Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
This expansive family drama from debut author Kirthana Ramisetti follows philanthropist & billionaire Dava Shastri, the matriarch of a big Indian-American family, on her last day alive. Dying of cancer, Dava decides to end her life on her own terms. Before that moment, she alerts the press that she has already died so she can see how she'll be eulogized. She also gathers her children, their partners, and kids at her home off of Long Island. While trapped by a storm, family secrets are revealed and Dava, an Indian woman who yearns for the clout and accomplishments of JD Rockefeller, tries to counteract the media's sensational narratives about her life by inspiring her children & grandchildren to carry on her legacy.
I listened to this audiobook and the narrator, Soneela Nankani, does a wonderful job portraying a large cast. This novel is stuffed with characters, storylines, and conflict. Dava's story, rightly, intrigues above them all...but it's so compelling, I became somewhat bored with all the other characters, who seemed very similar to one another. One other quibble--the story takes place in 2044, but I didn't really get a feel for anything "futuristic" in the details Ramisetti shares in each scene.
That said, Dava is a wonderful character and absolutely the star of this novel. Complex and distinct, she's a force of nature with a complicated core. The stereotypical narrative is reversed--she's the breadwinner and strong personality of her marriage, while her husband is the docile one who handles domestic matters. She makes no apologies for her ambition, which is refreshing. And while she is strong in her convictions, she's still relatable in how vulnerable she becomes when her life nears its end.
I enjoyed this book and the emotive narration by Nankani. Yet, the storylines were still a bit too convoluted for me to be fully invested in the secondary characters and their stories. If you're a fan of messy, dramatic, family-centered novels, you'll absolutely enjoy this debut.
Much thanks to @netgalley and @grandcentral for the #giftedcopies in exchange for an honest review.
I listened to this audiobook and the narrator, Soneela Nankani, does a wonderful job portraying a large cast. This novel is stuffed with characters, storylines, and conflict. Dava's story, rightly, intrigues above them all...but it's so compelling, I became somewhat bored with all the other characters, who seemed very similar to one another. One other quibble--the story takes place in 2044, but I didn't really get a feel for anything "futuristic" in the details Ramisetti shares in each scene.
That said, Dava is a wonderful character and absolutely the star of this novel. Complex and distinct, she's a force of nature with a complicated core. The stereotypical narrative is reversed--she's the breadwinner and strong personality of her marriage, while her husband is the docile one who handles domestic matters. She makes no apologies for her ambition, which is refreshing. And while she is strong in her convictions, she's still relatable in how vulnerable she becomes when her life nears its end.
I enjoyed this book and the emotive narration by Nankani. Yet, the storylines were still a bit too convoluted for me to be fully invested in the secondary characters and their stories. If you're a fan of messy, dramatic, family-centered novels, you'll absolutely enjoy this debut.
Much thanks to @netgalley and @grandcentral for the #giftedcopies in exchange for an honest review.
I genuinely loved the plot of this book and Ramisetti's second (which I also read a few weeks back). I think I have found that I am drawn to her plot and then slightly turned off by her lack of characterization/depth, especially of the main protagonist. Dava is a complicated character but I don't understand why she does the things she does and I have trouble believing that she would become such a presence for the general public to be so fascinated by her "passing." I really enjoyed her children and their development in the text.
Libby Kindle. An interesting look at family, duty, and mortality. I might suggest reading the acknowledgments and author note first, before reading the book. With the four+ siblings, the marriage (and affair), kids of kids, spouses, I feel the book got a bit cluttered. Especially with them the back and forth timelines. I wish the book was a bit cleaner, more streamlined.
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
3.5 stars
I loved the concept of this book so much when I read the description, I mean who wouldn’t want to know what people would say about you after you’re gone. I was so excited to read it and while I did enjoy it well enough I didn’t love it the way I expected to.
Coming into this book I was ready to be affected emotionally by it, by the surely hard and complicated time this family would have to go through; that this woman would go through with her death around the corner and her long hidden secrets popping up like the boogeyman.
However, I didn’t really get the emotions that I expected, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Instead of the sadness and angst I expected from a family learning their mother is dying there was just a lot of anger, which is understandable, but it felt like there was nothing but anger on the part of the children, and it also felt like Dava didn’t care for her four children, besides making sure her legacy survived which just made me kind of not like her and not care about her at all.
I didn’t really love any of the characters, they were all insufferable in their own ways, but I did feel sympathy for her children. They have big life altering news thrown at them multiple times and they’re just expected to deal with it.
I liked the time jumps, I love when I get to see first hand how events led up to certain things, but I did feel like the time jumps were awkwardly written at some points.
I think this was a good book, but these things kept them from being a great book in my opinion. If you want a story where you’ll fall in love the characters, this is not it, but if you want a story about family drama with some old hidden secrets in the mix then this is definitely for you.
Thank you netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the concept of this book so much when I read the description, I mean who wouldn’t want to know what people would say about you after you’re gone. I was so excited to read it and while I did enjoy it well enough I didn’t love it the way I expected to.
Coming into this book I was ready to be affected emotionally by it, by the surely hard and complicated time this family would have to go through; that this woman would go through with her death around the corner and her long hidden secrets popping up like the boogeyman.
However, I didn’t really get the emotions that I expected, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Instead of the sadness and angst I expected from a family learning their mother is dying there was just a lot of anger, which is understandable, but it felt like there was nothing but anger on the part of the children, and it also felt like Dava didn’t care for her four children, besides making sure her legacy survived which just made me kind of not like her and not care about her at all.
I didn’t really love any of the characters, they were all insufferable in their own ways, but I did feel sympathy for her children. They have big life altering news thrown at them multiple times and they’re just expected to deal with it.
I liked the time jumps, I love when I get to see first hand how events led up to certain things, but I did feel like the time jumps were awkwardly written at some points.
I think this was a good book, but these things kept them from being a great book in my opinion. If you want a story where you’ll fall in love the characters, this is not it, but if you want a story about family drama with some old hidden secrets in the mix then this is definitely for you.
Thank you netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I only read this book because my name is in the title. It was strange reading it over and over, too. Dava Shastri and Dava Stewart aren’t alike at all
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes