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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
Very interesting book - calls the meaning of legacy and the intentions behind philanthropy into question. I enjoyed the character development of each of the children (wish we got to know more about Chaitanya) and the pace at which Dava’s past was told.
4.5-5 stars? TBD. I just loved this so much and the ideas of your legacy, what happens when you die, how you want to be remembered, the dreams you have for your children vs the actual paths they want to take... super super interesting and I think this would make a great book club discussion.
slow-paced
You know how sometimes you read a book and the imagery is so strong that you can actually see the movie? That's this book.
This would make a terrific film or mini-series. The relationships among the characters is so well developed. They are all extremely relatable.
Strongly recommend.
This would make a terrific film or mini-series. The relationships among the characters is so well developed. They are all extremely relatable.
Strongly recommend.
When I read the synopsis, I thought "Oh, meeting on an island and secrets get spilled? Sounds like Knives out 2, right up my alley!" What I learned when I started reading is this is not like Knives out 2. It was a nuanced story about family, individuality, and the messy nature of life and being human. I haven't read much by South Asian authors, and I enjoyed getting into this book and seeing what the author had created.
3.5
This book took a long time for me to get into and I’m not sure I ever actually got into it. It could have been about 100 pages shorter. The ending was great - well-written and I felt deeply connected to the characters, especially Dava. The ending gave this a .5 bump.
Overall, the story have powerful themes of family, legacy, love, ego, power, and feminism. I thought about it quite a bit but because it dragged on so much, I did struggle overall.
This book took a long time for me to get into and I’m not sure I ever actually got into it. It could have been about 100 pages shorter. The ending was great - well-written and I felt deeply connected to the characters, especially Dava. The ending gave this a .5 bump.
Overall, the story have powerful themes of family, legacy, love, ego, power, and feminism. I thought about it quite a bit but because it dragged on so much, I did struggle overall.
truly enjoyed this book and will be recommending it to my mom. loved how it contrasted all of dava's hard work with the "struggles" of her kids, and revealing her life in small tidbits. having immigrant parents myself, this is how i feel about them, all i know is things that i have been around for until they drop little tidbits that shock me.
this was such an interesting family dyanic. dava shastri a fully ethnic indian women married arvid cant remember his last name (a swedish man) adding to the overpopulated world of wasians. the dynamic and pressure she feels as an indian women is so understood to me, as an indian women. the drive and pressure she feels to be a women of her own, not in relation to her husband or any other man is inspirational to me.
dava's life story was truly intersting to me. her struggle between family and work, and making sacrifices in the wrong places is something that i truly understand, and even the more taboo topics in indian households like pregnancy before marriage and even major choices like infidelity.
i liked that dava controlled her life including when she died, especially considering her sickness. her kids are lowkey toxic af tho. like boohoo you are a nepo baby, go do something w ur life and stop being a hater. especially arvie like dude can u go to therapy and fix ur problems, u are so manipulatie and toxic and the reason why the world does not need more wasian men. the narrative of the story was so incredible and the perspectives of each character varied but it left me with the message, what do you do for others. truly enjoyed reading this
this was such an interesting family dyanic. dava shastri a fully ethnic indian women married arvid cant remember his last name (a swedish man) adding to the overpopulated world of wasians. the dynamic and pressure she feels as an indian women is so understood to me, as an indian women. the drive and pressure she feels to be a women of her own, not in relation to her husband or any other man is inspirational to me.
dava's life story was truly intersting to me. her struggle between family and work, and making sacrifices in the wrong places is something that i truly understand, and even the more taboo topics in indian households like pregnancy before marriage and even major choices like infidelity.
i liked that dava controlled her life including when she died, especially considering her sickness. her kids are lowkey toxic af tho. like boohoo you are a nepo baby, go do something w ur life and stop being a hater. especially arvie like dude can u go to therapy and fix ur problems, u are so manipulatie and toxic and the reason why the world does not need more wasian men. the narrative of the story was so incredible and the perspectives of each character varied but it left me with the message, what do you do for others. truly enjoyed reading this
In some ways, this book reminded me of Evelyn Hugo.
I found myself relating to Dava in so many ways and I imagine that enjoyment of the book is likely dependant on how much the reader relates to Dava. As a small business owner – a woman who often finds it difficult to juggle family and business, despite my best intentions – I saw so much of myself in her. The story will likely stick with me for a long time.
I found myself relating to Dava in so many ways and I imagine that enjoyment of the book is likely dependant on how much the reader relates to Dava. As a small business owner – a woman who often finds it difficult to juggle family and business, despite my best intentions – I saw so much of myself in her. The story will likely stick with me for a long time.
this book dragged on and on into side stories about all of the children and dava’s past but somehow never actually said a single thing that caught my attention
except for maybe the fact that the only gay female character was in a throuple with two criminals ?? while all her straight and/or male siblings got to be happily partnered ?? and she also broke up with them right after dava told her to despite saying she wouldn’t ????????
except for maybe the fact that the only gay female character was in a throuple with two criminals ?? while all her straight and/or male siblings got to be happily partnered ?? and she also broke up with them right after dava told her to despite saying she wouldn’t ????????