one up.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
medium-paced
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This was a really nice light read. I'm not a huge fan of romance novels or love stories - but this was a nice balance of optimism and the reality of love. I enjoyed that it wasn't a hard focus, rather touches. If you're looking for something light-hearted and fun - this is a great one!
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A true cast of characters. It took me a good 30% way through to grasp all of the characters. I am not sure I really liked any of them, but I did want them all to get their happy ending and they did. Basu really wrapped things up nicely.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Let me start by saying, I am not the desired audience for this book. I do not enjoy reading about rich people complaining about everything in general, with a glass of expensive wine, designer clothes, and brain cells devoid of any real understanding of the world. That said, I am reviewing this book from a neutral perspective, just to tell you what to expect.
The story takes place amidst a destination wedding(duh!) and centres around the Das family. As they travel from JFK to Delhi, Tina-the daughter wants to see the real India and decide where she belongs. Her friend Marianne is tired of the monotony and her 'average' relationship with Tom. She seeks the thrill of the chase and what better place to find men than a wedding?
There are multiple angles to the story and the narration is almost always hilarious. Tina's need to stay relevant, her parents and their affairs and everything that goes in the wedding in a rollercoaster ride, one that will keep you on your toes, if that's the kind of story you like. Their quirks, ambitions, flaws and anxieties are all handled maturely throughout the book. What threw me off was the sheer number of characters the author introduced. I don't exactly do well with too many characters, so that's a bummer.
'Destination Wedding' is witty and adventurous, one that will keep you engaged throughout (it's like going to a wedding with all 5 of your kids and not finding any of them after exactly 5 minutes. You gotta keep track).
The story takes place amidst a destination wedding(duh!) and centres around the Das family. As they travel from JFK to Delhi, Tina-the daughter wants to see the real India and decide where she belongs. Her friend Marianne is tired of the monotony and her 'average' relationship with Tom. She seeks the thrill of the chase and what better place to find men than a wedding?
There are multiple angles to the story and the narration is almost always hilarious. Tina's need to stay relevant, her parents and their affairs and everything that goes in the wedding in a rollercoaster ride, one that will keep you on your toes, if that's the kind of story you like. Their quirks, ambitions, flaws and anxieties are all handled maturely throughout the book. What threw me off was the sheer number of characters the author introduced. I don't exactly do well with too many characters, so that's a bummer.
'Destination Wedding' is witty and adventurous, one that will keep you engaged throughout (it's like going to a wedding with all 5 of your kids and not finding any of them after exactly 5 minutes. You gotta keep track).
Destination Wedding by Tina Basu revolves mainly around the lives of the Das family — Neel, Radha, and their daughter Tina who are on their way to a ‘Destination Wedding’ in India.
Tina Das is the vice president of developments for Pixl, a video content company. An American-Indian, born and brought up in the States, she is struggling to decide where she belongs – in the US or India? Tina has been failing to keep up with work since most of her ideas are shunned before they see the light. Her boyfriend, Andrew dumped her and here she is, sitting at the JFK airport, contemplating about her life.
Radha and Neel Das, Tina’s parents, have separated and are moving on in their respective lives. Radha brings her beau, David, along with her to the wedding. AWKWARD? Actually not. We’re in a progressive world where, after divorce, everyone has a chance to move on and be happy. Neel, on the other hand, has been in touch with a group that hitches widows, widowers, and divorced people together.
The wedding is like any typical Indian wedding. Lots of annoying people, booze, and rich families throwing money left, right, and centre. The story gives you an insight into what happens at Indian weddings. However, I wanted more of the ‘wedding aspect’. Tina keeps ditching the wedding rituals to find herself that we end up seeing little of the wedding.
I detest the characters of both Tina and her best friend, Marianne. I found them annoying, especially Marianne. I have my doubts about Tina. Being the centric person, I expected more development in her character, and she never failed to annoy me. At times, I wanted to shut the book on her face (if that makes sense).
The companionship between Neel and Radha was lovely. They’ve been divorced for over ten years, but the bond they share was heart-touching. The growing closeness between David and Radha was heartwarming too. Mr Das also meets a certain Mrs Sethi, a widower on his trip to India (yay!). I loved the character of grandma Nora. There is one such person in every Indian Punjabi family and I waited patiently for her appearances. The ending is like any other typical Indian wedding, ‘hotch-potch’ (as I like to call it).
The writing is strong and keeps you hooked to the book. I did like the concept of the book, how every character is looking for something, but I wanted more. I heard amazing things about Basu’s previous book and wanted to dive in as soon as possible. It’s a good read if you’re looking for something light and refreshing.
Tina Das is the vice president of developments for Pixl, a video content company. An American-Indian, born and brought up in the States, she is struggling to decide where she belongs – in the US or India? Tina has been failing to keep up with work since most of her ideas are shunned before they see the light. Her boyfriend, Andrew dumped her and here she is, sitting at the JFK airport, contemplating about her life.
Radha and Neel Das, Tina’s parents, have separated and are moving on in their respective lives. Radha brings her beau, David, along with her to the wedding. AWKWARD? Actually not. We’re in a progressive world where, after divorce, everyone has a chance to move on and be happy. Neel, on the other hand, has been in touch with a group that hitches widows, widowers, and divorced people together.
The wedding is like any typical Indian wedding. Lots of annoying people, booze, and rich families throwing money left, right, and centre. The story gives you an insight into what happens at Indian weddings. However, I wanted more of the ‘wedding aspect’. Tina keeps ditching the wedding rituals to find herself that we end up seeing little of the wedding.
I detest the characters of both Tina and her best friend, Marianne. I found them annoying, especially Marianne. I have my doubts about Tina. Being the centric person, I expected more development in her character, and she never failed to annoy me. At times, I wanted to shut the book on her face (if that makes sense).
The companionship between Neel and Radha was lovely. They’ve been divorced for over ten years, but the bond they share was heart-touching. The growing closeness between David and Radha was heartwarming too. Mr Das also meets a certain Mrs Sethi, a widower on his trip to India (yay!). I loved the character of grandma Nora. There is one such person in every Indian Punjabi family and I waited patiently for her appearances. The ending is like any other typical Indian wedding, ‘hotch-potch’ (as I like to call it).
The writing is strong and keeps you hooked to the book. I did like the concept of the book, how every character is looking for something, but I wanted more. I heard amazing things about Basu’s previous book and wanted to dive in as soon as possible. It’s a good read if you’re looking for something light and refreshing.
The perfect "beach read". Compelling with great character development. I could imagine this as a mini series!