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3.26 AVERAGE
3.26 AVERAGE
This was cute. Engaging, quick read. A little trite in some spots, but all in all I liked it. I also appreciated how they highlighted that you don't have to have everything figured out when you're young. And that you still have time to love and find love and be happy when you're in your 30s, 40s, and beyond.
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overall, I was quite underwhelmed. This book seems like it would almost be a better movie than a book.
Liked: The portrayal of a multigenerational Indian family in the United States and back in India. I much preferred the storylines of the older adults than the stories of the younger ones. There were multiple POVs (albeit too many), but they were very easy to follow, which usually isn't the case.
Didn't Like: Quite slow paced. I liked the multiple POVs, but I didn't really need the random back stories and thoughts of the non-revelant characters. I didn’t like for Tina or Marianne. They were just financially privileged, whiny girls for most of the book. Characters were underdeveloped.
Liked: The portrayal of a multigenerational Indian family in the United States and back in India. I much preferred the storylines of the older adults than the stories of the younger ones. There were multiple POVs (albeit too many), but they were very easy to follow, which usually isn't the case.
Didn't Like: Quite slow paced. I liked the multiple POVs, but I didn't really need the random back stories and thoughts of the non-revelant characters. I didn’t like for Tina or Marianne. They were just financially privileged, whiny girls for most of the book. Characters were underdeveloped.
I have to admit I tried getting into this 3 times and just couldn't do it. There were run on sentences, and it rambled on.
Loved this one! It is so smart & funny. This book would make the perfect limited series on a streaming platform. The characters are so unique & the writing makes me feel like I know them so well. Everything had a purpose. Loved the omniscient POV.
Tina doesn’t know where she belongs. Part of her feels she should be in India, but the other feels she belongs in New York. Is she an American, an Indian, or an American Indian? As she head to her cousins lavish wedding in Delhi, she hopes she will find the answer. Having her mother, her mothers boyfriend, her father, and her bff make thinks slightly more difficult to figure out. Will Tina find where she truly belongs while living it up at her cousins over the top nuptials?
This book was exactly what I needed to avoid a book slump. It was fun, but also serious, and overall just entertaining. I feel like Tina’s struggle is one many young adults face, whether it’s deciding between countries, or just leaving their hometown for somewhere else. I loved Tina’s parents and their commentary throughout the book. It added the extra something that made the book that much better. The only thing I had a problem with was that the poi’s changed fairly often, and it wasn’t at a chapter break which sometimes made it hard to follow. I had to read back and double check every once in a while. In the end, it wasn’t that big of a deal, but it’s nice to know going in so you can be prepared for it. I highly enjoyed this book!
This book was exactly what I needed to avoid a book slump. It was fun, but also serious, and overall just entertaining. I feel like Tina’s struggle is one many young adults face, whether it’s deciding between countries, or just leaving their hometown for somewhere else. I loved Tina’s parents and their commentary throughout the book. It added the extra something that made the book that much better. The only thing I had a problem with was that the poi’s changed fairly often, and it wasn’t at a chapter break which sometimes made it hard to follow. I had to read back and double check every once in a while. In the end, it wasn’t that big of a deal, but it’s nice to know going in so you can be prepared for it. I highly enjoyed this book!
Rating: 3 Stars
Recommend? For people who enjoyed the first Crazy Rich Asians book
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for a copy of this book for an honest review.
I went back and forth on my feelings about this book as I was reading it. The book follows an American Indian family as they travel from the US to India for a relative's lavish wedding. I enjoyed the character development of the parents: they're divorced, but find a way to still be partners as they explore new relationships. However their daughter, Tina, and her best friend, Marianne, were both difficult characters to read. Both characters are annoying in their privilege in the beginning of the book, and neither were developed in a way that made me warm to them like I hoped.
I also went back and forth on whether I liked the narration style. It jumps from character to character fluidly, and the experience of knowing Tina's thoughts one second and her rickshaw driver's the next was confusing in the beginning of the book, but by the end I enjoyed it and actually felt like it moved the storyline forward in an engaging way. This combined with the backdrop of the lavish South Asian wedding are what gives this book Crazy Rich Asians vibes, although I don't think the story was woven together as expertly as in CRA.
To end on a positive note: I loved the chapter headings! They always made me laugh and had some of the best character development in the book.
Recommend? For people who enjoyed the first Crazy Rich Asians book
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for a copy of this book for an honest review.
I went back and forth on my feelings about this book as I was reading it. The book follows an American Indian family as they travel from the US to India for a relative's lavish wedding. I enjoyed the character development of the parents: they're divorced, but find a way to still be partners as they explore new relationships. However their daughter, Tina, and her best friend, Marianne, were both difficult characters to read. Both characters are annoying in their privilege in the beginning of the book, and neither were developed in a way that made me warm to them like I hoped.
I also went back and forth on whether I liked the narration style. It jumps from character to character fluidly, and the experience of knowing Tina's thoughts one second and her rickshaw driver's the next was confusing in the beginning of the book, but by the end I enjoyed it and actually felt like it moved the storyline forward in an engaging way. This combined with the backdrop of the lavish South Asian wedding are what gives this book Crazy Rich Asians vibes, although I don't think the story was woven together as expertly as in CRA.
To end on a positive note: I loved the chapter headings! They always made me laugh and had some of the best character development in the book.
This was @badonpaperpodcast November book club pick, and it's a good one! It was witty and entertaining (hilarious, actually). I've heard of it being compared to Crazy Rich Asians, and I can see why: both feature comical familial drama set against a backdrop of decadent wealth.
Diksha Basu's The Windfall had just the right amount of quirkiness so Destination Wedding was high on my TBR list. That same quirkiness that shone through in The Windfall makes an appearance again in Destination Wedding, but where Basu mostly focused on a small cast of characters previous work, she does the opposite in her latest.
There were almost too many characters to keep up with, which made it difficult for me to initially keep them straight and/or care about their story line. At times, it felt like the story lines were meandering and characters who could have made the overall book more enjoyable were relegated to minor roles (e.g., the bride and groom).
It's also interesting to note the gratuitous white characters who were included in a story that centered Indian protagonists. I honestly can't say that the presence of either of them added much to the story and have to wonder if their addition was meant to broaden the writer's audience.
There were almost too many characters to keep up with, which made it difficult for me to initially keep them straight and/or care about their story line. At times, it felt like the story lines were meandering and characters who could have made the overall book more enjoyable were relegated to minor roles (e.g., the bride and groom).
It's also interesting to note the gratuitous white characters who were included in a story that centered Indian protagonists. I honestly can't say that the presence of either of them added much to the story and have to wonder if their addition was meant to broaden the writer's audience.